present and future resources - geus · 2020. 9. 10. · . onegeology-europe is a good example of...

Present andfuture

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GEUS hosts EGS annual meeting

For many years, European geologists have been working together toprovide national and international institutions with better knowledgeabout geology, mineral resources and the environment. Denmark hasbenefited greatly from this cooperation, and today the EU is also benefi-ting from the cooperation under the auspices of EuroGeoSurveys (EGS),representing 32 national geological surveys in Europe. In September2010, GEUS hosted the EGS annual meeting in Copenhagen, wheredirectors of all the geological surveys were gathered.

EGS has been the prime mover behind enhanced European cooperation,especially as regards projects which involve the core tasks of all EGSmembers i.e. knowledge about natural resources, data and surveying,subsurface, as well as harmonisation of the knowledge pool. The resultsgenerated by EGS have been of great benefit to the European communi-ty, and GEUS has been involved in most of the initiatives. One of themain functions of EGS is to create a platform and a pool of expertise forthe integration of geological knowledge and data.

“We must work in a more integrated manner in the future to be able tomeet the requirements for geological data and knowledge at Europeanlevel”, said Johnny Fredericia, managing director of GEUS, in an inter-view for the EGS Newsletter.

If the application is accepted that was recently submitted to the EU’s 7thFramework Programme concerning a common European infrastructurefor research involving the entire EGS, this will enable EGS members toexamine such an infrastructure in depth in order to find a model for coo-peration. I have no doubt that we must strengthen the work of EGS andits members at European level, but this work must be based on thestrengths of the individual national geological surveys. If we cut the linkbetween the geological work carried out nationally and the work carriedout at European level, the geological surveys will lose their importance,the quality of common European work will deteriorate, and continuity will deteriorate“, says Johnny Fredericia.

Geology in aEuropeanperspective


livelihood for many poor people in Third Worldcountries. Another international dimension con-cerns the continental shelf project, for whichGEUS in 2010 provided the scientific basis for thesubmission of material to the United NationsCommission on the Law of the Sea concerningrights to a marine area off the Faroe Islands be -yond the 200 nautical mile limit. The task wascompleted in cooperation with Faroese andDanish institutions and ministries. The importantwork regarding the three areas around Greenland,where claims may be made, continued through -out the year.

2010 also saw an audit of groundwater monitor -ing, and GEUS assisted in the preparation of theGovernment’s Energy Strategy 2050, whereGEUS can contribute to solutions relating to fossiland renewable energy sources in the years tocome. GEUS priorities were also influenced byadaptation to new hydrological conditions andrising sea levels due to a changing climate. GEUSconducted research and completed tasks onbehalf of the Greenland Self Government in orderto assess Greenland’s mineral potential, especial-ly in the south-western and southern parts ofGreenland. An international workshop was held inconnection with the great interest in rare earthmetals. Finally, GEUS continued major researchprojects in the North-East Greenland importantfor future licensing rounds for oil and gas.

GEUS has the knowledge to solving central prob -lems for society and is therefore looking forwardto continuing to assist in the development ofpres ent and future resources in the Danish andGreenlandic societies in 2011.

This Annual Report 2010 provides a brief overview ofsome of the work that GEUS has been doing over theyear. 2010 was a challenging year, and restrictions onGEUS appropriations meant that not all tasks could becompleted as planned and that some investment had tobe postponed. However, GEUS successfully ended theyear with balanced accounts and achieved most of theobjectives we had set.

At the beginning of the year, GEUS had a good portfolioof tasks and managed to obtain new, significant projectsin research and advisory services that extend into 2011and 2012.

Over the year there has been increased focus on theinternational work of GEUS. GEUS enhanced its coope-ration with sister organisations within the EU and wasinvolved in a number of projects aimed at increasing theuse and usefulness of geology at European level. Estab -lishing common, harmonised data collections was a keytask and completion of the OneGeologyEurope projectmeans that users now have access to a comprehensive,digital geological map of Europe. Similarly, databaseswere set up of energy and mineral resources, as well as mineral resources on the seabed, with associatedmarine geological data that are relevant for the environ-ment and infrastructure. As part of internationalisation,GEUS hosted the annual meeting of EuroGeoSurveys,attended by directors from 32 European countries,together with participants from the US and the Euro -pean Environment Agency.

In addition, the international Petroleum Geological Atlasof the Southern Permian Basin Area project was fina -lised in 2010. This is a compilation of results from 150years of oil and gas exploration in Denmark and south -ern and western neighbouring countries - a projectcosting a total of DKK 50 million.

Globally, GEUS has seen a rapidly growing interest in‘Danish solutions’, including water resources where,through partnerships, GEUS’ knowledge can form thebasis for growth in green exports, especially to thegrow ing Asian economies. GEUS also completed tasksrelating to minerals internationally, including improvingthe conditions for small-scale mining, which provides a

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Per Buch AndreasenChairman

Johnny FredericiaManaging Director

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Teachers, students and other interested partiescan now obtain lots of new knowledge aboutgroundwater, ice and the climate at GEUS’ web-site. At the World Water Day on 22 March, GEUSlaunched a new and extended version of its web-site ‘Knowledge about groundwater’. This sitehas been used extensively by schools andothers. The new version includes more topicsabout groundwater, and all maps and graphicshave been updated with the latest information,including on groundwater quality. The manygraphic illustrations and maps can be download -ed, and more animations and videos have beenadded to the pages about how groundwater ismapped and surveyed.

In April, schools were given access to a newweb-based teaching programme about glaciers,the Greenland ice sheet, climate change andchanges in sea levels. The programme tells uswhat is happening to the Greenland ice sheet,and how researchers monitor the ice mass. The e-learning programme ‘Ice Academy’ offersthe ory, entertainment and demonstrations, and is aimed at 7th–10th grades at primary andsecond ary schools. Moreover, the academy con-tains inspiration for lessons in physics, mathema-tics and geography. The Ice Academy has beendeveloped by researchers at GEUS in coopera-tion with e-learning experts from a consultancyfirm called Context and teachers from KrebsSchool. Development of the programme hasbeen supported by lottery funds from the DanishMinistry of Education.

Storage, quality-assurance and presentation of geological knowledge and data

Data banksand information

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An updated portal was opened at GEUS’ websitein 2010 to ‘Digital Data and Maps’, which givesaccess to new user-friendly, interactive maps andan extension of GEUS’ map services for profes-sional users. Now, the maps collect informationdirectly from GEUS’ national databases for dril-lings, geophysics, oil and gas as well as thereport database and the geological model data-base. Moreover, GEUS’ other data pages havebeen integrated into these maps, making it pos-sible to zoom in and access all details directly viathe maps. The update also includes several newoptions for users such as searching for addres-ses or selecting GEUS’ surface geological maps,or aerial photographs and topography from theNational Survey and Cadastre as a backgroundtheme. In collaboration with the EnvironmentCen tres, a new map service has been estab -lished which provides access to informationabout 35 different chemicals that have beenfound in the groundwater. The groundwater ana-lyses can be retrieved from GEUS’ Jupiter data-base, which contains national information aboutwells, groundwater and drinking water.

New user-friendly maps and map services


Just as in the rest of the world, there is a grow -ing need in the EU for accessible data on natureand the environment across man-made bordersin order to administer resources in the best pos-sible way. Exchange of geodata and environmen-tal data is therefore very important for the EU.Geological maps are an important tool in findingwater, oil and minerals, or in minimising the con-sequences of natural disasters such as earth -quakes and volcanic eruptions. Together with 28 partners, including 20 geological surveys,GEUS has participated in the OneGeology-Europe project, which aims to develop a digitalgeological map of the whole of Europe on ascale of 1:1 000 000. The project was finalised inOctober 2010 and the geological data are avail -able via a web portal (http://onegeology-europe.brgm.fr/geoportal/viewer.jsp) on which maps andinformation about the surface geology can befound in many languages.

At the conclusion of the project, a book waspublished called ‘One Europe One Geology –Applying Geoscience for Society’. By means ofeasily understandable texts, maps and graphicsthis book describes the societal importance ofgeology. The book is available at the websitewww.onegeology-europe.eu. OneGeology-Europe is a good example of useful geodata onEuropean scale. Furthermore, in November 2010,EuroGeoSurveys and the European EnvironmentAgency signed a cooperation agreement regard -ing the use of OneGeology-Europe data for en -vironmental protection in Europe.

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In recent years, GEUS has worked on several EU-funded research projects to promote the ex -change of geodata between countries in Europe.The projects support the EU INSPIRE Directive onestablishing a common European infrastructurefor geographical information to make it easier toexchange data across national borders. One ofthe projects, EuroGeoSource, aims to harmonisedata on energy and mineral resources and makethese accessible via a common data portal. Thisconcerns data on oil, gas and coal as well asdata on deposits of metals, industrial mineralsand construction materials such as sand, graveland clay. These are all important resources forEurope, and the data portal should help to stimu-late investment in sustainable exploitation ofthese raw materials.

Another activity is the Geo-Seas project, whichaims at harmonising geological and geophysicaldata on European marine areas. Data on depthand seabed topography and geology are essen -tial for environmental protection, offshore extrac-tion and the establishment of e.g. submarinecables, pipelines or offshore wind turbines. Thenew data portal will facilitate access to the manymarine data, which are currently available fromEuropean national geological surveys and marineresearch institutes.

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Waterresources

A new study involving researchers from GEUSassesses that chloride from road salt does notrepresent a significant regional or national prob -lem in terms of groundwater quality. However, ona local scale road salt may increase the chloridecontent significantly in congested areas where alot a road salt is used. We do not know exactlyhow much chloride from road salt ends up in thegroundwater. Therefore, the researchers behindthe study conclude that there is a need for fieldresearch in a larger urban area in order to betterassess the impact of the salt.

Pollution of groundwater with chloride is critical aspollution caused today will affect the groundwaterquality for many years to come. For instance, cal-culations in the project estimate that, in GreaterCopenhagen, it will take 20–40 years before anygroundwater pollution impact by road salt can beseen. Furthermore, the study shows that the top-most layer of Danish groundwater is affected bychloride from several other sources, such asatmospheric deposition and agricultural fertilisers.Precise identification of the sources will requiremore chemical analysis of the groundwater, andthis is also one of the recommendations of thereport. The survey was conducted in collaborationwith the Department of Earth Sciences, theUniversity of Aarhus, and Rambøll on behalf of theDanish Nature Agency.

Groundwater vulnerability to road saltPollution from industry and agriculture is threaten -ing the aquatic environment, and in many casesunwanted concentrations of substances such asnitrates, pesticides and chlorinated compoundshave been detected in the groundwater and inwatercourses. A new EU-funded research project,AQUA REHAB, aims at developing decontamina-tion techniques for soil and water as well as amanagement tool that can predict how these newtechniques will impact groundwater and surfacewater. The work is being carried out by 19 re -search institutions from 12 countries. The tech -niques will be tested in three watercourse catch-ments, including the catchment area for OdenseRiver on Fyn.

Guidelines for use of the new decontaminationtechniques will also be prepared as part of theproject which is expected to create a basis forimproved administration of the aquatic environ-ment in general as well as for managing decon -tamination of polluted areas. GEUS is co operatingwith the University of Copenhagen on studies toelucidate the potential of new wetlands to de -grade pesticides in the Odense River catchmentarea. Work progressed well in 2010 and the firstresults are already ticking in. Surprisingly, theyshow that more pesticides can be degraded with -out oxygen and in terms of the degradationpotential of pesticides in different environments,this is very encouraging.

EU funding for decontamination of soil and water


Provision of knowledge to optimise the management of Danish water resources

Agricultural nitrate leaching must be reduced signifi-cantly in connection with the implementation of theEuropean Water Framework Directive; primarily toimprove conditions in fjords and marine areas. Theexist ing regulation has covered all areas, disregardingthe considerable variations in the natural conditions fornitrate reduction in the subsurface depending on thegeological setting. However, these general regulationsalso cover parts of the Danish agricultural area wherethey are irrelevant, as nitrate is degraded in the soil lay-ers between the root zone and watercourses. GEUS isin charge of a new research project, called NICA, whichaims at developing tools to determine nitrate reductionin the subsurface between the root zone and water -courses. The tools developed will be tested in twocatchments in Denmark; Lillebæk in the south-easternpart of Fyn and Norsminde at Odder, south of Aarhus.

In 2010, field research was conducted in Lillebæk, andthe first version of a hydrological model for calculationof flow and nitrate transport in the area was set up.Finally, new geophysical equipment has been devel-oped for detailed surveying of surface-near geology.The project will facilitate more cost-effective manage-ment at catchment level by identifying agriculturalareas, where only a limited quantity of the leached ni trate reaches watercourses. The project is being fund -ed by the Danish Council for Strategic Research andwork is being carried out in collaboration with the uni-versities of Aarhus and Copenhagen, Laval University(Canada), DHI, the municipalities of Aarhus and Odder,the Knowledge Centre for Agriculture and SkyTEM, ALECTIA A/S and Aarhus Geophysics.

Methods for determination of nitrate reduction

The EU wants sustainable exploitation and goodprotection of European groundwater resources, andguidelines for protecting the aquatic environmenthave been laid down in the EU Water FrameworkDirective and Groundwater Directive. However, thereare currently 750,000 areas in Europe which are polluted with various chemical substances. An EU-supported training and research project calledGOODWATER ITN will provide the expertise and theknowledge to do something about this. The aim ofthe project is to train a new generation of ground-water scientists to become multi-disciplinary ex -perts in microbiology, hydrogeology, chemistry andstable isotopes.

Training the new experts will be through specificresearch projects which are taking place at institu-tions in Germany and Belgium. The TechnicalUniversity of Denmark and GEUS are also involvedwith their expertise. Training and research at GEUSfocus on microbiological degradation of low con-centrations of pesticides and mapping the spacialdistribution of active microbial populations. In 2010,five PhDs from different countries attended trainingcourses at GEUS and research is showing goodprogress. So far the results indicate that there arepopulations of micro-organisms in the subsurfacewhich can degrade very low concentrations ofpesticides, and these are distributed with large spatial variation.

Training Europe’s future groundwater experts


The quality of GEUS’ research in the EnergyResources programme area was examined byan international panel in the summer of 2010.This is part of a regular evaluation of the qualityof GEUS’ scientific work. The examinationresulted in a report containing a number ofappraisals and recommendations.

Having noted the contents of the evaluationreport, the Minister for Climate and Energy,Lykke Friis, expressed satisfaction with thehigh-quality research results that GEUS shows:“I note in particular the comments on researchand advice on North Sea oil and gas resources,which will be very important for our economyand for energy supply in a long period of transi-tion. It is also important that GEUS is clearly atthe leading edge in other possible uses of thesubsurface, for instance exploiting the geother-mal energy potential and storage of CO2 on -shore and offshore. Finally, it is positive thateducation and research reporting have beenhighlighted, given the important role of GEUS in recruiting researchers and students”.

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Even though the Central Graben in the NorthSea is a mature oil province, there is still a lackof knowledge about the hydrocarbon potential inthe Jurassic strata, which are also very complex.Together with the Danish North Sea Fund, GEUShas discussed the importance of having a de -tailed study of the Jurassic strata made and in2010 GEUS presented a proposal for a multi- client study at a workshop for companies thatare active in exploring for oil and gas in theDanish part of the Central Graben. The proposalwas well received and several oil companies areinitially sponsoring a preliminary study of theJurassic hydrocarbon potential in the DanishCentral Graben.

The project will extend existing knowledgewhich has been published by GEUS in the com -prehensive book entitled ‘The Jurassic of Den -mark and Greenland’. The earlier strati gra phicand seismic interpretations will be updated andrevised, and then compared with log data inorder to establish a cohesive framework forreservoir rock from the Jurassic period. Thework will be presented at semi-annual seminarsand will result in a number of summary mapsand analyses. The Danish North Sea Fund isfully supporting the project and they write ontheir website that the results of the study will beof considerable value for companies active in oiland gas exploration in Denmark.

New eyes on the Jurassic strata in the Central Graben

Energy resources


In 2004, Denmark ratified the United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea, which opensfor opportunities to claim subsurface and sea-bed resources outside the 200 nautical milelimit. Any claims must be documented, primarilywith data on sea depths and sediment thicknes-ses. As project manager for the ContinentalShelf Project, since 2003, GEUS has been busycollecting and interpreting data from the fiveareas in question. These are one area in theArctic Ocean, two off North-East Greenland andSouth Greenland, and two areas north-east andsouth-west of the Faroe Islands. In December2010, the scientific documentation for the claimin the area south-west of the Faroe Islands wassubmitted to the UN. This concludes theFaroese part of the Continental Shelf Project.

Data from the area south of Greenland wereprocessed during the year to prepare for a latersubmission of a claim. Finally, in NovemberGEUS took part in a workshop in St. Petersburgat which the scientific aspects of surveys in theArctic Ocean were on the agenda. The meetingin Russia was attended by delegates fromCanada, Denmark and Russia, and represen -tatives from Norway and the USA attended asobservers. The Continental Shelf Project isbeing funded by the Ministry of Science,Technology and Development, with contribu-tions from the Faroese Government, and work isbeing carried out in collaboration with otherinstitutions from Denmark, the Faroe Islandsand Greenland.

Progress in the Continental Shelf Project

Stable, secure and environmentally friendlysupply of energy is high on the agenda, andthroughout the world politicians are striving todevelop energy strategies which take intoaccount both security of supply and sustainabledevelopment. GEUS is involved in developingenergy strategies for Europe through its work ashead of the new Fossil Fuel Task Force underthe organisation of European geological surveys:EuroGeoSurveys. The expert group has beenset up as a consultative body at the request ofthe EU Energy Commission (DG-ENER) and theplan is that the group will develop into anEnergy Expert Group in 2011.

For several years GEUS has been involved inenergy research at European level. One exampleis the 2010 publication of the comprehensive‘Petroleum Geological Atlas of the SouthernPermian Basin Area’. The publication is a com-pilation of an extensive and systematic overviewof the results of more than 150 years of oilexploration in the southern Permian Basin areawhich stretches into the British, Belgian, Dutch,German, Danish and Polish sectors. The atlas isthe result of a collaboration between the geolo-gical surveys from the sector countries, univer -sities and sponsoring oil companies, and one ofthe objectives is that the atlas will stimulate theoil industry to continue their activities in thismature basin.

European energy cooperation

Procuring knowledge for continued exploration and exploitation of energy resources in Denmark and Greenland


Targeted marketing of Greenland’s minerals is one of the activities initiated to help attractinvestment to Greenland from the internationalmining industry. The mineral potential ofGreenland is being marketed through direct contact with the industry and dissemination of knowledge through various media. During2010, in cooperation with the Bureau of Min -erals and Petroleum (BMP) in Nuuk, GEUS took part in two large minerals conventions inVancouver and Toronto attended by investorsand the mining industry. This year’s themes onthe Greenland stand were the geological envi-ronments, possi bilities for finding giant deposits,presentation of Greenland’s nickel potential, and finally new areas with minerals potential.

At the end of the year GEUS contributed infor-mation for the BMP ‘Greenland Day - DownUnder’ in Perth, Australia, where Greenlandicdeposits of precious metals, special and basemetals were presented to the mining industry. In addition, exploration activities and the geologyof Greenland have also been reported throughthe newsletter ‘MINEX’ as well as the thematicmagazine ‘Geology and Ore’ and the fact sheet‘Exploration and mining in Greenland’.

Marketing the minerals of Greenland

There has been extensive exploration for gold inGreenland for many years, and several sites,especially in West Greenland have come intothe spotlight of mining companies. In the sameperiod, geologists from GEUS have been busyelucidating the geological history and mappingthe processes and conditions which have led toconcentrations of gold in the terrain.

In connection with ore geological field surveys,GEUS has developed structural, geochemicaland statistical models which can deduce specialcharacteristics for gold mineralisations. Manydifferent types of data have been used to estab -lish the models, for example detailed geologicalmapping, magnetic data, gravity data and geo-chemical data. The results from the models areused as guidelines when exploring for new goldmineralisations in the field and they will enhancethe understanding of why the mineralisationsappear in certain geological environments.During 2010, the results from the models wereapplied in the summer field work in order toidentify areas which are likely to contain goldmineralisations.

New models for studying gold potential

Mineralresources

Providing the scientific basis for targeted and environment-friendly exploitation of mineral deposits in Greenland and Denma


Solid geological knowledge is important forexploration by mining companies, and thereforethe industry needs detailed geological maps. Inrecent years, GEUS has been working intensivelyon geological mapping and assessment of themineral potential in West Greenland, and in2010, a field survey to modernise the geologicalmaps on a scale of 1:100 000, was completed inthe area between Frederikshåb Isblink andSermi ligaarsuk.

In parallel with this mapping, geological ore surveys have been carried out to assess thepotential for finding new mineral deposits. Workfocussed on the Pre-Cambrian supra-crystallinerocks, which can host mineralisations of pre -cious and base metals, and geologists were looking especially for gold. The field surveyshave been carried out in a collaboration betweenthe University of Copenhagen and universities inthe UK, Canada and South Africa, and activitieshave received financial funding from the Bureauof Minerals and Petroleum in Nuuk.

During the year GEUS published the ‘Geologicalmap of Greenland, 1:100 000, Kangaatisiaq 68 V.1 South and Ikamiut 68 V.1 North’ and acon siderably revised geological overview map on a scale of 1:500 000. This is the ‘SøndreStrømfjord – Nuussuaq 66°45´–71°00´N;49°15´–55°30´W’ map, which covers an area inwhich several mining companies are exploring.

Geological mapping and resource assessments

For two years, geologists from GEUS have beencarrying out intensive ore geological surveys ofthe anorthosite complex near Fiskenæsset,southern West Greenland, which is the remainsof an old magma intrusion. The project hasincluded field work and detailed geochemicaland mineralogical surveys in order to assessthe area’s content of platinum group minerals(PGE).

Work was completed in 2010 with very prom -ising results which demonstrate large contentsof platinum, palladium and rhodium and inwhich the mining industry has already shownmuch interest. The project was carried out withfinancial funding from the Bureau of Mineralsand Petroleum in Nuuk.

New exciting mineral finds

The EU is concerned for future supplies inEurope of rare-earth elements (REE), on whichmuch of European industry is very much depen-dent. REE are a group of elements which areused in high technology products and greentechnologies, and supplies of these elements forthe world market today come primarily fromdeposits in China.

Large deposits of REE are known to exist inGreenland, and in 2010 GEUS held a workshopon the potential of these deposits. In addition toexperts from GEUS, international experts in REEdeposits and several exploration and miningcompanies took part in the workshop. Theworkshop was organised in cooperation with theBureau of Minerals and Petroleum in Nuuk.

Workshop on rare-earth elements

f mineral deposits in Greenland and Denmark


The Danish-led research project BALANCE hasbeen awarded the National Energy GlobeAward for Denmark. The award was presentedon 3 June at an event in the capital of Rwanda,Kigali, as part of UNEP’s celebrations for theUnited Nations International Environment Day.The project has developed new tools and meth -ods for sustainable management of the BalticSea, so surrounding countries can better pro-tect the vulnerable habitats in the marine area.One of the results is development of marinelandscape maps of the Baltic Sea, Kattegat andSkagerrak. The maps classify the seabed intodifferent landscape types on the basis of dataon sediments, salt concentrations and lightconditions, all of which are important para -meters to describe the living conditions forplants and animals on the seabed and thus fordesignating habitats.

The maps are based on existing geological andphysical data from all the Baltic countries, andGEUS has been responsible for comparing thedata and producing the maps, all of which areavailable through the project’s data portal. Hab -itats in the Baltic area are exposed to threatsfrom sand-pumping, fishing, tourism and pollu-tion, and the many, often conflicting, interestscause problems calling for common solutionsfrom all the Baltic countries. The marine land -scape maps are an important tool in establish -ing an overall management plan for the areawhich can create balance between nature andhuman activities.

International environment award for research in the Baltic Sea

The world’s glaciers and ice caps are meltingfaster than ever before, causing concern formany. The most recent report from the Inter -governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)emphasises that the greatest uncertainty in pro-jection of increases in global sea levels is thecontribution from melting glaciers and ice caps.

A new EU project, ice2sea, in which GEUS istaking part, is investigating the contribution ofthe ice masses to sea-level rises over the next200 years. Work involves studying the proces-ses which control the reaction of the ice to theclimate and developing models for more reli-able projections of the reactions of the ice mas-ses. The studies are looking at representativeglaciers and ice caps throughout the world.

In 2010, glaciologists from GEUS carried outsurveys of ice movements on five large outletglaciers from the ice sheet in West Greenland inorder to calculate the dynamics of the ice andthe glaciers’ response to the climate. Theice2sea project is a collaboration between 24research institutions from 14 countries.

Assessment of future sea levels

Identifying processes leading to today’s climate and environmental situation in Denmark and the North Atlantic in particular

Natureand climate


GEUS monitors earthquakes in areas through -out the Danish Realm. This is done at four per-manent seismograph stations in Denmark andat four permanent stations in Greenland as wellas a number of temporary stations. Seis molo -gists register large earthquakes around theworld and smaller local earthquakes as well astremors from explosions, traffic and otherhuman disruptions close to the instruments.Registrations from Denmark and Greenlandhave been included in a large international net-work of stations, which monitors large earth -quakes throughout the world. GEUS receivesmany enquiries from the public and the press,who want comments and expert explanationsafter earthquakes felt in Danish areas or whenthere are major quakes in other parts of theworld.

In 2010, seismologists were especially busyafter the earthquake in the North Sea on 19February, which could be felt in large parts ofnorth Jylland, and after the large, destructiveearthquakes in Haiti on 12 January and in Chileon 27 February. GEUS opened a new section ofits website as a service to the public and press,a ‘Quick Guide to Earthquakes’, with answersto common questions about the natural pheno-menon and with animations of how earthquakewaves affect the earth’s surface. The QuickGuide introduces educational pages aboutearthquakes, www.geus.dk/viden_om/ddj/index-dk.html (in Danish).

Earthquake measurement and data

Shipwrecks and other objects on the seabedare an important part of the European culturalheritage and there is great interest in preservingthese. In the Baltic Sea alone there are up to100,000 well-preserved shipwrecks and othermaritime objects. This unique concentration isnow in danger of being destroyed by the Teredonavalis shipworm which burrows through thewood. With funding from the EU, a group ofresearchers are developing a tool to localiseand predict the spread of the shipworm in theBaltic area and to investigate methods to pro-tect the preservation-worthy shipwrecks on thesites where they lie.

In 2010, researchers developed models whichcalculate the spread of the shipworm on thebasis of data on the tolerance of the animal tovarious natural conditions such as salt contentand temperature. The model results, in the formof maps, show seasonal and long-term changesin the spread of the worm. The maps showareas in which the shipworm has the best pos-sibilities to survive, attack wood, and repro -duce. The results show that the shipworm iswidespread throughout the Kattegat and theDanish belts in the summer, but less wide -spread farther east around Bornholm and thesouthern Baltic. The spread of the reproductionof the shipworm in autumn has increased overthe past three decades and researchers havefound that climate change could have extendedthe period in which they damage wood ratherthan have extended the area over which theworm is spread.

In the future, the maps and guidelines on usingthe method will help improve management ofthe European marine cultural heritage. TheWreck Protect project is a collaboration be -tween the Technical Research Institute of Swe -den, GEUS, the National Museum of Denmark,the Danish Viking Ship Museum, the DutchCultural Heritage Agency and the University ofGothenburg.

Protection of the European national heritage

and the North Atlantic in particular


In January 2010, a four-year project was com-pleted in which GEUS has helped the mineralssector in Ghana. The sector is an important in-dustry in Ghana and the country was previouslycalled the Gold Coast because of its significantgold exports. Even today minerals account forapproximately 38% Ghana’s revenues. Over theproject period, researchers from GEUS haveassured the quality of the geophysical data gathered by two commercial geophysical com-panies, Fugro Airborne Surveys and GeotechAirborne Ltd. using aerial measurements.

The Volta and Keta basins, which cover approx -imately one-third of the land area of Ghana,were measured by Fugro using magnetic, elec-tromagnetic (GEOTEM), gamma spectromaticand gravimetric methods. The quality of datafrom the first three methods were subsequentlyassured by GEUS, while researchers from theDTU Space, the Technical University of Den -mark, assured the quality of the gravimetricdata in cooperation with GEUS.

Geotech Airborne Ltd. carried out the electro-magnetic (VTEM) and magnetic measurementsin four smaller areas outside the basins and thequality of these data was also assured byGEUS. Assistance has also included intensivetraining of employees at the Geological SurveyDepartment (GSD) in quality assurance of geo -physical data and the underlying theories aswell as organisation of the large amounts ofdata. The work was funded by the EU MiningSector Support Programme (MSSP) under theEuropean Development Fund, which is a Euro-pean aid package for the minerals sector inGhana.

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The preconditions for a more intensive interna-tional investment in the Yemen mining sectorare there. The country has a promising geologyand many mineral deposits have been exploitedin the past. The Yemen Geological Survey andMining Resources Board (YGSMRB), under theMinistry of Oil and Minerals, has carried outgeological and geochemical mapping of thecountry, but international marketing of the min -eral exploitation opportunities is lagging behind.With funding from the World Bank since 2008,GEUS has collaborated with the YGSMRB tomake Yemen’s mineral potential and investmentopportunities more visible. The work has in -cluded preparation of printed marketing materi-al on selected minerals in Yemen and postersfor the annual PDAC mineral convention inToronto, Canada.

During the year GEUS has also assisted with apreliminary appraisal of the quality of somedeposits of precious stones and Danish geolo-gists have assessed whether these depositscould contain commercially interesting aqua -marines, rubies and tourmalines.

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GEUS aroundthe world

Knowledge-building in developing countries through research and consultancy


The groundwater pumped up from the flood plainaround the Red River delta in Vietnam in manyplaces contains high concentrations of arsenic,and saltwater penetrates the groundwater aqui-fers in the low-lying flood plains. Arsenic occursnaturally in the sediments under the flood plain,but natural geochemical processes in thegroundwater system mean that the arsenic ismobilised and migrates into the groundwater. Asthe groundwater has good bacteriological quality,all drinking water for the region comes fromthese aquifers, but arsenic pollution and salt -water penetration are now threatening this sup -ply. GEUS is heading the second phase of theVietAs research project to acquire new knowl -edge about the mechanisms causing the pres -ence of arsenic in the groundwater aquifers, andto establish a conceptual model for the spread ofsalt water in the Red River delta.

In 2010, two field sites were set up at whichrelease of arsenic into the groundwater is beinginvestigated, in part under natural conditions, andin part at a water supply facility for Hanoi. Geo -physical measurements were also made in 2010in order to map the saltwater in the Delta, and aconceptual model has been set up for the spreadof salt-containing groundwater in the aquifers.The project is aiming at both research and capa-city building at three Vietnamese research institu-tions, and during the year 15 Vietnamese stu-dents attended classes in Vietnam and some of these also received training in Denmark. Theproject is being funded by the Danish ResearchCouncil for Development Research under DANI-DA and is a collaboration project with the Tech -nical University of Denmark as well as HanoiUniversity of Mining and Geology and the HanoiUniversity of Science and Technology.

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In recent years, on behalf of the World Bank,GEUS has been working in several developingcountries to map the extent of small-scalemining and has advised on a more environ -mentally friendly practice in this type of mining.Small-scale mining (SSM) is an important source of income for up to 100 million peoplethroughout the world. Primarily the extraction ofgold and precious stones provides many jobs insmall communities. Mineral mining often takesplace under very poor safety conditions incramped and deep shafts. Mercury is used ingold mining and this causes enormous environ-mental and health problems if it is not managedproperly.

In 2010, GEUS completed an assessment of theSSM industry in Nigeria to prepare a ‘Handbookon small-scale mining’, which contains advicefor environmental authorities on safer design ofmines and descriptions of how to manage mer-cury so that it does not damage the environ-ment and workers’ health. An SSM training pro-gramme has also been developed for selectedofficials from the Ministry of Mines and SteelDevelopment, so that the project can continuelater with Nigerian trainers. The project is beingcarried out in collaboration with Rambøll and itis funded by The World Bank.

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In the autumn of 2010, Danes could meet geo-logists from GEUS and peek into their research.The end of September saw the start of theDanish Science Festival in which, through alarge number of events throughout Denmark,Danes could meet scientists and learn abouttheir research. Researchers from GEUS hadprepared nine different lectures so that schoolsand other institutions could hire a researcher togive a talk about the exciting world of science.

In October, GEUS hosted the Culture Nightevent for the Ministry of Climate and Energycalled ‘Sense Science’ where visitors couldattend lectures, take part in competitions,watch a climate show, and try out electric cars.Finally, GEUS was one of the coordinatorsbehind the Geology Days 2010 in September,which offered 54 well-attended events all overDenmark under the slogan ‘See, hear, touchand understand the land in which you live’. Thetheme for the geodays was the Danish NatureCanon in which four of the seventeen cate -gories cover geological topics.

An autumn of geology

During the year GEUS provided specialistsupport to the Danish Nature Agency in con-nection with the nationwide groundwatermapping. A number of geo-guidelines werepublished during the year which will ensurequality and uniformity in the ongoing ground-water mapping, and the website atwww.grundvandskortlaegning.dk has beenfurther developed to allow exchange of infor-mation.

In January, employees from GEUS wereamongst the teaching staff on a course inapplied groundwater modelling for water-resources administrators as well as employ -ees at water utilities and consultancy firms.The course comprises a mixture of lectures,practical exercises in computer modelling andexchanges of experience.

Specialist support to water resource management

Glimpses of the year


Jacob Bælum received the Young Elite Research -er’s Award of DKK 200,000 from the DanishCouncil for Independent Research. Jacob is aresearcher at GEUS and he got his PhD in 2008at LIFE at the University of Copenhagen. He isnow working on developing molecular-biologicaltechniques to remediate soil contaminated withchlorinated solvents. These substances arefound at many old industrial sites, and in manyareas they are a threat to the drinking water. TheYoung Elite Researcher’s Award for talentedyoung researchers provides extra support fortheir research, and Jacob Bælum can now boosthis environmental chemical studies on how wecan remediate contaminated soil.

When presenting the award, the Council stated:“This is an elegant research project in whichyoung researchers have looked closely at ad -vanced basic molecular biological researchwhich has a very practical application in solvingimportant contamination problems”.

Young Elite Researcher’s Award for GEUS postdoc

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GEUS senior researcher Peter Appel was awarded the Nairamdal medalby the President of Mongolia, Mr Tsakhia Elbegdorj, during his officialvisit to Denmark. The presentation was on 8 October at a reception inAsia House in Copenhagen. The Mongolian Nairamdal medal is awardedto foreigners who have helped strengthen collaboration between theircountry and Mongolia, and Peter Appel received the medal for his workon small-scale mining in 2005. His work included mapping small-scalemining in Mongolia and the methods used, with focus on extraction ofgold, fluorspar and coal. The gold miners used mercury to extract thegold and Peter Appel’s work has included courses for miners and theirfamilies on how they can be better at handling mercury in a more envi-ronmentally friendly and less harmful manner. Finally, workshops wereheld for government and local administrators in Ulaanbaatar and in sev -eral small towns.

Medal of distinction for GEUS researcher On 17 September 2010, the final sample wasextracted from the soil at Nakskov Fjord. Thiswas the end of the field stage of the geologicalmapping of Sjælland, Fyn, Bornholm, Møn,Lolland-Falster and the smaller Danish islands,and an important milestone in the geologicalmapping of Denmark was reached. It was marked by a ceremony, attended by the pressand invited guests, at which the GEUS deputydirector, Bjørn Kaare Jensen, unveiled a memo -rial plaque for the work.

Since the mapping commenced 122 years ago,Danish geologists have trudged what amountsto three-times around the world, taken morethan 10 million soil samples, and then inter -preted their origin. The most recent mapping ofLolland-Falster is now being prepared for printas three map sheets and will be published soon.However this does not mean that the geologicalmapping will stop. In order to complete the final14.5% of Denmark which still remains unmap-ped, mapping has commenced in Himmerlandwith focus on Mariager Fjord. This mapping willcontribute important new understanding of thegeological and geomorphological conditions innorthern east Jylland, which has never beenmapped before.

Mapping of East Denmark completed

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ACCOUNTS 2010

Amounts in million DKK

Revenue: 288.3

Net figure (appropriation): 138.8

Operating income: 149.5

Expenditure: 294.7

Salaries: 170.2

Other operating expenditure: 124.5

PRESENTATION ACTIVITIES

Long-term knowledge building

Articles in international scientific journals/publications 139

Articles in GEUS’ own scientific series 31

Other scientific publications 15

Ongoing scientific tasks,

consultancy and presentation

Publicly available reports 71

Confidential reports 96

Memoranda, opinions, expositions etc. 84

General presentation

Institution reports (annual report etc.) 4

General and popular-science presentations 129

- including popular-science lectures 68

RESEARCHER TRAINING WITH

GEUS TUTORS

Current PhD students 74

Completed PhD degrees 11

National budget and supplementary government appropriations: 137.6

Programme and external resources: 84.4

Other co-financed contract research: 37.7

Commercial contracts and sales of data: 35.4

Other revenue: 0.2

Expenditure broken down by programme area in million DKK

Revenue broken down by sources of revenue in million DKK

More detailed key figures for the activities of GEUS are available in Årsrapport – Regnskabsåret 2010

(Report and Accounts 2010), and in Faglige resultater 2010 (the latter in Danish only).

Both of these are available at www.geus.dk – publikationer – institutionsrapporter.

Number of employees: 319

Number of scientific projects: approx. 600

Databanks and general information: 49.9

Water resources: 68.0

Energy resources: 86.0

Mineral resources: 54.4

Nature and climate: 37.0

Key figures for 2010


P R O G R A M M E A R E A S

S C I E N T I F I C D E P A R T M E N T S

A D M I N I S T R A T I O N A N D S E R V I C E

Board

Management

AdminstrativeSecretariat

IT, Communications and Logistics

DATABANKSAND

INFORMATION

WATERRESOURCES

ENERGYRESOURCES

MINERALRESOURCES

NATUREAND

CLIMATE

Hydrology

Petrology andEconomic Geology

ReservoirGeology

Geochemistry

Stratigraphy

Geological Data Centre Geophysics

Marine Geologyand Glaciology

Groundwater andQuaternary Geology

Mapping

PROGRAMME AREA:

DATABANKS AND INFORMATION

Archiving and data processing in connec-

tion with statutory reporting of geodata

to GEUS. The aim is to establish a level

of quality of data and sample collections

which helps work on monitoring, emer-

gency management, advisory services

and research. In addition, the program-

me area comprises IT projects, which

ensure efficient and modern IT-tools at

GEUS, as well as presentation of data to

the scientific community and the public.

PROGRAMME AREA:

WATER RESOURCES

Providing the necessary basis for mana-

gement of water resources. Activities

are directed at the water cycle, the

extent and quality of water resources,

and transport and decomposition of

xenobiotic substances in the aquatic

environment, focusing mainly on the

groundwater. The activities also form the

basis for advisory services to authoriti-

es, regions and municipalities.

PROGRAMME AREA:

ENERGY RESOURCES

Providing and contributing the basis for

continued exploration and sustainable

exploitation of the energy resources of

the Realm. This work comprises own

research projects and international co -

operation within oil/gas and renewable

energy. The collected knowledge forms

the basis for GEUS’ advisory services to

authorities in Denmark and Greenland,

and also for projects carried out for the

industry.

PROGRAMME AREA:

MINERAL RESOURCES

Providing the scientific basis for targeted

and environment-friendly exploitation of

raw materials and mineral deposits in

Greenland and Denmark. This work

includes geological mapping and mineral

exploration in Greenland, as well as offi-

cial processing and advisory services for

the Greenland Self Government. In addi-

tion, surveys are carried out in connec-

tion with raw materials and construction

work in Denmark and internationally.

PROGRAMME AREA:

NATURE AND CLIMATE

Examining processes in Denmark and

the North Atlantic area which have led

to the current climate and environmen-

tal situation. The objective is to improve

the prospects of distinguishing between

natural and human-induced environmen-

tal changes. The programme area also

includes a mapping of onshore and off-

shore geological conditions, as well as

earthquake research and monitoring.

In 2010 there were ten research departments at GEUS and two administrative/service departments.

Scientific work is being done in five programme areas, where tasks are carried out in project groups in a matrix structure.

Organisation


Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland(GEUS)Ministry of Climate and Energy

Øster Voldgade 10DK-1350 Copenhagen KDenmark

Telephone: +45 38 14 20 00Telefax: +45 38 14 20 50E-mail: [email protected]

ISBN: 978-87-7871-319-3


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