Geological Service of Bolivia

The Servicio Geológico Minero (SERGEOMIN), known in English as the Geological Service of Bolivia, is the national geological survey of Bolivia. It is a decentralized public institution under the Ministerio de Minería y Metalurgia (Ministry of Mining and Metallurgy), headquartered in La Paz, with regional offices in Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosí and Santa Cruz. Its public mandate is to contribute to the country's economic development by exploring and researching non-renewable natural resources, producing complex geoscientific information, and carrying out systematic geological mapping of the national territory. It provides advisory services in geology, mining and environmental matters to all government bodies. The current organizational structure of SERGEOMIN was established by Law No. 535 of 28 May 2014, which re-created an independent geoscientific service for Bolivia. Its institutional lineage traces back to the Departamento Nacional de Geología (DENAGEO), later renamed Servicio Geológico de Bolivia (GEOBOL), and subsequently merged with the Servicio Técnico de Minas to form the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Técnico de Minas (SERGEOTECMIN). The 2014 law separated the geological survey function once again under the SERGEOMIN name. SERGEOMIN operates a scientific collection and museum, the Museo Mineralógico, Petrográfico, Paleontológico "Ing. Jorge Muñoz Reyes", founded in 1980 and named after the engineer-geologist Jorge Muñoz Reyes (1904–1984). The museum displays 732 exhibits of minerals, rock samples and paleontological specimens from Bolivia, along with historical instruments used since the 1960s for topographic and geological mapping, geophysical surveys, photogrammetry, microscopy and chemical analysis. The service also publishes periodic bulletins, including the Boletín del Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (ISSN 1023-7674).

The geological service of Bolivia began as the Departamento Nacional de Geología (DENAGEO), which was later renamed Servicio Geológico de Bolivia (GEOBOL). GEOBOL was subsequently merged with the Servicio Técnico de Minas to form the Servicio Nacional de Geología y Técnico de Minas (SERGEOTECMIN). In 2014, Law No. 535 of 28 May re-established an independent geoscientific service for Bolivia under the name Servicio Geológico Minero (SERGEOMIN). The new entity was tasked with preparing and presenting the country's fundamental geological information as a pillar of national development. SERGEOMIN inherited the functions of its predecessors, including geological mapping, mineral resource assessment and advisory services to government. Its museum, the Museo Mineralógico, Petrográfico, Paleontológico "Ing. Jorge Muñoz Reyes", has existed since 1980 and is named after the engineer-geologist Jorge Muñoz Reyes (1904–1984). The service has published bulletins since the 1960s, with the current series Boletín del Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería appearing since 2000 (ISSN 1023-7674).

• 2014

  Law No. 535 of 28 May creates SERGEOMIN as an independent geoscientific service.

• 2000

  Boletin del Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería begins publication (Vol.19, ISSN 1023-7674).

• 1993

  Boletin del Servicio Geológico de Bolivia resumes with Vol.3.

• 1983

  Boletín del Servicio Geológico de Bolivia, Serie A begins publication.

• 1980

  Museo Mineralógico, Petrográfico, Paleontológico "Ing. Jorge Muñoz Reyes" is established.

• 1965

  Boletín / GEOBOL, Servicio Geológico de Bolivia continues the bulletin series (Vol.6).

• 1961

  Boletin, Ministerio de Minas y Petroleo begins publication (Vol.1).

National geoscientific authority providing fundamental geological information as a pillar of national development.

• Geological maps

• Geoscientific data and reports

• Mineral resource assessments

• Advisory services

• Museum exhibitions

• Scientific publications

1. 1Wikidata: Geological Service of Boliviawikidata.org
2. 2Wikipedia (de): Servicio Geológico Minero (Bolivien)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3SERGEOMIN official websitesergeomin.gob.bo