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IGS is working in Collaboration with GeoOptimist
IGS (International Geoscience Services) Ltd, a leading provider of earth-based intelligence to governments worldwide, is delighted to collaborate with GeoOptimist to advance mineral exploration and geological mapping services. This collaboration brings together complementary strengths in geology, remote sensing, and geospatial analysis, enhancing both companies’ capabilities in mineral targeting and resource evaluation.
Together, we offer proven expertise in delivering high-quality data and geospatial insights that support and enrich geological investigations in the following areas:
Geological Mapping
Advanced image processing techniques—including custom band combinations and mineralogical band ratios—to highlight key lithologies and mineral distributions. Multispectral and hyperspectral data are used to map geological formations, locate potential mineral deposits and interpret surface geology.
Advanced Image Processing
Data reduction methods, including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and classification approaches—both supervised and unsupervised—are used to enhance feature extraction. These techniques support improved lithological interpretation and structural analysis.
GIS Data Management and Map Production
Comprehensive GIS support includes data creation, cleaning, database structuring and managing, and metadata documentation. High-quality, client-specific map products are produced using standardized workflows and robust spatial data management.
QA/QC in Remote Sensing
A systematic QA/QC process ensures the accuracy and consistency of remote sensing data and preprocessing steps. These quality measures are critical for delivering reliable inputs to geological mapping and exploration workflows.
This collaboration blends strong geological expertise with technical excellence in geospatial science. Our combined capabilities offer a reliable and flexible resource for exploration teams and government agencies seeking trusted geoscience support.
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
IGS exhibiting in INDABA 5-8 February 2024 in Cape Town , South Africa
A very successful exhibition at Indaba 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. It has been great to meet a range of our partners and clients across the Africa region and beyond, and we look forward to engaging in many more successful projects across the region.
Thanks to the UK Department of Business and Trade Africa team for hosting us on the UK pavilion.
By Dr. Peter Zawada – Managing Director
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
Detailed Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield
Field work under the (GMAS) project began on 05 February 2024 north-west of Ar Ruwaidhah on map sheet 4423-4 Jabal Damkh. The objective of the project is to generate a seamless and homogeneous geological map on a scale of 1:100 000 for the entire Arabian Shield (c. 650,000 km²).
IGS(International Geoscience Services)limited is involved in this very extensive geological mapping programme as Lead Technical Partner (TP) of the contracting authority, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS). The most important task is the supervision of the contractor, the China Geological Survey (CGS).A first set of 24 geological maps (out of a total of 271 map sheets) is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
By Dr. Christoph J. Dobmeier (EurGeol)– Principal Geologist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
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.
By Dr. Reik Degler – Project Geologist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
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.
By Dr. Peter Zawada – Managing Director
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
IGS Attends the Future Minerals Forum 24, Riyadh
IGS attended the Future Minerals Forum 24 (FMF 24), in Riyadh (9-11 January 2024). IGS had its own stand and was attended by Garth Earls, Peter Zawada, Frik Hartzer and Feargal Murphy of IGS. FMF 24 was a great success for us and enabled the company to establish its position as an important geoscientific consultancy operating in the Kingdom.
It was a pleasure and honour to meet so many interested colleagues from the Kingdom and be part of an ever growing, developing and dynamic mineral sector. Our colleagues from Planetary AI also attended and had valuable discussions on the mineral prospectivity software, Xplore.
It was once again a pleasure to host Geotech Arabia, our partner for the Technical Partner project with the Saudi Geological Survey. IGS sees FMF 24 as an important global and regional event that serves the mineral sector, which we expect to grow from strength to strength, and accordingly, we plan to exhibit and attend FMF 25, next year.
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IGS Stand at FMF24
From left: Gavin Berkenheger & Rory Somerset of Planetary AI; Garth Earls, Feargal Murphy, Peter Zawada & Frik Hartzer of IGS
By Dr. Peter Zawada – Managing Director
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
Contractor Presents Mobile Mapping Application for Geological Mapping Project of the Arabian Shield
As part of the preparation for the mobile digital mapping of the Arabia Shield, the contractor (China Geological Survey) presented a beta version of its self-developed mobile application. At a two-day workshop in Jeddah, geologists from the Saudi Geological Service (SGS) and IGS geologists as Technical Partner of SGS were able to get an introduction of how the software can be used in the field. Based on experiences made in the field and input by SGS and TP, the contractor aims to optimize on the mobile mapping application.
Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield – Contractor presents Mobile Mapping Application
By Dr. Reik Degler – Project Geologist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
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)
News
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)
News
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)
News
Dr. Feargal Murphy at Dawadmi airport to inspect survey Aircraft Systems and Radiometric Calibration range – KSA Project
On another note, IGS has continued to perform quality control on the MINDIVER airborne geophysics program in Nigeria. IGS is sub-contracted by PGW of Toronto. IGS geophysicists have recently completed quality control of ~190,00 line kms of airborne magnetic/radiometric data.
By Dr. Feargal Murphy – principal geophysicist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield – Opening Ceremony
IGS and its partners are honoured to have attended the official opening ceremony of the Arabian Shield Geological Mapping (GMAS) project. The event took place near Jeddah on Sunday May 28th 2023. The official launch of the project was marked by speeches from the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef and the Chairman of the Chinese Geological Survey, Li Jianxing. Many geologists from the Saudi Geological Survey, the contractor (China Geological Survey) and the Technical Partner (IGS-GTK Consortium) attended the ceremony.
For the GMAS project, IGS as lead Technical Partner is the official technical adviser for the Saudi Geological Survey and is responsible for the supervision and quality control. For more information see : https://www.arabnews.com/node/2312236/business-economy
Geologists from the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS), Chinese Geological Survey (CGS) and the Technical Partner (TP) as part of the official opening ceremony of the Geological Mapping project of the Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia.
By Dr. Reik Degler – Project Geologist
(For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
News
Kick-off meeting for the Geological Mapping Program of the Arabian Shield
IGS as leader of the Technical Partner Consortium to the Saudi Geological Survey participated in the Kick-off meeting (KOM) for project Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield, which is part of the Regional Geoscience Program (RGP), executed under the leadership of the Saudi Geological Survey. The meeting, which was organized by the contractor China Geological Survey (CGS) and its logistics partner China National Geological & Mining Corporation (CGM), took place from 19-21 March 2023 at Aliaa Swissotel Living Hotel in Jeddah with some 50 delegates from seven nations.
With 15 presentations, the contractor explained how the 11-year project should be implemented. The objective is to improve the geological knowledge of the Arabian Shield, which covers some 650,000 square kilometers, by generating a new set of geological maps. 257 maps at a scale of 1:100,000 are required. The maps will be based on new geological field surveys (undertaken at a scale of 1:50,000) including analytical work, the results of currently operational airborne geophysical and ground-based geochemical (stream sediment) surveys, an updated lithostratigraphic framework, and legacy data.
IGS is responsible for the supervision of all works and quality control of all products of project Geological Mapping of the Arabian Shield.
Group photo of KOM delegates. The CEO of SGS, Engineer Abdullah bin Muftar Al-Shamrani sits in the centre of the bottom row, flanked by the project owner Dr Wadee Kashghari (left) and Engineer Abdulrahman Al Hawi (right, SGS Vice President for Initiatives and Strategic Projects). To his right sits the leader of the CGS team Dr Wenhua Ji. The IGS team consisting of Drs Gerrit de Kock, Frik Hartzer, Christoph Dobmeier, and Peter Zawada can be seen in the centre of the photo.
By Dr. Christoph Dobmeier – principal geologist
((For more information please contact us at enquiries@igsint.com)
