Pakistan, China discuss Geo-scientific cooperation as a delegation from China met with officials in Pakistan.
A delegation from the China Geological Survey (Xi’an Centre), led by Dr. Ma Zhong Ping, secretary of the SCO Geosciences Cooperation Research Centre, met with Momin Agha, secretary of the Petroleum Division, to discuss enhancing geo-scientific collaboration between Pakistan and China.
The meeting followed up on agreements made during Pakistan’s prime minister’s visit to China in June 2024, where both leaders expressed interest in expanding cooperation in sectors such as mining and geosciences.
In August, a team of Chinese experts visited Pakistan and provided strategic recommendations to improve key economic sectors. One of the main suggestions was to conduct comprehensive geo-scientific surveys of specific metallogenic blocks, with support from the Chinese government.
Additionally, the partnership between the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) and the China Geological Survey (CGS) began with an MoU in 2008 and has been renewed in 2013 and 2018.
In 2023, the collaboration was further solidified with an agreement to follow up on geochemical anomalies identified during prior work.
Progress in Cooperation
The GSP and CGS have already made significant progress, including the geochemical sampling of stream sediments across Pakistan, leading to the creation of geochemical anomaly maps for 69 elements. These maps play a crucial role in mineral exploration and highlight the importance of continued cooperation.
During the meeting, the Chinese delegation shared insights into the geochemical mapping success and discussed plans for future integrated geo-scientific surveys. These surveys aim to enhance Pakistan’s mineral exploration potential using advanced techniques.
Secretary of Petroleum Momin Agha also praised the GSP and CGS for their success in geochemical mapping and pledged full support for future projects. He emphasized that generating comprehensive geo-scientific data is vital for attracting investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector, a key government priority.
The meeting was also attended by the Director General of the Geological Survey of Pakistan and senior officials from the Petroleum Division.
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