In a significant move to preserve Suriname’s geological heritage, Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. has committed over US$230,000 to construct a state-of-the-art archive facility for the Geological Mining Service (GMD). This initiative aims to safeguard historically vital drill cores and samples that form the foundation of the nation’s geological knowledge.
The current GMD archive building, which partially collapsed and became non-functional, posed serious safety risks including fire hazards and unauthorized access by homeless individuals. For more than two years, Staatsolie has maintained security patrols to mitigate further dangers to these invaluable geological specimens.
Following a comprehensive inventory assessment conducted by GMD in collaboration with Professor Salomon Kroonenberg, the decision was finalized to proceed with new construction. The modern facility will ensure the preservation of precious geological materials and maintain accessibility of existing data for future scientific investigations.
The majority of these subsurface samples originate from the 1970s and have been instrumental in developing Suriname’s geological mapping framework. These core samples provide critical insights into subterranean composition and potential natural resource deposits, serving as essential reference materials for ongoing exploration and research initiatives. Drill cores and samples are extracted during geological surveys to analyze stratum composition and identify potential mineral resources.
The project aligns with Staatsolie’s commitment to sustainably strengthening national institutions and preserving crucial knowledge about Suriname’s geological composition. The new archive is scheduled to become operational before the end of the current year.