To deepen the study and implementation of the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the important reply from General Secretary Xi Jinping to all geological workers of the Sixth Geological Brigade of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, the Resource Evaluation Department of the China Geological Survey and the Nanjing Center for Geological Survey of the China Geological Survey recently organized a seminar on major geological issues and work plans for mineral exploration in the Qinhang and other metallogenic belts in the East China region. The seminar focused on building large-scale resource bases in East China, addressing key geological challenges that have been hindering breakthroughs in mineral exploration in important metallogenic belts in the region, discussing the deployment of a new round of strategic actions for mineral exploration breakthroughs, and clarifying priority tasks and research directions.

At the meeting, relevant personnel introduced the target tasks, working strategies, deployment plans, and expected outcomes for mineral exploration breakthroughs during the 14th Five-Year Plan period at the regional and provincial levels. Special invited experts provided on-site commentary. The attending experts pointed out the following key points: First, the primary focus should be on promoting the formation and consolidation of large-scale resource bases, with particular emphasis on bulk and strategic minerals such as copper, gold, lithium, beryllium, niobium-tantalum, and fluorite. Work should be strategically deployed in the “four zones” according to priority levels and over multiple years. Second, we must leverage the foundational role of our traditional, strong disciplines, fully capitalizing on the mineral exploration breakthrough initiatives to strengthen discipline development and talent cultivation. Third, we should take technological innovation as the driving force, highlighting the application of new theories and technologies, and intensifying research into exploration techniques for the “three under” conditions—under volcanic rocks, under shallow cover, and under thrust structures. In particular, we should make greater use of green exploration methods, such as hyperspectral technology—a strength of the Nanjing Geological Survey Center—and carry out comprehensive evaluations and studies on the integrated utilization of mineral resources to enhance the level of green exploration technology. Fourth, we must strengthen coordinated collaboration among central and local governments, enterprises, and research institutions, deepen the integration of industry, academia, and research, build a large-scale team for mineral exploration breakthroughs in the East China region, and establish a new pattern of multi-party collaborative advancement.

Through this seminar, participants further aligned their thinking, clarified key issues, and built a shared consensus. Moving forward, the Nanjing Geological Survey Center will strengthen coordination with provincial departments and bureaus, as well as foster multi-party cooperation with local governments, industry organizations, and research institutes. It will actively establish and develop a new mechanism for coordinated collaboration among central, local, and enterprise entities—characterized by “government leadership, public welfare first, commercial follow-up, technology-driven, and rapid breakthroughs”—to comprehensively advance the implementation of the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategy in the East China region.