Scientists Discuss the Genetic Relationship between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Indian Monsoon

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the third pole towering high in the world, has always been the object of extreme climate research. This is the most extensive high altitude area in the world, with an average altitude of 4000 meters. Such a wide mountainous area absorbs more solar energy than one at sea level, so the winter here is cold and summer is broiling hot. In the 1950s, the Chinese atmospheric scientist Ye Duzheng and German meteorologist Hermann Flohn both suggested that the air layer of the summer plateau was warmer than the sea and the air layer with the same altitude over land located at sea level, so that the temperature difference generated winds, which blow moist air from the ocean into the interior of the subcontinent of India, becoming a driving engine of the rainy season, the Monsoon.

Major Breakthroughs in Geological Theory, Key Techniques and Exploration of Tight Oil in China

In recent years,U.S.tight oil exploration and development have achieved significant progress,with rapidly increasing production,which has significantly changed the U.S.A.energy supply pattern（Fig.1）.Compared with the North American marine to marginal marine-continental transitional facies,China’s tight oil（Fig.1）

Reserves of Natural Gas Hydrates Equivalent to 100–150 Billion m^3 Natural Gas Has Been Discovered in the Pearl Mouth Basin of the South China Sea

Scientists have suggested that combustible ice in global marginal seas,deep trough areas and ocean basins covers an area of 400million km2,and its total reserve is twice the amount of the global proven oil,coal and gas reserves,equivalent to 50 times the amount of conventional natural gas reserves.

Magnetite Quartzite-Type Iron Ores – China's Most Important Current Iron Ore Source

China is abundant in iron-ore resources, with proven ore reserves of 576.62×10^8 t and proven reserves of 210×10^8 t, containing an average iron content of 33%. However, the rich iron-ore reserves of 10.85×10^8 t only account for 1.9% of all proven reserves. China＇s iron-ore resources are characterized by many lean ores and a few rich ones.

Aftershock of the Wenchuan Earthquake in Sichuan Triggers Large Earthquake in Minxian County, Gansu

Because of the confining compression of the Pacific, Eurasian and Indian plates, the Chinese mainland is frequently stricken with earthquakes, especially in the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and surrounding areas and along the NS-trending tectonic zone from Yinchuan to Lanzhou, Chengdu, and finally to the Kunming tectonic belt （Fig. 1）. Historical records show that there are 14 earthquakes of 〉Ms 8 occurring in the two regions, eight of which occurred along the latter tectonic belt. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake located on both the NS tectonic zone and the Longmenshan fault zone along the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Chinese Scientists Have Obtained Great Achievements in Comprehensive Research on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The China Geological Survey carried out 1：250000 regional geological surveys of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from 1999 to 2005. With a total investment of 300 million yuan, more than 1000 geologists were involved annually to conduct mapping at a grid of one line to every four km along the Kunlun Mts-Altyn Shan-Tanggula Shah, Kokoxili-Qiangtang, Gangdese, Yalun Zangbu River, and finally to the Himalayan ranges. The extensive mapping culminated in a total of 112 maps covering an area of 152 square kilometers. Based on this success, the China Geological Survey launched another program, the ＂Integration and Comprehensive Study of Basic Geological Survey Result（s） in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau＂. The program lasted from 2006 to 2010 and has yielded copious research results, making big strides in upgrading our understanding of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The achievements are manifold. Around 100 maps have been drafted, including the 1：1500000 geological map, tectonic, tectono-magmatic, metamorphic rocks, Precambrian geology, lithofacies palaeogeography, Cenozoic geology, geophysical-geochemical maps and others.

China's Technologies for Exploration and Mining of Uranium Deposits Have Stepped into the World's Top Team

On June 2011, the Beijing Research Institute of Uranium Geology, an Institute within the China National Nuclear Corporation （CNNC）, and the Department of Geology ＆ Mining CNNC carried out a project Scientific Drilling.for Deep Metallogenic Research in the Xiangshan Large Uranium Ore Field. A year later on June 21, the project, representing the first scientific drilling of China＇s uranium, was officially launched, and successfully completed on June 17, 2013. A 2818.88 m of drilling depth has broken the previous record 1200 m of exploration depth.

Comprehensive Utilization of Vanadium-Titanium Magnetite Deposits in China Has Come to a New Level

There are two production areas lbr vanadium-titanium magnetite deposits in China： the Panzhihua area in Sichuan Province and the Chengde area in Hebei Province. The Panzhihua vanadium titanomagnetite iron ore deposits are hosted by a mafic-ultramafic intrusive complex, and belong to late magmatic differentiation condensation of crystalline iron deposits.

World's Third-Largest Molybdenum Deposit Discovered in Caosiyao Area, Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia

On l lth September 2013, the Inner Mongolia Mineral Resources and Reserves Evaluation Center estimated that the world＇s third-largest molybdenum deposit had been found in the Caosiyao area of Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia, NE China. The find has 130235.60×10^4 t of （122b）＋（333） molybdenum ores, a metal amount of 1327649.27 t, with Mo grade of 0.102-a super-large one.

Chinese Geological Prospecting Gets Good Harvest, and Mineral Resources and Reserves Increase Gratifying in 2012

On March 27, 2013, the Ministry of Land and Resources held a news conference to announce a significant achievement in Chinese geological prospecting work in 2012. According to government/industry statistics, proved reserves of oil and natural gas have increase substantially in 2012. Newly proven national petroleum geological reserves are 15.2 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 13%, which is the tenth time of more than 1 billion tons since the founding of People＇s Republic of China; newly proven technically recoverable reserves are 270 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 7%. The 2012 national newly proved reserves from natural gas exploration are 961.22 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 33%, which is the highest level in our history; the new proven technically recoverable reserves are 500.8 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 36%. National natural gas production was 106.76 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 5.4%. The Ordos, Tarim and Sichuan basins are still the main producing areas of natural gas in China. In 2012, national oil production was 205 million tons, a year-on-year growth of 1%, which made a steady increase. The national coal-bed methane production was 2.57 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year growth of 24%.

Distribution and Collection of China's Dinosaurs

It is estimated that the world has discovered more than1000 species and 800 genera of dinosaurs.Chinese scientists have named more than 170 species of dinosaurs,with 17 genera and 44 species of dinosaur egg fossils,35genera and 39 species of dinosaur footprints,since their first discovery in China in 1902.

China's Seawater Desalination Plants Produce Megatons Freshwater For Low Cost

China, as many other parts of the world, has a serious shortage of water resources. In China, there is a total amount of 2.8×10^12 m3 of freshwater, but that is only 2000 m3 per capita, which is about one quarter of the world average. Thereforc, seawater desalination engineering is of great significance to the nation.

Chinese Bio-oxidation Gold Extraction Technology Reaches International Advanced Level

In Liaoning, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Sichuan, Anhui, Jilin and other provinces in China, there is a wide occurrence of metal quantity over 1000 tons of refractory gold ores, principally because of low gold recoveries and become ＂stay mine＂. Features of refi＇actory gold ores are： gold in micro-particles or a microscopic state that is wrapped in pyrite, presence of arsenopyrite and other sulfide minerals or disseminated in the crystal lattice of sulfide minerals; harmful impurity elements such as arsenic, carbon, mercury, antimony, copper with high content are closely related with the gold, and these elements affect the contact reaction between the gold and solvent extraction, making the recovery of the gold extraction process low. In the past 20 years, overseas countries have developed the application of the roasting oxidation method, hot acid （alkali） oxidation, bacterial oxidation and flash chlorination oxidation technology to solve this problem.Among these, biological oxidation has developed rapidly in the domestic market and gold enterprises abroad because of its low investment in infrastructure, low production costs, less environmental pollution, simple process and easy control, etc.

Breakthrough in the China's Separation Technology for Extraction of Rare Earth Elements

Separation technology of rare earth elements （REEs）, as the critical step in the separation process, had long been fraught with technical difficulty. A research project conducted by Baotou Shibo Rare Earth Extraction ＆ Equipment Co. Ltd., Baotou REE Research Institute, and Baotou Steel ＆ REE Group Hi-Tech Co. Ltd （Inner Mongolia）, has successfully solved the problem using a centrifugal extractor and advanced techniques to achieve a key breakthrough.

Roof of the World

First Joint meeting of the Geological Society of China （GSC） and the Geological Society of America （GSA） Brought together by the GSA International Section Chengdu, China in 17-19 June 2013. The abstracts are available online and can be downloaded for free.

The Newly Discovered Super-Large Wulashan-Hademengou Gold Metallogenic Belt in Inner Mongolia,China Has Gold Reserves of Over 100 Tons

The Wulashan-Hademengou gold ore district in Baotou city, Inner Mongolia, is a further newly discovered super-large gold metallogenic belt in northern China. The accumulated proven gold metal amount is 84.46 t, with an average grade of 3.53 g/t and a gold metal amount of 63.16 t, with an average grade of 3.30 g/t. The potential reserves are over 100 t.

Status of China's Geological Survey and Geological Environments in 2013

With the approach of the 45th World Earth Day,China＇s Ministry of Land and Resources issued the status of the Chinese geological survey and environments on 22nd April 2013.Regional geological survey in 2013 achieved new results-（why was oceanic in twice？） polar and oceanic expedition were fully completed,a national census of geography was begun,and the security capacity of mapping geographic information was enhanced.A new idea for integrated geological survey and scientific research was proposed to enhance marine geological surveys and to improve service capabilities.

China Output of Crude Oil Hits High in 2012

According to news from the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, the crude oil output in China for 2012 was expected to amount to 207 million tons, likely setting the highest record for domestic oil production.

Metallic Reserves of Submarine Manganese Nodules to be Estimated and Harnessed Prudently: Evidence from China's Jiaolong Manned Submersible

Since the discovery of oceanic manganese nodules during the expedition of the British ocean-going ship Challenger from 1872 to 1876, research and development for seabed manganese nodules have never ceased owing to the huge economic inducements. Manganese nodules are the black or dark brown, spherical or massive Mn-bearing ores, deposits of which are found on the sea bottom. The nodules are a mixture of silicate and insoluble potassium permanganates （also with sub-Ti, Fe and Na permanganates） that contain more than 30 kinds of metallic elements, among which those of greatest economic interest are Mn （27-30%）, Ni（1.25-1.5%）, Cu（1- 1.4%）, Co（0.2- 0.25 %）, Fe, Si, and AI, with minor amounts of Ca, Na, K, Ti, B, H and O.

The World's Salt Lakes:Today and Tomorrow

The 12th International Conference on Salt Lake Research,which is organized jointly by International Society of Salt Lake and The Institute of Mineral Resources,Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences,will be held on July 14–18,2014 in Langfang,Hebei Province,China.The conference themes focus on future and global salt lake sustainable research and development and will bring together international specialists in limnology,sedimentology,geology,geochemistry,biology,