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）

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.

2015–2020 Geological Survey Program of China Geological Survey Bureau

On 1–5 September 2014,the China Geological Survey Bureau held a 2015–2020 Geology and Mineral Resources Investigation and Assessment Special Planning and Deployment Meeting to plan the next six years in order to invest nearly ten billion US dollars to implement 9 programs and 50 projects with the aim of developing geological survey work,and to play a leading role in ensuring sustained and stable development.

China Has Successfully Conducted its First Pilot Production of Natural Gas Hydrates

Natural gas methane and hydrates are a chemical compound of water molecules formed under low temperature and high pressure. The decomposition of 1 m^3 of natural gas hydrates can release about 0.8 m^3 of water and 164 m3 of natural gas. Thus, natural gas hydrates are characterized by their high-energy density and huge resource potential. It is estimated that the world＇s total natural gas hydrates resource amount is equivalent to twice the total carbon amount of the global proven conventional fuels and can meet the human energy requirement in the future for 1000 years. They are thus the first choice to replace conventional energy of petroleum and coal.

China's Shale Gas Geological Investigation and Prospecting Have Made Significant Progress

Since 2015, the China Geological Survey has implemented a major program of ＂Geology Survey of Land Energy Mineral Resources＂. Till now, a total of billions of RMB have been invested and seven engineering projects have been established, all of which has greatly enhanced the geological survey and exploration of China＇s continental shale gas in an attempt to overcome the oil and gas shortage.

Two Super-Large Gold Deposits Have Been Discovered in Jiaodong Peninsula of China

During 2015, gold prospecting in Laizhou City of Shandong Peninsula in China has achieved a major breakthrough. Deposits containing 470 and 389 tons of gold metal were discovered in the northern sea area of Sanshandao and the Shaling area, respectively. As a result, the gold prospective resources in the entire Jiaodong Peninsula have now exceeded 4000 tons, fully indicative of the super-large prospecting potential of the Jiaojia-type deposits.

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.

The World＇s Largest Conglomerate Type Oilfield Has Been Discovered in the Junggar Basin of China

The Junggar Basin in the northern part of Xinjiang is the second largest inland basin in China. It is located between the Altai and Tianshan Mountains, which is bounded by the Junggar bounded Mountain in the northwest, the Altai Mountains in the northeast and the North Tianshan Mountains in the south. It belongs to a triangular close inland basin, and extends 700 km in EW and 370 km in NS, covering an area of 38x104 km2. The elevation is about 400 m, high in the east （about 1000 m） and low in the west. The central basin is the Guerbantonggute desert, which accounts for 36.9% of the total basin area.

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.

Distribution and Characteristics of Dinosaur Eggs in China

China is one of the most prolific countries for dinosaur material in the world, from skeletons to footprints and eggs. At present, China has documented more than 160 kinds of dinosaur, 35 genera and 39 ichnospecies of dinosaur footprints, and 17 genera and 44 oospecies of dinosaur eggs. The dinosaur eggs in China are mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Jilin, Liaoning, Shandong, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Guangdong （Fig. 1）, especially in Xixia of Henan, Nanxiong of Guangdong and Yunxian County of Hubei, which have the widest distribution, the best preservation and the most diversity.

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.

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.

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.

Beiya Gold Deposit,Heqing County,Yunnan——One of China's Ten Biggest Gold Deposits

The Beiya gold polymetallic ore district covers an area of 22.06 km2 and is located 47.5 km away in the direction 172° from Heqing county seat of northwestern Yunnan. Its geographical coordinates are 100° 11 ′15″-100° 13′00″ E and 60°07′30″26°10′30″ N. Since its discovery in 1999 until November 31st 2013, it has had accumulative proven （111b＋122b＋331 ＋332＋333） gold metal amounts of 258.475 t at an average grade of 2.61 g/t. This deposit contains 88.98 million tons of paragenetic and associated iron ores, with TFe grade varying from 9% to 36%; metal amounts are： gold 27 t; copper 0.6188 million tons; silver 5439 t; lead 1.35 million ton; zinc 0.31 million ton; and sulfur content is 10.09 million ton. Beiya is one of the top ten largest gold deposits discovered in recent years in China.

A New Extension of Geological Work: To Grow Rice in the Desert

For thousands of years,a large number of peripheral rivers have been flowing into deserts,the water from which then will infiltrate underground or evaporate into the air.When desert sand engulfs and humans retreat,precious freshwater resources lie dormant all the year round,making almost no contribution to human progress.

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.

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.

China's Manganese Geological Research and Prospecting have Achieved Great Breakthrough

Data announced by the Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources in 2015 suggest that China has discovered more than 480 manganese ore-producing areas, with manganese ore resource reserves up to 1.22 billion tons, including 0.303 billion tons of basic reserves and 0.915 billion tons amount of resource. Among these reserves, manganese carbonate ores account for 56%, manganese oxide ores （including spongy manganese ores） accounts for 25%, and other types of manganese ore occupy 19%. Rich ores with 〉30% manganese content only account for 5% of the total resource amount, and the remaining 95% are poor manganese ores. Since 1983 when China first began to import, the imported manganese ores have increased annually by 25%. In 2001, the annual imported manganese ores reached 1.71 million tons. From 2010, the annual imported manganese ores increased by greater than 45%, reaching up to 12 million tons in 2015. Thus it seemed that the shortage of manganese ore resources will be a longterm phenomenon for China＇s economic development.

Many New Dinosaur Fossil Spots Discovered in the Dunhuang-Yumenguan-Jiuquan Area of Gansu Province, China

Two Mesozoic intramontane basins are developed in the Dunhuang-Yumenguan-Jiuquan area of Gansu Province,China,i.e.,the Gongpoquan Basin（E97°30′-98°10′,N41°30′-41°45′）and the Yujingzi Basin（E98°15′-99°00′,N40°15＇-40°40＇）（Fig.1）.A large number of dinosaurs and other fossils have been discovered in these two basins,which are called dinosaur＇tribes＇by paleontologists.

Ms 6.5 Earthquake Occurred in Ludian County of Yunnan Province,China,Although Forecast Issued before the Earthquake,Life Casualties and Property Losses were Still Caused Significant

1 Geography Location At 16：30 on August 3rd, 2014, Ludian County, Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province （27.1°N, 103.3°E） was hit by Ms 6.5 earthquake, with the maximum intensity is 9 and epicenter depth is around 12 km （Figs. 1 and 2）.