The new initiative “CCOP-ASEAN Harmonized Geology” project was proposed and endorsed at the 62nd CCOP Steering Committee meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 4-6 March 2014 and will be implemented in a cooperating mechanism amongst CCOP, ASEAN and Geological Survey of Japan, AIST. The goals of the project are 1) standardization of geology legend; 2) compilation of 1:1 million seamless geology and 3) development of data management system using free and open sources as web-GIS. Participating countries include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The planned activities in 3 years (2014-2016) include 1) workshops for harmonization of geologic symbols, OneGeology specification, Web GIS technology, data dissemination and analysis and 2) meetings for compilation, discussion, exchange knowledge and experience on the geological setting of the region. To facilitate the implementation of this project, CCOP TS has been forming the project’s Working Group and held two technical meetings on 21 October 2013 in Sendai, Japan and 3 March 2014 in Chiang Mai, Thailand with participants from CCOP member countries, to discuss on the concept, task group and plan. Resource persons for the project are being trained in Web-GIS training courses by GSJ experts in Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.
On 16-17 July 2014, CCOP has coordinated with the Deparment of Mineral Resources (DMR) of Thailand in holding the kick-off meeting of the CCOP-ASEAN Harmonized Geology Project in Bangkok, Thailand with 21 participants, including 17 Web-GIS trained experts and resources persons from member countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Vietnam, and 4 CCOPTS staff. Presentations by resource persons from Japan on process of geological harmonization (Digitalization, Unified legend, Connect Geological boundaries) and country reports by CCOP member countries were made at the meeting. All participants specified the possible problems, proposed the way to solve and planed future activities during the discussion.
The meeting agreed on 3 important points: 1- Work on harmonization not compilation; 2- Fix responsible persons for ASEAN & CCOP (at least 2 from each MC); 3- Start from ASEAN countries then extend to CCOP countries. The latest versions of national geological maps were recommended to MCs to be used as input maps for this project. A template worksheet of the harmonized geological legends was prepared by Dr. Yutaka Takahashi, resource person from Japan, to distribute to member countries for them to fill-up their own country's legend.
