BACKGROUND:
The Group of Experts in Marine Geology (GEGM) was created by agreement of the Board of Directors of the XXVII Ordinary General Assembly of ASGMI held in April 2022 in the city of Brasilia and at the request of members of this Association.
The Group started its activity on June 16, 2022 and since then, it has been progressively growing and strengthening with the incorporation of new members. Currently, the following geological services are members of the GEGM: Servicio Geológico Minero Argentino (SEGEMAR), Serviço Geológico do Brasil (CPRM), Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería de Chile (SERNAGEOMIN), Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC), Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía de Costa Rica, Servicio Geológico de Cuba (IGP), Instituto de Investigación Geológico y Energético de Ecuador (IIGE), Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME), Servicio Geológico Mexicano (SGM), Instituto Geológico, Minero y Metalúrgico de Perú (INGEMMET), Servicio Geológico Nacional de la República Dominicana (SGN), Instituto Nacional de Geología y Minería de Venezuela (INGEOMIN).
The group has held monthly or bimonthly meetings by videoconference since its creation and is coordinated by Dr. Teresa Medialdea Cela, representative of the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, with the support of Dr. Eugenio Pires of the Geological Service of Brazil, Dr. Felipe Espinoza of the National Geology and Mining Service of Chile and Dr. Ismael Moyano of the Colombian Geological Service as adjunct coordinators.
MISSION AND VISION OF THE GROUP OF EXPERTS IN MARINE GEOLOGY:
The mission of the GEGM is to promote the geological knowledge of the seas and oceans of Ibero-America and to facilitate the cooperation and exchange of experiences among the geological services members of ASGMI. The vision is to become a reference group in Ibero-America in marine geological cartography, marine energy and mineral resources research, geological hazards and marine databases.
The GEGM aims to offer high quality information on the seabed and its subsoil and the scientific and technical support and advice necessary for any activity carried out in the marine environment, as well as for its protection, prevention of environmental impacts and sustainable use.
SHORT AND MEDIUM TERM OBJECTIVES:
In order to achieve these objectives, the GEGM intends to develop some lines of activity such as: workshops/training and training programs and exchange of experiences, students and researchers stays, exchange of students and researchers in oceanographic campaigns and participation in common projects and cooperation with other international projects.
Specifically and in the short term, the preparation of a map of the potential of critical and strategic minerals in Latin America in collaboration with the Group of Experts on Metallogeny and Mineral Resources is intended.
The group has the following objectives related to the elaboration of the map of critical and strategic mineral potentiality:
- Creation of a Coordination Group in charge of elaborating a Methodological Guide relying on the experience of different countries (Bathymetric maps, Geographic Information Systems, List of resources and critical elements to be presented).
- Preparation of the final map to be presented at the second meeting of the EU LATAM Dialogues Project on Critical Minerals to be held in Buenos Aires in May 2023.