The Institute of Geology, CAGS was established in 1956. It has a contingent of talented researchers engaged in regional geology, tectonic geology, stratigraphy and paleontology, petrology, regional metallugeny, geophysics and geochemistry, and isotope geology. There are 176 staff members, of whom 6 are Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 55 research fellows, and 39 associated research fellows; 70 doctors and 16 masters. It also has 33 guest professors. Now the institute has 20 faculty-advisors for Ph.D. studies and 32 for masters.

Major Research Fields:

• Regional geology and geological map compilation: The compilation and standardization of global, intercontinental and nationwide integrated earth science maps; regional geological survey study and integrated study of key problems on regional geology; geology and mineral resources strategy of the polar regions and neighbouring countries.
• Tectonic geology: Major geological events related with China’s and global tectonics, compilation of global, intercontinental and nationwide tectonic maps, and geodynamics and its effect on resources, environment and geological hazards.
• Stratigraphy and paleontology: The origin and early evolution of life and late Precambrian stratigraphy study; feedback of organism, community and ecosystem to environment disturbance; control of biosphere and environment to species diversity; guidance in identification of difficulty fossils and in solving strata problems in geological survey. 
• Metamorphic rock: Petrological track in early evolution of the earth and related mineral resources; metamorphic evolution of the orogenic belt. 
• Igneous rock: Regional igneous rock petrology; mineralogy on igneous rocks; magmatism response in geological evolution of diverse tectonic settings; petrological track in evolution of the earth. 
• Continental dynamics: The crust-mantle and mantle-core interactions and dynamic mechanism at the margins of the continental plates; tectonic framework of the collision orogenic belt and geophysical probing in the depth; origin of ultra-high-pressure (UHP) metamorphism, dynamic mechanism in subducting-uplifting of the UHP metamorphic belt; Chinese continental scientific drilling program and integrated study. 
• Lithosphere research:  Deep structure of the continental lithosphere and global dynamics; fine texture and physical process of the deformation zone on the continent; inner structures of the earth and their interactions.  
• Isotope geology: Setting up and application of method system on geochronology; in situ microprobe precise age determination technology and application; setting up and application of new method system on isotope geochemistry; isotope study on evolution of the earth in chemistry, biology and environment change; planet (including the moon) geology and cosmochemistry study.

Key Laboratories: 

• Key Laboratory of Isotope Geology，MLR
• Key Laboratory of Continental Dynamics，MLR
• Key Laboratory of Stratigraphy and Paleontology, CAGS

National and International Organizations:

• ICDP-China
• Commission on Regional Geology and Metallugeny, Geological Society of China (GSC)
• Commission on Geological Map Compilation, GSC
• Commission on Stratigraphy and Paleontology, GSC
• Commission on Petrology, GSC
• Commission on Isotope Geology, GSC
• Commission on Metamorphic Rock, Chinese Society for Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• The China Geological Map Compilation Committee
• The Stratigraphy and Paleontology Center of the China Geological Survey

Periodicals:

• Acta Petrologica et Mineralogica