Author Archives: Christopher Duku

The field work of the High-Resolution Geochemical Survey of the Arabian Shield (GSAS) project which covers the entire Arabian Shield (c. 600,000 km²), commissioned by the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) with International Geoscience Services (IGS) as Lead Technical Partners (TPs), and conducted by the Chinese Geological Survey (CGS) including analyses of 76 elements for each sample have been completed successfully.

More than 88,000 stream sediment samples were successfully collected with no incident or LTI (Loss Time Injury) recorded since March 2022. This is a great achievement for the team (SGS-CGS-TP) as well as IGS (Lead Technical Partners). As part of celebration for this milestone achievement and successful completion of the field sampling.

Thanks to the Technical Partners (TPs) for joining hands with the Management of SGS led by His Excellency, Eng. Abdullah Al-Shamrani (Chief Executive Officer/President of SGS) and the Management of China Geological Survey (CGS) for collecting the samples.

Members of the Technical Partner team together with staff from SGS and CGS, collect the final sample of more than 88,000 stream sediment samples within the Arabian Shield. These samples are analysed for 76 elements aiming to create a state-to-the are database and produce geochemical maps.

By  Dr. Reik Degler – Project Geologist

(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)

IDPeX and MSA have been working together on a project for OMC (Odisha Mining Corporation Limited) to provide exploration related support and technical assistance for mining blocks in Odisha, to be auctioned by the State Government.

IDPeX is an Indian registererd consultancy that brings together the resources of IGS, PGW and Datacode. MSA is the contractual lead on the project and brings its valuable experience in mineral exploration. Because we all attended the Future Minerals Forum 24, in Riyadh, we took the opportunity to meet after FMF 24 to discuss progress on the project and to agree on further planning. A successful meeting and many thanks to all who attended.

From left: S. Karunakar Rao (‘KK’) & Peter Zawada of IDPeX; Ian Haddon & Craig Blane of MSA; Stephen Reford & Asim Chatterjee of IDPeX

By Dr. Peter Zawada – Managing Director
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)

Dr Feargal Murphy  recently presented initial results from SGS RGP airborne geophysics phase 1 (mag/rad) to experts from Arabian Shield Stratigraphic Commission (ASSC) group. The ASSC is a panel of international experts in Neoproterozoic geology who are developing an updated lithostratigraphy for the upcoming Arabian Shield mapping programme. The RGP phase 1 data is being acquired for SGS by Sander Geophysics Ltd and Xcalibur Multiphysics. IGS and colleagues from Patterson Grant and Watson (PGW) are technical advisors for the RGP geophysics programmes. IGS and GTK are technical partner for the RGP programme.

By Dr. Feargal Murphy – principal geophysicist

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IGS and GAF AG (Germany) are together working on a 12-month long project commissioned by the Suriname Ministry of Natural Resources entitled: ‘International mining specialist to support the establishment & the commissioning of the Minerals Institute of Suriname: Cadastre & Geological Survey’. This is one of several initiatives of a loan agreement between Suriname and the World Bank called the ‘Suriname Competitiveness and Sector Diversification Project’.

Suriname has an interesting geology with much of it located on the Guiana Shield, which has a high potential for a range of minerals including gold, diamonds, other metallic minerals as well as kaolin, critical minerals (including rare earth elements) and dimension stone. The extractive sector of Suriname is dominated by oil, gold and bauxite. The government wants to promote a regulated and responsible expansion of its mining industry by creating a new mining authority known as ‘Delfstoffen Authoriteit Suriname’, whose objective will be the promotion, coordination, regulation, monitoring and inspection of its mineral sector in a sustainable manner. Our project supports these objectives by developing a modernised mining cadastre and a new Geological Survey.

IGS is responsible for the development and early-stage implementation of a road map for a new Geological Survey. An important component of the work will be to identify the key geoscience and geodata programs that will attract investor interest in the country. GAF AG is responsible for the assessment and development of a road map for the implementation of a revised and modernised cadastre system. Both IGS and GAF AG have visited the country as part of the inception phase and are now working on the assessment part of the project for these components. Further updates for this project will be posted as the project progresses.

                                 (For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)