Pakistan, China aim to advance geoscientific collaboration

Islamabad: A delegation from the China Geological Survey (Xi’an Center), led by Dr. Ma Zhong Ping, Secretary of the SCO Geosciences Cooperation Research Center called on Secretary of the Petroleum Division, Momin Agha to discuss advancing geoscientific collaboration between Pakistan and China.

This meeting builds on the commitments made during the visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister to China in June 2024, where both leaders expressed a strong desire to deepen cooperation in various sectors including mining and geosciences, said an official statement issued here.

Following this, a team of Chinese experts visited Pakistan in August and provided strategic recommendations for uplifting the key areas of the economy. One key suggestion was to conduct detailed integrated geoscientific surveys of selected metallogenic blocks, supported by the Chinese government.

The longstanding partnership between the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and the China Geological Survey (CGS) began with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2008, subsequently renewed in 2013 and 2018.

In 2023, this cooperation was further strengthened through a formal agreement to advance follow-up surveys of geochemical anomalies identified during earlier collaborative work.

The partnership between GSP and CGS has already achieved significant milestones, including the systematic geochemical sampling of stream sediments across Pakistan, resulting in geochemical anomaly maps for 69 elements.

These maps provide crucial data for mineral exploration and underscore the value of continued collaboration.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation shared insights into the achievements of the geochemical mapping initiative and outlined plans for future integrated geoscientific surveys.

These proposed surveys aim to further unlock Pakistan’s mineral potential through advanced exploration techniques and methodologies.

Secretary Petroleum, commended the GSP and CGS for their successful efforts in geochemical mapping and assured full support for future ventures. He said that generating comprehensive geoscientific data is essential for attracting investments in the exploration and development of Pakistan’s mineral resources, a key priority for the government.

The Director General, of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and senior officials from the Petroleum Division were also present during the discussion.