AWARDEE OF EARTH SCIENCES PRIZE

CHANG YINFO

Abstract

Chang Yinfo, a geologist specializing in mineral deposits and mineral resource exploration, was born in 1931 in Taixing Jiangsu, and graduated from Geology Department of Tsinghua University in 1952. Chang Yinfo focused on mineral resource exploration prior to 1964, and during the period between 1965 and 1974 he worked as a geological expert in Vietnam and Albania to help those countries with mineral resource exploration and regional geological research. Between 1978 and 1993, he took several high level technical positions in the Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources of Anhui Province, which included Associate Chief Engineer, Vice Director, and Chief Engineer. Currently he is working for the Division of Land and Resources of Anhui Province. Chang Yinfo was elected as a member of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1991, and later in 1994 he became a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering. Among the other academic activities he was involved in were, a member of the Council of Geological Society of China, and Chairman of the Geological Society of Anhui Province. He is now Deputy Chairman of the Association of Science and Technology of Anhui Province.
Chang Yinfo has dedicated most of his career life in mineral exploration and research. He has been leading various large-scale exploration and research projects since the 1950's.  Early in his career, in the lower Yangtze River region, especially in Tongling Anhui; his work greatly increased the copper reserves. This made it possible for Tongling to develop its copper refinement industry. In the mineral deposit research area, he proposed a new subtype of mineral deposit (stratibound skarn deposit), which is the co-existence of synergetic and epigenetic genesis.  This enriched and pushed forward the skarn ore-forming theory. For the regional metallogeny theory, by analyzing the lower Yangtze metallogenic belt, he provided a typical model for formation and evolution of the intraplate metallogenic belt. For research of exploration methods, by studying China's prospecting history, he developed his own three-development stage idea. His proposal of goals and tasks for the new stage, as well as 3D mapping in significant prospecting areas, has been successfully adopted.
Chang Yinfo has achieved various awards and prizes over the years, among of which are special awards of the National Prize of Progress in Science and Technology, and first awards of the Science and Technology prize awarded by the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources.