Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia
IGS (International Geoscience Services) Ltd contributes to the largest geological mapping project as leader of the Technical Partner consortium (IGS, GTK, PGW, Geotech Arabia) to the Saudi Geological Survey. One element of support are field inspections during which the quality of the field work is assessed and the quality of the submitted field data is reviewed.
Geologists of the Technical Partner accompany the field activities continuously. The geologists spend part of their time with the field geologists to evaluate their work with a focus on how support and output can be optimized and to make sure that occupational safety is a top priority. Independently, they visit sites to verify geological data collected earlier by field geologists.
The second field season of project Detailed Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield (GMAS) started in the first days of September 2024. In October 2024, activities focus on the easternmost part of the Arabian Shield between the cities of Al Quwajja, Ad Dawadimi and Bijadiya. GMAS is one of the many initiatives of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
IGS geologist and Team Leader for the GMAS project Christoph Dobmeier (4th from left) with field geologists Tao Bai, Shengwei Wang, Mobarak Al Nadi, and Chao Sun (from left) at the end of a hot field day on map sheet Mughayrā’ (4524-3) and checking field data on sheet Jabal al ‘Ard (4424-2).
By Dr. Christoph J. Dobmeier (EurGeol)– Principal Geologist (for more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
Xplore Mineral Prospectivity – A Planetary AI and IGS Partnership
Planetary-AI is delighted to announce its partnership with IGS (International Geoscience Services), a leading provider of earth-based intelligence to governments worldwide.
The partnership agreement will see both companies collaborating to deliver cutting- edge target generation for the mineral exploration and mining industry via the Xplore Mineral Prospectivity Platform. Our partnership provides huge opportunities for both companies to expand our mineral targeting capabilities. The partnership agreement will see Planetary-AI expand its services into using Xplore for exploration planning and field-based data acquisition through various geological, geochemical and geophysical surveys. Our new partner, IGS, maintains a high reputation and wealth of experience in the early stages of mineral exploration with governments around the world, and we look forward to working closely with them as we further develop our Xplore software platform.
The Xplore Platform, first developed by IGS, is software that enables geographic targeting of mineral resources based on a plethora of information both geological and topographical. The software’s intelligence is based on over fifty (50) mineral deposit types that are found all around the world, which are dependent on factors such as geology, structure, age, mineralogy and specific spatial geological relationships. Xplore has been significantly enhanced through a major re-development project over the last 18 months. It is unique in comparison to other types of mineral targeting software as it is underpinned by proven geological mineral deposit intelligence from experts combined with an array of artificial intelligence technologies, to enable the machine to ‘Think like a Geologist’.
Planetary AI is pleased to announce that it will soon start a major project for Botswana Diamonds, using the Xplore platform to analyse the companies’ vast datasets with the goal of yielding fresh insights and to identify new drillable targets. The Chairman of Botswana Diamonds, John Teeling, commented:
“Our mineral database in Botswana is simply vast. Too big for timely analysis by humans. Think of it, over 375,000 kms of geophysical data, and 32,000 drill holes logs. Massive databases are suited to analysis by computer-based large Data Models and Artificial Intelligence techniques which can analyse substantial amounts of data in a short time. An added exciting bonus for BOD and for Botswana is that the technique will analyse a number of different minerals. We have always believed that there are more diamond deposits to be found under the sand. Now there is the possibility of other deposits being identified”.
For more information on Planetary AI see (http://planetary-ai.space)
Planetary AI and IGS exhibiting at the Future Minerals Forum, Riyadh, January 2024
By Rory Somerset (Planetary AI)
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
IGS and Partner PGW Perform Geophysical Data QA/QC in Nigeria and India
Recently, Dr. Feargal Murphy and IGS partner PGW performed QA/QC on geophysical data in Nigeria. The project for Mindiver (Mineral Sector Support For Economic Diversification) is coming to a close and IGS (with partners PGW) has performed QA/QC of the final acquisition and interpretation products.
The acquisition was completed this week and a total of 1.56 million line km of magnetic gradiometry and radiometric data was acquired by Xcalibur since the project commenced in late 2021.
On another ongoing project, IGS in collaboration with IDPEX partners PGW and Datacode, have begun QA/QC of a magnetic/radiometric fixed wing survey flown by McPhar/Xcalibur for the Geological Survey of India in the state of Gujarat. This latest survey covers block 15 of the GSI’s ongoing national airborne geophysics acquisition program.
By Dr. Feargal Murphy – Principal Geophysicist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
IGS: TECHNICAL PARTNER TO THE SAUDI GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
IGS (International Geoscience Services) Ltd is a UK based, specialist consultancy supporting and promoting the mineral resource sector by collecting, quality control, defining technical specifications, compilation, value adding, interpreting and serving of geodata.
THE MINERAL PROMOTION SERVICES IGS PROVIDES
1 – National Mapping Programmes
IGS implements large geological, geochemical and geophysical mapping programmes used by governments and industry to support and stimulate mineral exploration. It supervises, monitors and signs-off on the quality of geological and geochemical mapping and airborne geophysical data.
2 – Institutional Strengthening
IGS provides a wealth of strategic management knowledge and experience to assist national geological survey organisations to transform and realign their strategic objectives and operations.
3 – Geodata Management
IGS are experts in the collection, interpretation, management, and serving of geodata typically held by geoscience survey organisations e.g., processing and interpreting geophysical data, setting up geoportals, compiling prospectivity maps and integrating geological map data on GIS platforms.
4 – Training and Capacity Building
IGS is experienced in delivering training and capacity building projects around the world in a variety of geoscientific disciplines.
5 – Target Generation
We help to identify prospective areas for mineralisation using innovative approaches by applying semantically driven technology and AI technologies for regions, countries or discrete geological terranes.
Project experience
IGS is internationally renowned for its supervision and quality control of large geodata acquisition programmes commissioned by governments, worldwide – funded by the World Bank, national governments and other agencies. IGS is the lead party as Technical Partner to the Saudi Geological Survey for the surveying of the Arabian Shield in Saudi Arabia (600 000 km2). This multi-year project provides quality control of contractors for the geological mapping, geochemical sampling programme, airborne geophysical survey, upgrading the National Geodatabase and the National Core Library of contractors.
For more information please contact us at:
Email: Enquiries@igsint.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7535 206474
Completion of field work on the High-Resolution Geochemical Survey of the Arabian Shield (GSAS) project
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 meet in Riyadh to discuss our project in India
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)
Workshop on high-resolution Geochemical Survey of the Arabian Shield (GSAS) using stream sediment and heavy mineral concentrate samples
Dr Esko Korkiakoski, the new IGS Team Leader for the Geochemical Survey of Arabian Shield (GSAS) gave the opening presentation at a recent two day open session workshop held at Swissôtel Living Jeddah Hotel on 17-18 of September 2023. He outlined the current status and objectives of the survey. During the session of the workshop, China Geological Survey (CGS) (the technical operator of the field sampling, analytical work and map production) presented about 90,000 stream sediment samples.
IGS Ltd and Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) are technical partners to Saudi Geological Survey (SGS). They are in charge of the quality control of the geochemical survey, giving support and advice in all aspects related to the project implementation, and approval of the final products.
By Dr. Esko Korkiakoski (IGS Ltd) – Technical Partner team leader for the SGS Geochemical Survey of Arabian Shield (GSAS)
(For more information, please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
Dr Feargal Murphy presentation to experts from Arabian Shield Stratigraphic Commission
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
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
IGS in Suriname – A roadmap for a new Geological Survey
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)
Mozambique MAGTAP project – Field programme begins
The field programme for the geological mapping project was started with a kick-off workshop in Maputo (3 & 4 June 2019). The workshop took place in the lecture hall of the Museum of Natural History in Maputo. The field programme commenced on 8 July with the first field campaign running until 10 August. Two more campaigns are scheduled for 2019. Presenters were Christoph J. Dobmeier (IGS), Stephen Reford (PGW, first row, left), and Frederick Hartzer (IGS, addressing the audience). Other attendees were staff from INAMI, DNGM, and the University of Maputo, the MAGTAP technical supervision team (Hannu Makitie and Esko Korkiakoski, first and second from right), and representatives of private companies.
Frik Hartzer (IGS) addresses the workshop 
