Abstract
Abstract The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) has over 130 years of history in mapping and studying mineral resources and their sustainable use. This has resulted in a globally top-ranking geodatabase and profound knowledge of Finnish geology and mineral resources, and has had a crucial impact on the continuously developing mining and exploration business in Finland. The basic mandate of the GTK has remained the same, but the strategic focus and mode of operation have changed considerably to meet new demands. Today, the GTK plays a vital role in providing geoscientific expertise and specialist services for a wide range of stakeholders and commercial clients in government, the business sector, academia and the wider community, in Finland and internationally. The GTK is actively building new ways to co-operate with universities, research organizations and companies to support future development and to expand its own expertise. This is further supported by the proactive use of cutting-edge technologies, such as the geomaterials research infrastructure, which allows studies from the nanoscale up to kilotons for diverse applications of mineral materials. The GTK plans to further strengthen its role as a key player in the minerals sector innovation ecosystems with a focus on primary minerals, the circular economy, digital solutions and water issues, which are expected to be essential factors for sustainable development through the 2020s and beyond. The GTK's main challenge is to ensure the continuous enhancement and renewal of expertise, to adapt and respond to future opportunities.
Highlights
Geoscience has a long history in Finland (Haapala 2005; Haapala & Papunen 2015)
The Geological Survey of Finland (GTK, Geologian tutkimuskeskus in Finnish) has a history extending over 130 years
The tasks of the Geological Commission were defined according to the Imperial Decree of 1885: To carry out economic geological research, bearing in mind the needs of the mining industry and other branches of the national economy in accordance with the standards of science and good practice, and to provide information, through maps and explanatory notes, about the geology of Finland
Summary
Ceased exploration activities in 2002, a decision that was accelerated by the low metal prices in the 1990s. In addition to assessing new areas (‘mineral potential mapping’), the GTK actively defines and investigates the main mineral systems in Finland, develops exploration models and performs 3D data compilations of important mining camps Apart from data quality, active promotion of the exploration potential and available information over the past 25 years in global forums, such as the annual conventions of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), has been important in continually attracting exploration and mining investment to Finland.
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