Recently, the launch and academic exchange meeting of the National Key R&D Program “Geomicrobiology Coupling Mechanism for the Migration and Transformation of Seafloor Hydrothermal Ore-forming Elements” led by the SIO was held in Hangzhou.
      At the launch meeting, Academician Li Jiabiao, Director of the SIO, awarded the letter of appointment to the Advisory Expert Group of the project. Chen Jianfang, Deputy Director of the SIO, expressed, on behalf of the SIO, to strengthen the management and provide guarantee services for the smooth implementation of the project. Dr. Liu Yanlong, Project Director of the High Technology Center, Ministry of Science and Technology, put forward requirements for the work of the project team from four aspects: refining scientific research results, enhancing collaboration, exchanges and complementary advantages, strengthening scientific integrity and learning style construction, and improving implementation plans.
      Researcher Han Xiqiu, Project Leader, gave an overall report on the project overview, technical scheme, execution plan, organization and management. Four topic leaders made a detailed report on the topic objectives, key scientific problems to be solved, research contents, technical routes, assessment indicators, progress plans, expected results, etc. The project consulting experts fully questioned the implementation plan of the project and various topics, and put forward constructive opinions and suggestions on the possible problems during the project implementation process.

      At the subsequent academic exchange meeting, various topic leaders and research backbones fully reported and exchanged on the existing research basis, existing problems and future research ideas, and carried out 17 oral reports and 20 display panel reports. The report of Wei Mingcong, a doctoral student of the SIO, won the “best display panel report”.
      The Project of “Geomicrobiology Coupling Mechanism for the Migration and Transformation of Seafloor Hydrothermal Ore-forming Elements” is the key project of the National Key R&D Program “Engineering Science and Comprehensive Crossing”. This project aims to reveal the migration, transformation process and environmental effect of surface and deep metallogenic elements in the hydrothermal area through the interdisciplinary research of “geology”, “microorganism” and “engineering technology”, discuss the coupling mechanism of the interaction between rock minerals and microorganisms in the process of seafloor hydrothermal circulation, and establish the geomicrobiology coupling mechanism for the migration and transformation of seafloor hydrothermal ore-forming elements, so as to provide a strong support for promoting the new development of seafloor hydrothermal mineralization theory and guiding the ore-prospecting and development of seafloor sulfide resources.