From 17 to 19 October 2023, a delegation from the National Geological Archives of PGI-NRI visited the Portugal's National Laboratory of Energy and Geology (LNEG), which acts as the National Geological Survey of Portugal.

The purpose of the visit was to learn about the way the Portuguese geological survey works in the field of geo-information and to exchange experiences in collecting, storing and sharing of such information, collected in both documentation and samples.

The delegation was led by Michal Sokolowski, head of the National Geological Archives. Other participants were NGA staff: Wiktoria Brzezińska-Paciorek, Aleksandra Czul, Krzysztof Dąbroś and Agata Fudała.

The first day included a visit to the Aljustrel Campus, where João Xavier Matos and Luís Albardeiro from LNEG gave a wide-ranging presentation on the activities of the campus and the Portuguese geological survey as a whole. In the next step, the hosts gave the guests a tour of the geological sample storage facility, which is being expanded to collect samples from the exploratory concessions currently in operation.

João Xavier Matos (first from right) discusses the resource of maps stored at Campus Aljustrel

Geological sample storage at the Aljustrel Campus. João Xavier Matos presents how to store soil samples

In front of the LNEG headquarters in Aljustrel. Coming from left: Luís Albardeiro, João Xavier Matos, Sara Santos, Wiktoria Brzezińska-Paciorek, Krzysztof Dąbroś, Michał Sokołowski, Agata Fudała, Aleksandra Czul

The second day was a visit to the Campus San Mamede de Infesta in Porto, where NGA staff listened to a few words on the activities of the LNEG by the Director José Feliciano Rodrigues, as well as a presentation by Zélia Pereira on the data resources held at the Litoteque in Porto.

Issues related to GIS (Geographic Information System) and its application to LNEG's field research were introduced by Pedro Gonçalves. In turn, Luisa Matos showed the visitors from PGI – NRI the geological museum housed at the campus. The highlight of the programme was a visit to the geological sample warehouse, where NGA staff had the opportunity to observe the handling of samples as core repacking work was underway in it.

In front of the LNEG headquarters in Porto (Campus San Mamede de Infesta). Coming from left: Aleksandra Czul, Agata Fudała, Krzysztof Dąbroś, Michał Sokołowski, Wiktoria Brzezińska-Paciorek, Pedro Gonçalves, Luisa Matos, José Feliciano Rodrigues, Zélia Pereira

The third day included a visit to Campus Alfragide in Lisbon, which is the headquarters of the Portuguese geological survey. There, the activities of the LNEG in the areas of geo-information and the structure and function of the geological database by Ms Linda Quental and Ms Sofia Soares were presented.

The visitors from PGI-NRI were also shown the collections of the local library, which, in addition to publications on Portugal, includes studies on countries from various parts of the world. There was also a Polish accent: valuable volumes of 19th century maps and studies of pre-war Poland. In the basement of the main building, there is a sample store in which the equipment forming an informal drilling museum is collected.

Presentation of polonica geologica stored in the LNEG library in Lisbon

A tour of the sample warehouse. Photo shows Sofia Soares showing the core obtained during work on the Lisbon Metro line

At the LNEG headquarters in Lisbon (Campus Alfragide). Coming from left: Aleksandra Czul, Sofia Soares, Michał Sokołowski, Krzysztof Dąbroś, Linda Quental, Wiktoria Brzezińska-Paciorek during the presentation of a gift to the hosts – a beautiful specimen of striped flint

At all three LNEG sites, the NGA delegation gave a short presentation on the archive’s activities, how geological information is handled in the Polish Geological Survey and methods of presenting data in the various modules of the Central Geological Database. Our delegation also handed over promotional materials obtained from various organisational units of PGI-NRI and English-language editions of our publications Geological Atlas of Poland and Mineral Resources of Poland, which attracted great interest.

Aleksandra Czul during a presentation of the functionalities of the Central Geological Database and the geologia.pgi.gov.pl portal

Text: Agata Fudała, Michał Sokołowski
Photos: Aleksandra Czul, Agata Fudała