Second workshop and field excursion of IGCP-662 project held in Mongolia

The second workshop and field trip of the IGCP-662 project, coordinated by the Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, were successfully held in Mongolia during July 4^th to 10^th, 2019. A total of 80 participants from 12 countries (such as China, Mongolia, Russia, Czech Republic, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, Pakistan, and Vietnam) attended the meeting, including three PhD students from developing countries supported by the IGCP 662 Project. This workshop also contributed to the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, and to 80^th anniversary of the Mongolian Geological Survey. In order to have a successful meeting and field excursion, the leaders of the IGCP-662 project and the Mongolian local organizing committee engaged in many consultations and substantial preparation works. The Mongolian University of Science and Technology, the Institute of Paleontology & Geology, of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences (MAS), Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics of the MAS, the Czech Geological Survey and other institutions co-operated for organizing the workshop and field excursion.

The meeting was held at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology in Ulaanbaatar and chaired by Prof. Ochir Gerel, Director of Geoscience Center at the Mongolian University of Science and Technology. The meeting began with a moment of silence for two of the recently passed away champions of geoscientific research of Mongolia: Prof. Alfred Kröner from Mainz University, Germany, and Academician Onongo Tomurtogoo of the Institute of Paleontology and Geology, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, in memory of their outstanding contributions to the geological research on the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) and the education of young scientists. Subsequently, Prof. B. Ochirbat, President of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology, and Mr. N. Munkhbileg, on behalf of the Ministry of Mining and Heavy Industry of Mongolia delivered welcoming speeches. Prof. Tao Wang, the leader of the IGCP-662 project, introduced the project, its main research purpose, its implementation and the future work plan (for example, a project session will be held at the 36^th International Geological Congress in India, 1-8 March 2020). Then he gave a talk titled “Orogenic Architecture and Crustal Growth from Accretion to Collision: Examples from the CAOB and Kunlun-Qinling-Dabie Orogen”. Prof. Karel Schulmann from the Czech Geological Survey gave an invited keynote talk titled “Accretionary and collisional processes forming Mongolian tract of the CAOB”. The oral and poster presentations in the meeting displayed the latest progress in the fields of global crustal growth, Central Asian Orogenic Belt, Tethyan orogenic belt, Precambrian geology of Korean peninsula, Precambrian geology of Antarctica, active structure of Mongolia, etc. Participants made in-depth discussions on formation, evolution and regional mineralization of different orogenic belts, and conducted extensive exchanges on the cooperation among various research teams and related institutes, achieving gratifying outcomes.

After the workshop, nearly 70 participants from 9 countries took part in a 5-day field trip to the southwest of Mongolia. Researchers investigated the Paleozoic rock assemblages and structures in the southwest of the Mongolian Lake Zone and Altai tectonic belts, including Erdene Uul ophiolite, Boomyn Khudag Cambrian molasse, Tsogt metamorphic complex with high-grade metamorphism, Khaya Khudag Cambrian arc gabbro, high-pressure mica schist, eclogite and Cambrian fossil-bearing limestone. During the field trip, Prof. Schulmann and Dr. Hanžl gave a detailed introduction to the mapping results of the cooperation between the Czech Republic and Mongolia over the past 20 years, and conducted full exchanges and discussions with researchers from different countries in the field. The field trip helped all participants to develop deep understanding of the early evolution of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, and expanded their knowledge of the composition and structural characteristics of accretionary orogenic belt as well.

Since the launch of the IGCP-662 project, important progress has been made in isotopic mapping and deep material composition research. A comparison of preliminary results of isotopic mapping between the CAOB, typical an accretionary orogen, with the China Central Orogenic Systems (CCOS), a typical composite orogen, displays a contrast in deep crustal architecture. This demonstrates that deep composition and architecture can be considered as a good mart to describe orogenic types and evolution.

Group photo during the field trip

（IGCP-662 Secretariat）