ICGG Delegation Visited Nigeria for International Cooperation on Geochemical Mapping

To implement the cooperation agreement between China Geological Survey and Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, at the invitation of Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, Dr. Yao Wensheng, Secretary Director of the UNESCO International Centre on Global-Scale Geochemistry (ICGG) visited Abuja of Nigeria from Sep. 15th to 24th , 2018 for exchanges on geochemical mapping cooperation and the kick-off of the International Cooperation Project, Nigeria Low-Density Geochemical Mapping.

During the visit, Dr. Graba, from the Nigeria side, gave a report on the “Status of Nigeria Geochemical Survey”, which briefly introduced the current work and progress on geochemical mapping in Nigeria. Dr. Yao Wensheng, Director of the ICGG Secretariat, on behalf of the China side, gave a keynote speech on the achievements of geochemical mapping in China in fields of resources, environment and agriculture, and China's contribution to global geochemical mapping.

Mr. Alh. Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Minister of Mining and Steel Development of Nigeria, firstly expressed his welcome to the China delegation. He said that low-density geochemical mapping, national geological information system and its sharing were two key areas of national construction, in which the two countries could carry out more active cooperation and exchanges. Mr. Yao Jiawei, Secretary of the China Embassy in Nigeria congratulated on the successful the launching the project and expressed his strong support for the project.

The Chinese staff also trained the Nigerian staff on the field sampling technology. Prof. Yao Wensheng gave a report on the methodologies and principles of geochemical mapping, laboratory analysis and testing techniques, and led the field sampling demonstration. The China delegation also visited the laboratory of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency.

In the future, the international cooperation project, China-Nigeria Geochemical Mapping and GIS Cooperation Project will help Nigeria with its capacity building in the field of geochemistry, its launch was highly valued by the Nigerian side, which fully showed the impact and role ICGG had played geochemistry.