Its main job is to elaborate the geological sheets of Chile in its Basic Geology series. The regional geological studies combine the stratigraphy, structural geology, petrology, geochemistry, and biostratigraphy disciplines, among others. They consist of the geological survey at different scales (1:250,000, 1:100,000, 1:50,000, 1:25,000) according to the geological complexity of the studied region and the scope of the products to generate, followed by the synthesis publishing, at greater scales, like the Geological Map of Chile, scale of 1:1,000,000, or multinational maps, scale of 1:5,000,000.
These products constitute a base tool for mining exploration and are a starting point for further thematic studies in the different disciplines developed within the National Sub-direction of Geology, like the study of mineral resources, energetic resources (geothermal), hydrogeology, territorial planning, geological hazards, volcanology, among others.
It consists of the regional geological survey of the national territory on scales depending on the geological characteristics of the different country zones, the identification and distribution of natural resources, and the territory purpose. The geological survey is performed in field by professional geologist teams on the topographic bases of the Geographic Military Institute of Chile (IGM), and air photographs and georeferenced satellite images are used. It includes a rock, mineral and fossil samples, structural data gathering and subsequent geochemical analysis, microscopes, geochronological studies, and paleontological classifications. The geological maps are complemented with geological profiles and its respective georeferenced databases of geochronology, geochemistry, structural data, fossiliferous content, and industrial minerals and rocks metal deposits occurrence. These products and databases are distributed in digital format on the institutional websites.
The professionals that make up this unit are mainly located in Santiago, but we have officials at the Dirección Regional of Los Ríos, Valvidia, XIV region, and at the Technical Office, Puerto Varas, X region.
Team and fieldwork
