The latest digital version of China's National Geological Map and Data Base, developed by the China Geological Bureau, will soon be applied in key government departments, academies and oil exploration and refining companies.

The country's first 1:500,000 map was drafted with GPS and CAD technologies and compiled with massive geological data. It is used to search for data and analysis.

Jiang Chengsong, vice minister of the Ministry of Land Resources, said that the application of the data base will accelerate the pooling of information on China's land resources, which would be important for economic planning, land regulation and environment protection.

China's national maps are normally made at the scale of 1:6 million, with the smallest marks signifying cities. However, the new geological map can be as precise as showing marks of counties as well as geological features and the distribution of mines and underground water resources.

According to Yang Donglai, a research fellow with the bureau, the mapping cost some 4 million yuan of government funding. However, the value of the map is estimated at 20 to 30 times that of the investment. The map will be used for evaluating China's energy potential and analyzing geological hazards.

(Xinhua 04/21/2001)