The 1^st Workshop of IGCP/SIDA-600 Project “Metallogenesis of Collisional Orogens in the East Tethyside Domain” was held on October 29-30 in Beijing. Dr. Wang Min, Vice Minister of Land and Resources of the People’s Republic of China (MLR) and Director General of China Geological Survey (CGS), attended and addressed the Opening Ceremony.

 Approved at the 39^th Session of IGCP Scientific Board on Feb. 16–19, 2011, IGCP/SIDA-600 (2011-2014) is jointly funded by UNESCO and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). With Prof. Hou Zengqian, Director-General of Institute of Geology, CAGS as the principle proposer, it is the second IGCP project in the field of ore deposits with a Chinese geoscientist as the first leader.

The Project targeted at the Tethyan-Himalayan orogenic belt aims at establishing genetic links between the geodynamic processes that form large collisional orogenic belts and the specific controls on the most important ore deposits. It will propose a new conceptual framework for ore formation in continental collision belts and will provide realistic ore deposit models for the exploration for new mineral resources in geologically similar, but older, collisional belts elsewhere in the world. It is of great scientific significance for accelerating exploration breakthroughs in Tibet and the whole East Tethyside domain.

At the workshop, Prof. Hou Zengqian delivered a talk introducing the project background, objectives and research plan, and exchange of views and discussions were make on the research results in the Tethyan-Himalayan orogenic belt and the research plan of 2012 among over 120 participants from 8 countries, including Dr. David Leach from the U.S. Geological Survey and former President of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits, Dr. Richard Goldfarb from the U.S. Geological Survey and former President of the Society of Economic Geologists, Dr. Imran Ahmed Khan, Director General of Geological Survey of Pakistan, Dr. Mehraj Aghazadeh of Payam Noor University (Iran), Acad. Li Tingdong, Acad. Xiao Xuchang, Acad. Teng Jiwen, Acad. Zhong Dalai, Acad. Mo Xuanxue, Acad. Duoji and Prof. Deng Jun, President of China University of Geosciences.

The 1^st Workshop of IGCP/SIDA-600 Project “Metallogenesis of Collisional Orogens in the East Tethyside Domain” was sponsored by the IGCP/SIDA-600 International Working Group, China Geological Survey (CGS), Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS), and Geological Society of China (GSC). It was organized by Institute of Geology, CAGS.