(Introduction: After experiencing a decade of prosperity in the first part of this century, China’s geological exploration sector—in the context of the “new normal”—appears once again to be reverting to the sluggish state it was in during the 1990s. The intricate and multifaceted contradictions that have accumulated over time are once again coming to the fore. Historical experience has taught us that, in order to adapt to the next stage of industrial development—and especially given the three decades of growth we’ve already experienced—geological exploration efforts must be proactively planned and strategically positioned. The more we’re currently in a downturn, the more crucial it is to seize the current window of opportunity. At this stage, there are three key priorities: First, at the strategic level, we must carefully plan geological exploration activities for mineral resources that are well-suited to the needs of the next phase of industrial development; second, we must resolutely establish a mining capital market that is compatible with the market economy, particularly a capital market tailored to risk exploration; and third, the geological exploration industry must undergo a thorough transformation in both its institutional framework and operational mechanisms.)

Over the past several years, especially since the issuance of the “State Council’s Decision on Strengthening Geological Work,” China’s rapid industrialization and urbanization—particularly the dramatic advancement in infrastructure development such as high-speed railways, expressways, and airports—as well as large-scale urban demolition and renovation projects and the sustained surge in the real estate market, have directly fueled the growing demand for mineral resources, boosting the prosperity of the mining industry. As a result, investment enthusiasm in geological exploration across various sectors has soared, driving the development of related geotechnical and surveying industries. The geological exploration sector has been on an upward trajectory ever since. “ Rushing forward with great vigor ” The spring scenery is boundless.

　　But it seems that this favorable period didn't last long. Affected simultaneously by the global economic downturn and the country's ongoing economic restructuring, the mining economy has once again fallen into a prolonged slump. Some geological exploration units have clearly felt the impact of the sluggish macroeconomic environment on the exploration industry: social capital entering the mineral exploration sector has declined significantly, and fiscal investment is being scaled back. In earlier years, mining rights used to change hands like hot potatoes in the market; now, even securing a good price for their transfer has become a challenge. It’s also much harder than before to land large-scale commercial geological exploration projects in the market. Some units report that in previous years, as the state stepped up its efforts in geological work and poured in substantial resources, exploration projects kept coming one after another, leaving few geologists with idle time at home. But now, with a sharp drop in the number of projects, some workers have found themselves with nothing to do and are forced to stay at home. …… Many geological exploration units are once again facing financial difficulties. Some people have even exclaimed, “ The Spring of Geological Work ” It seems to be gone again.

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　　On the eve of the Spring Festival, Zheng Jianxin, Director of the Hunan Provincial Department of Finance, and a delegation visited the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Geological Exploration. 402 The team conducted visits and offered condolences, held a symposium to listen to opinions, and expressed their intention to carefully consider how to provide practical support for the transformation and development of geological exploration units. They also offered suggestions and explored solutions on how the team could overcome its current difficulties. Yin Xuelang, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of the Hunan Provincial Department of Natural Resources and国土资源, also attended the symposium along with his team. He put forward recommendations focusing on stabilizing investment in mineral exploration, maintaining supportive policies, steadily advancing reforms, and increasing support for pilot programs. He further stated that the department would fully cooperate with the Provincial Department of Finance to step up efforts... 402 The team’s targeted support will help it quickly overcome its current difficulties.

　　402 The team is an established geological team under the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Geological Exploration, founded in... 1952 Over the years, the organization has made tremendous contributions to the nation’s geological exploration efforts and to Hunan Province’s economic development. However, due to numerous historical legacies—such as severe team aging, a large number of retired employees, outdated infrastructure, poor conditions at production and research bases, and substandard housing for some staff—its situation has become increasingly challenging. The talent pool is predominantly composed of geology specialists, making it extremely difficult to develop extended geological industries centered on exploration and construction. Moreover, the operational and distribution mechanisms are inflexible, further complicating the industry’s transformation and upgrading. Coupled with the sharp decline in funding from national and local governments as well as social investments in geological exploration over the past two years, various contradictions and problems have become particularly acute.

　　It should be noted that Hunan Province... 402 Although the difficulties currently faced by the team are not widespread, they are by no means isolated cases—they are, rather, somewhat representative. This situation serves as a mirror, reflecting the new challenges that geological exploration units are confronting as China’s economy enters a “new normal.” It also highlights that many deep-seated contradictions accumulated over the past several decades in the geological exploration industry remain unresolved. At the same time, during the process of reform and development, numerous new issues have emerged that urgently need to be addressed.

　　So why are some geological exploration units, having just emerged from difficulties, once again finding themselves mired in them? We believe that this is indeed closely linked—perhaps even primarily—to the unfavorable global economic situation in recent years, the accelerated pace of domestic economic restructuring and industrial upgrading, and the sluggish state of the mining sector, particularly the shrinking investment in geological exploration. However, it’s also important to acknowledge that the lack of top-level design with a long-term strategic vision in the reform of the geological exploration industry—along with the absence of a clear and scientifically grounded development direction and roadmap—has played a significant role. Moreover, certain provinces failed to fully capitalize on the favorable conditions of earlier years when the mining sector was booming and the geological exploration market was thriving, properly addressing longstanding issues such as unreasonable institutional mechanisms, a single industrial structure, heavy burdens, and weak financial foundations. As a result, geological exploration units have found it difficult to shed their heavy burdens and operate with greater agility and flexibility.

　　For example, some older geological survey units all face the problem of having an excessively high proportion of retirees; in most of these units, the number of retirees and在职人员 has reached a certain level. 1 ∶ 1 The proportion of retirees in many organizations is even significantly higher than that of current employees. For example, in provinces relatively rich in mineral resources, most geological exploration units primarily focus on geological prospecting, yet very few of them actually hold mining rights. Even those that do hold some mining rights face numerous challenges when attempting to integrate exploration and mining operations, especially given that the per capita capital of many geological exploration units is merely... 2-3 With capital resources of only 10,000 yuan, it is simply impossible for these entities to meet the enormous capital demands of mining development. As a result, many geological exploration units have been forced to diversify into smaller-scale extension industries related to geological exploration—such as engineering surveys, foundation surveys for residential buildings, and rock excavation services. Meanwhile, in some provinces with limited mineral resources, geological exploration units primarily engage in these extension industries, lacking their own core industries altogether. “ Flagship product ” In fact, most state-owned geological exploration units have never managed to break free from... “ Worker ” the role of.

　　At an internal economic situation analysis meeting convened by the Provincial Department of Natural Resources and Land, a responsible official addressed the issues facing certain geological exploration units, stating that, overall, the outlook for the geological exploration industry remains promising. However, there are also some concerning signs. In particular, with a sharp decline in social investment, government financial funding is also on the wane—a trend that inevitably raises concerns about the Strategic Action for Breakthroughs in Mineral Exploration (i.e., ...). 358 Action ” ) 3 The year’s goal has been achieved, but... 5 What about the year? 8 How can we achieve the year’s goals?

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　　So, how exactly should we assess and analyze the current situation facing China’s geological exploration industry?

　　First, we should have a fundamental sense of confidence and recognition in the tremendous achievements made by China’s geological exploration sector since the reform and opening-up, especially since the issuance of the “State Council Decision on Strengthening Geological Work.”

　　In this regard, 2014 National Prospecting Conference ( The 8th National Symposium of 100 Geological Team Leaders ) Upward, Zhong Ziran, then Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Natural Resources, had delivered a speech on behalf of the Ministry of Natural Resources, actually covering three major aspects: 2003 From the end of the year to 2013 At the end of the year, China’s geological work conducted a relatively realistic and factual summary. According to Zhong Ziran’s assessment, over the past decade, geological exploration efforts have achieved accomplishments in the following areas:

　　First, the geological exploration industry’s exploration and development of critical mineral resources—particularly the detailed determination of reserves for key minerals—has ensured China’s supply of energy and raw materials and provided crucial support. 1600 The development of multiple large-scale mines and 400 The construction of numerous mining towns laid the foundation for China’s position as the world’s third-largest mining nation. For example, over the past decade, the proven coal reserves in China have increased by— 10.2 From one trillion tons to 14.8 Trillion tons, oil from 24.3 From 100 million tons to 33.7 hundred million tons, natural gas from 2.24 From one trillion cubic meters to 4.64 Trillion cubic meters, iron ore (ore tonnage) from 577 From 100 million tons to 799 100 million tons, copper ore (metal content) by 6709 From ten thousand tons to 9112 Ten thousand tons, bauxite (ore quantity) by 25.4 From 100 million tons to 40.2 Hundred million tons. In particular, the mineral exploration breakthrough strategic initiative organized and implemented by our country in recent years has achieved remarkably significant results: 3 Cumulative investment in mineral exploration over the years 3500 100 million yuan, newly discovered medium- to large-scale mineral deposits 451 Moreover, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the exploration of shale gas and natural gas hydrates. A number of world-class large-scale mineral deposits have been discovered in natural gas, uranium, molybdenum, tungsten, copper, and other resources, thereby establishing a number of major mineral resource bases.

　　Second, the structure of geological exploration qualifications has been gradually optimized, and the scope of services has continued to expand. Over the past decade, the proportion of China’s geological exploration units holding Grade-A qualifications has... 29% Increase to 44% Geological exploration units have expanded their scope from purely geological prospecting to include mining development, engineering surveys, geological hazard prevention and control, and marine geological surveys.

　　Third, by innovating ore-forming theories, we have developed a batch of advanced technologies for efficient mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, and comprehensive utilization, significantly enhancing the efficiency of mineral exploration and resource utilization. For example, in recent years, we have established China’s metallogenic system and regional metallogenic evaluation system, and promoted... “ Trinity ” The new model for mineral exploration prediction has enhanced the capability of mineral resource forecasting and led to the discovery of a number of large- and super-large-scale ore deposits. Significant breakthroughs have been achieved in geological theoretical innovation and mineral exploration projects on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Furthermore, technologies such as airborne geophysics, regional geochemical mapping, and digital geological mapping have been advanced. “ 10,000-meter drilling rig ” Ensure that equipment reaches internationally advanced levels; accelerate the exploration and development of shale gas technologies tailored to China’s specific conditions, and initially achieve domestic production of key technologies and equipment such as horizontal wells and staged fracturing.

　　Fourth, the economic strength of geological exploration units has significantly increased, and the income and living standards of employees have steadily improved. According to a survey, from... 2006 year to 2013 Year, the total assets of geological exploration units have been 1640 Increased to hundreds of millions of yuan 5320 100 million yuan, with an average annual growth. 18% ; Total revenue from 727 Increased to hundreds of millions of yuan 1963 100 million yuan, with an average annual growth. 15% ; The proportion of geological exploration revenue in the total revenue of geological exploration units has been... 36% Growth to 39% Meanwhile, over the past several years, the average labor compensation per employee in geological exploration units has been... 1.97 Ten thousand yuan / Annual growth to 5.93 Ten thousand yuan / Year, average annual growth 17% A group of geological survey units has annual revenues exceeding... 10 100 million yuan, with the highest approaching... 20 100 million yuan.

　　Second, we should accurately assess the current supply-and-demand situation for mineral resources and the state of the geological exploration market, and conduct research to identify opportunities as China’s economy enters... “ New Normal ” New challenges and opportunities facing post-geological work.

　　We must recognize that China is currently in the mid-to-late stage of industrialization, and is simultaneously going through a period of shifting growth rates, enduring the pains of structural adjustment, and digesting the effects of earlier stimulus policies. “ Three phases overlapping ” the state of affairs. During the industrialization period, the enormous demand for mineral resources spurred the development of mineral exploration efforts, and the government accordingly intensified basic geological surveys, leading to a boom in geological work. By the later stage of industrialization, basic geological surveys were largely completed, and economic development entered a medium-speed phase. , The continuous decline in consumption of mineral resources (excluding energy), coupled with rising exploration costs, increasingly stringent environmental regulations, government restrictions, and community opposition, will lead to the closure of numerous mines and make it extremely difficult to open new ones. Correspondingly, mineral exploration activities will also face constraints and begin to shrink in scale. Meanwhile, the environmental damage and pollution caused by the rapid industrialization during the previous period require remediation and restoration. As a result, geological work will shift from being resource-oriented to environment-oriented—moving away from primarily focusing on mineral exploration toward prioritizing environmental governance and protection. Of course, in these two contexts... “ Normal condition ” In between, a transition period—either longer or shorter—is inevitably required. Consequently, some industry experts have pointed out that China’s geological exploration sector is also facing... “ Three phases overlapping ” The situation we are facing seems reasonable to us.

　　So, the geological exploration industry... “ Three phases overlapping ” What exactly is it?

　　First, as China’s economic growth rate shifts from high to medium, the demand for mineral resources is declining, and mineral exploration is entering a transitional phase—from rapid to slower pace. According to statistical data released by the Ministry of Natural Resources, 2013 This year, the revenue of China's geological exploration industry declined compared to the previous year. 10.44% Mining exploration expenditures declined. 11.99% And this year, global investment in nonferrous metal exploration declined. 31% Additionally, according to the latest report titled “Tracking and Analysis of the Geological Work Situation,” prepared by the Development Research Center of the China Geological Survey, 2014 )》 shows that, 2014 Year, the nationwide investment in geological exploration was 415 hundred million yuan, compared to 2013 Decreased year-on-year 10% Among these, the central government has invested in basic and public-interest geological surveys and strategic mineral exploration efforts totaling— 83 100 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease as well. 7% Local fiscal investment in geological exploration work is: 94 100 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease. 24% ; Funds invested by social capital in geological exploration 238 100 million yuan, a year-on-year decrease. 4%。

　　Another factor that cannot be overlooked is that the mining industry has historically been cyclical, and its fluctuations far exceed those of the broader economy—often experiencing dramatic ups and downs. As an upstream industry, mineral exploration is inextricably linked to the mining sector itself; thus, its development is undoubtedly influenced by the cyclical nature of the mining industry. The challenge lies in the fact that geological survey units have very little experience in this regard. For instance: How should they operate during an upswing? How should they respond during a downturn? Will a peak emerge—and if so, how long will it last? Will a trough ever arrive, and if so, how long will the period of instability last? And when exactly can they expect to enter a recovery and upward trajectory? These questions are putting both the industry and geological survey units to the test, demanding their wisdom and adaptability.

　　Second, there is a digestion period for the exploration patterns that have emerged from stimulus policies. Looking at domestic mineral exploration activities, due to massive investments in recent years—especially the large-scale influx of private capital—the exploration of certain minerals such as coal, iron ore, and bauxite has already reached a state of oversupply. However, the overcapacity in coal production cannot be resolved in the short term, while the proven reserves of iron ore and bauxite are largely located at great depths, making commercial mining currently impossible. As a result, despite the discovery of substantial reserves, these minerals remain unexploited; iron and bauxite continue to be imported, and China’s dependence on foreign sources for bauxite has now reached a critical level. 50%。

　　From the geological exploration industry “ Go out. ” Judging from the situation, 2013 Before the year, when the country faced a severe shortage of mineral resources, geological exploration units were encouraged. “ Go out. ” By engaging in various forms of cooperation, we are acquiring resources from overseas. Many organizations have responded to the nation’s call and, through diverse channels and approaches, have obtained mineral rights abroad. Taking Hunan Province as an example, according to Ye Aibin, Director of the Hunan Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, the bureau has currently... 10 has conducted cooperative exploration with the target country. 27 One overseas risk exploration project, with total project costs reaching... 2.1 Over 100 million yuan. Among this amount, a national risk exploration subsidy has been approved. 9591 Ten thousand yuan, self-funded 11425 Ten thousand yuan. However, this good period didn't last long—the Central Geological Exploration Fund since... 2010 Implemented consecutively for years 3 After the overseas mineral exploration project this year, 2013 The year saw the announcement of a halt to the submission of applications for overseas projects. Suddenly deprived of the support and guidance from the central geological exploration fund, and lacking capital themselves, geological teams now find themselves facing the situation where, after completing preliminary exploration for overseas mineral prospecting projects, they are left with no further resources or direction. “ Run out of food ” the harsh reality. It is understood that the further these projects are implemented, the greater the funding requirements become. Similar to our country’s policies, in some foreign countries, if you fail to conduct exploration for two years, the area covered will be reduced. 1/4 Therefore, both projects previously funded by the state and those funded by exploration grants now face the risk of being left unfinished. Overseas mineral exploration projects have seemingly become a bone of contention—tasteless to eat yet too precious to discard.

　　Third, this is the adaptation period for the classified reform of public institutions. The government’s withdrawal from the commercial geology sector and the classified reform of geological exploration institutions have had a profound impact on these institutions. Currently, it is crucial to clearly delineate the boundaries between the market and the government. Geological exploration work funded by central government finances will increasingly focus on public-interest, basic geological surveys and strategic mineral exploration, and will further align with major national needs under the new circumstances. Local governments will also prioritize investment in basic, public-interest geological surveys, while investment in mineral exploration may decline further. As a result, the allocation of resources to geological exploration activities is undergoing structural adjustments.

　　After the classification reform, public-interest geological work will primarily be undertaken by institutions classified as Category One public-interest units, while most Category Two public-interest units and geoscientific exploration units that have been transformed into enterprises will be limited to commercial geological activities. In a sense, this fundamentally alters the previous survival and development models of geological exploration units. As is well known, in the past, geological exploration units relied heavily on government funding—specifically, fiscal support—to finance their mineral exploration efforts. This fiscal support formed the cornerstone of their production and development, with revenues from geological technical services playing only a supplementary role. But... 2013 Years later, the state discontinued its investment in prospecting projects, leaving mineral exploration virtually stalled. “ Making a meal without rice. ” As a result, China’s mineral exploration efforts will likely enter a relatively prolonged period of difficulty once again.

　　Nevertheless, we believe that the difficulties encountered by some geological exploration units still cannot be compared to the nationwide downturn in geological work from the end of the last century to the beginning of this century. “ Low point ” They are often compared on an equal footing. In fact, after weathering the trough and undergoing nearly a decade of hard work and development, China’s geological exploration industry has significantly enhanced both its resilience and overall strength. At present, the overall situation in the geological exploration sector is positive; the difficulties encountered by some individual entities are merely localized and temporary. Of course, we cannot remain indifferent or complacent toward these issues—we must carefully analyze them and respond with composure and determination.

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　　Currently, China's economic development has entered... “ New Normal ” The shift of economic development to a “new normal” signifies that the conditions and environment for China’s economic development have already undergone—or are about to undergo—numerous significant transformations: economic growth is shifting from high-speed to medium-high-speed; the mode of economic development is transitioning from extensive growth driven by scale and speed to intensive growth focused on quality and efficiency; the economic structure is moving from primarily expanding capacity through incremental additions to a profound adjustment that simultaneously involves restructuring existing assets, optimizing new additions, and achieving both. Moreover, the driving force behind economic development is shifting from being factor-driven and investment-driven to innovation-driven.

　　From the perspective of resource and environmental constraints, in the past, China’s economy was relatively small, and its energy resources and ecological environment had relatively ample space. 30 After years of rapid development, the environment’s carrying capacity has now reached or is approaching its upper limit. Consequently, China’s economy has entered... “ New Normal ” Subsequently, we must align with the people’s aspirations for a sound ecological environment and promote the development of a new model of green, low-carbon, and circular development. This, in turn, places higher demands on geological work.

　　So, in the face of changing circumstances, how can the geological exploration system or individual geological exploration units adapt to the situation and take proactive measures? What specific countermeasures should they adopt? We believe that we could consider the following aspects:

　　First, geological exploration work is inherently forward-looking. Geological exploration should not blindly follow the cyclical fluctuations of the mineral commodities market. However, under the new circumstances, geological surveying efforts should also be adjusted according to actual conditions. From the perspective of mineral exploration, more resources should be directed toward the search for oil and gas—especially in the field of clean energy.

　　Over the past two years, influenced by macroeconomic factors, the mining industry has entered a downturn, and the domestic mineral exploration market has cooled down. For the geological survey sector, this has only compounded the difficulties, leading some to become pessimistic about the prospects for mineral exploration. However, we should also recognize that although the global mining industry is undergoing significant adjustments, emerging economies continue to advance industrialization and urbanization, with massive investments in infrastructure development. As a result, for quite some time to come, the world will maintain strong demand for mineral resources. Since China’s economy has entered a “new normal,” the fundamental trend of overall economic improvement remains unchanged. At the same time, the deepening implementation of ecological civilization and the construction of a Beautiful China have opened up many new opportunities for expanding the scope of geological work.

　　As is well known, geological mineral exploration is closely linked to a nation’s long-term strategic development. From setting exploration targets to actually putting the mined resources into use, the time frame can range from as little as... 7 ~ 8 Year, more than that 20 ~ 30 year. Because the mineral exploration cycle is long, the mines currently in use are those from the past. 10 Year ago 20 The resources discovered this year—if we stop exploring for minerals now, there will be nothing left for future generations. Sustainable economic and social development hinges on a continuous supply of resources; otherwise, it will amount to building castles in the air.

　　Geological exploration serves the national economy, and at present, the most important aspect of its service remains mineral exploration—specifically, addressing resource security issues and ensuring the supply of critical mineral resources such as oil and gas. Although prices of certain minerals—including crude oil—have been declining steadily recently, this situation is unlikely to persist indefinitely. Geological exploration should not blindly follow the cyclical fluctuations in the mineral markets. Therefore, regardless of how mineral prices move in the market, the state and government will by no means arbitrarily reduce their support for and investment in mineral exploration. In fact, according to leaders from the Department of Geological Exploration under the Ministry of Natural Resources, although social capital’s investment in geological exploration has declined somewhat in recent years due to fluctuations in mineral prices and changes in the mining industry landscape, from a national perspective, central government funding for geological exploration has generally remained stable and has not been reduced overall.

　　At the same time, we should recognize that although it is expected... 2015 The process of addressing excess production capacity and de-financializing the market will continue this year, leading to a further rational return to more prudent investment in exploration for bulk minerals such as copper, iron, lead, and zinc. However, unlike this trend, as the global geopolitical landscape undergoes significant adjustments and China’s energy supply security faces ever-growing threats, this poses higher demands on exploration and prospecting for energy-related minerals. 2014 The “Energy Development Strategy Action Plan” formulated through the year’s efforts to promote energy reform ( 2014-2020 The guiding document “...”, coupled with the ongoing advancement of the national reform of the oil and gas exploration and development system, means that related minerals such as petroleum, natural gas, and uranium will attract more funding attention in the coming period.

　　In fact, under the new normal, the nation’s demand for energy resource security is undergoing a transformation. One notable change is the increasingly pronounced preference for specific types of mineral resources. For example, an important aspect of China’s energy strategy is to minimize reliance on coal resources and step up investment in oil and gas exploration. In the past, China placed relatively greater emphasis on resource exploration and development. “ quantity ” With the accumulation of experience, the output of various resources has grown significantly. Now, in line with the new development model and in response to the need for structural adjustment, transformation and upgrading, as well as the construction of a beautiful China, the government has stepped up its support for the exploration and development of clean energy sources in terms of ensuring energy resource security. Exploration and development of oil and gas resources are receiving increasing attention, especially natural gas, which will inject new vitality into nationwide mineral exploration efforts. Currently... “ Three gases ” (The exploration and development of natural gas, coalbed methane, and shale gas) have been included in the government work report. Meanwhile, exploration and development activities involving resources that are prone to environmental pollution have been brought under stricter control. For example, the National Development and Reform Commission has explicitly stated that in certain regions—particularly those in the eastern part of the country—the number of coal exploration projects must be strictly controlled. In addition, the Ministry of Natural Resources has issued a notice continuing to suspend the acceptance of applications for coal exploration rights. Therefore, from the perspective of mineral exploration, geological survey institutions should conduct mineral exploration tailored to local resource distribution conditions. Where conditions permit, they should step up their efforts and intensify geological surveys for resources such as natural gas, coalbed methane, shale gas, as well as uranium deposits, geothermal energy, and shallow low-temperature geothermal resources.

　　Second, after the government withdrew from commercial mineral exploration, it increased its financial investment in geological work related to people’s livelihoods. This, in effect, has provided geological survey units with an opportunity to accelerate adjustments to their industrial and personnel structures, as well as to reorient their primary focus and service priorities in geological work.

　　In recent years, both central and local governments have stepped up their efforts to improve people's livelihoods. As we advance ecological civilization and intensify protection of natural ecosystems and the environment, the demand for geological surveys focused on environmental protection and remediation has been steadily growing. All these factors have driven an increase in investment in hydrogeological, environmental geological, and disaster geological investigations.

　　For example, the central government’s special fund for geology and mineral resources has focused its environmental geological surveys on key economic zones and major urban agglomerations; conducted geological hazard surveys along important tectonic activity zones and areas highly prone to geological disasters; and carried out hydrogeological surveys in ecologically fragile regions and karst areas. These efforts have guided and stimulated local governments to increase their financial investments in hydrogeological, engineering geological, and environmental geological surveys aimed at improving people’s livelihoods. 2014 Year 1 Moon -6 Month: National investment in geological environment and geological hazard investigation and assessment 19.21 100 million yuan, up year-on-year 51.5% Among them, the central government finances. 7.6 100 million yuan, up year-on-year 51.1% ; Local finance 9.32 100 million yuan, up year-on-year 89.1% It is expected that fiscal funds will continue to maintain a fairly strong growth momentum in the coming period.

　　From this, we can see that although, compared to mineral exploration, national and local governments have so far invested relatively little in these areas, an irreversible trend is emerging: improving people’s livelihoods and building an ecological civilization will run throughout the entire process of realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation—the realization of the Chinese Dream. And if we are to preserve our green mountains and clear waters, “ Preserve the nostalgia for one's hometown. ” Both require large-scale surveys and assessments of geological hazards, as well as the restoration and remediation of geological environments and mine environments. Meanwhile, as the nation accelerates its efforts to advance environmental protection, “ Ten Measures for Air Quality ”、 “ The Ten Measures for Water ”、 “ Ten Measures for Soil Pollution Prevention and Control ” As a series of measures are successively introduced and implemented—such as the treatment of heavy metals in major rivers, the management of soil pollutants, and the capture and storage of atmospheric pollutants like carbon dioxide—the demand for related work will continue to grow. These developments undoubtedly provide broader opportunities for the transformation of geological work.

　　Judging from the reform of geological work systems and geological exploration institutions in several provinces over the past few years and currently, in addition to providing guarantees for mineral resources, some local governments have designated geological exploration units as first-class public-service institutions precisely because these units can serve as technical support for the government in conducting surveys and assessments of geological hazards, as well as in the restoration and remediation of geological environments and mine environments. The inclusion of ecological civilization construction as an integral part of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics... “ Five-in-one ” After the overall layout is established, this technological support becomes particularly important.

　　Third, seize the new development opportunities brought about by China’s economy entering a “new normal,” continuously expand the scope of geological exploration work, and push forward both the depth and breadth of geological exploration, with a focus on... “ Geology of the Earth ” Enhance the ability of geological work to serve national and local economic and social development, and strengthen its overall comprehensive strength.

　　The geological exploration industry and geological exploration institutions must firmly seize the opportunities presented by the nation’s launch of... “ The Four Comprehensive Strategies ” Build and vigorously promote ecological civilization and beauty. “ Chinese Dream ” Build and strengthen the strategy of becoming a maritime power; continue implementing the overall regional development strategy of “four major sectors”—western development, revitalization of the Northeast, rise of the Central region, and leading role of the Eastern region—and focus on key implementation efforts. “ The Belt and Road ” Taking advantage of the favorable opportunities presented by the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the Yangtze River Economic Belt—these three major strategies—we will continue to expand our service sectors, overcome adverse factors, identify favorable ones, and turn unfavorable factors into advantageous ones.

　　In fact, judging from the geological work conferences recently held one after another by various provinces, localities have all come up with some excellent ideas and approaches for overcoming difficulties and growing stronger. For example, the Zhejiang Provincial Geological Exploration Bureau has proposed implementing... “ Two major projects ” , do a good job “ Six services ” That is, to effectively implement the two major projects of ensuring resource and energy security as well as geological and environmental safety; proactively provide technical services to support resource, energy, and security assurance; contribute to the construction of an ecological civilization; offer services for disaster prevention and mitigation; provide support for new-type urbanization, modern industry, modern agriculture, and major infrastructure projects; serve the development of the marine economy; and deliver services that benefit people’s livelihoods. The Hunan Provincial Bureau of Geological Exploration has proposed to—