"Minerals enriching Jinling, Verdant Splendor" - Press Conference Held for the 2nd Nanjing Mineral Expo

On April 26, the press conference for the 2nd China Nanjing (International) Mineral Gemstone & Fossil Expo, themed "Minerals enriching Jinling, Verdant Splendor" was held in Nanjing.

This edition of the expo is jointly organized by the Viewstone Association of China(VSAC), Nanjing University, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing), Chinese National Geography magazine, and Jiangsu Cable Network. The event is undertaken by the Mineral Crystal special Committee of VSAC, Jiangsu Mineral Culture Exchange Center, and Jiangsu Jiangwen Exhibition Co., Ltd., with co-organization by multiple specialized committees including the Fossil Committee, Meteorite Committee, and Cultural Planning & Design Committee of VSAC. Additional supporting institutions include Jiangsu Geological Survey Institute, Geological Society of Jiangsu, Jiangsu Ornamental Stone Association, Jiangsu Society of Geology and Mineral Resources Economy, American Mineral Heritage Inc., and Donghai Crystal Group.

The expo will take place at Nanjing International Exhibition Center from May 29 to June 2.

This year's expo, deeply rooted in the scientific and cultural essence of minerals, gems, and fossils, has partnered with domestic and international professional associations and academic institutions to launch the 2024 International Museum Cultural Exchange Conference under the theme "Promoting Cross-Border Integration and Cultural Sharing." The event will gather renowned experts, scholars, and industry leaders from around the world to engage in high-level discussions on international museum cultural exchange.

The expo adopts a "1+N" venue layout, with the Nanjing International Exhibition Center serving as the main venue (core exhibition hall), supplemented by satellite venues including Nanjing University, Nanjing Paleontological Museum, Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing Geological Museum, and Jiangsu Mineral Culture Exchange Center.

The main exhibition hall is divided into eight themed zones: International Mineral Zone， Domestic Mineral Zone，International Jewelry & Group Exhibition Zone， Science & Cultural Creativity Zone， Fossil & Meteorite Zone， Ornamental Stone Zone， Handicraft Zone， Comprehensive Exhibition Zone， Distinguished guests attending the press conference included: Li Zhijian, Executive Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo and representative of the China Ornamental Stone Association， Liu Shouhua, Executive Vice Chairman of the Jiangsu Journalists Association， Zhou Bin, Editor-in-Chief of Qunzhong Magazine， Zhuang Chuanwei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Jiangsu Cable Network， Zhao Chenhua, Deputy Party Secretary of Jiangsu Cable Network， Wu Yupeng, Vice President and Party Committee Member of Jiangsu Cable Network， Dong Ting, Party Secretary of the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University， Qiao Nan, Deputy General Manager of Chinese National Geography Nature Education， Ma Genwei, Deputy Director and Party Committee Member of Nanjing Museum， Li Yang, Deputy Director of the Exhibition Office, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (Nanjing)， Gui Changjie, Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee of China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo， Peng Zhaoyuan, Director of the Mineral Specimen Committee of China Ornamental Stone Association and Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee， Wang Yingjun, Secretary-General of the Mineral Specimen Committee and Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee.

At the press conference, Li Zhijian, representative of VSAC and Executive Vice Chairman of the Organizing Committee for China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo, delivered a speech that fully affirmed the significance of this year's expo. He expressed clear expectations for its successful execution, emphasizing that the Nanjing Mineral Expo, guided by the integration of geological science popularization and cultural tourism, is strengthening high-quality promotion of ornamental stone culture. This initiative holds great importance for the future advancement and development of ornamental stone culture.

Li expressed hope that the second edition of the expo would continue writing the "Story of the Stone" in Nanjing—a city renowned for its stone culture—and strive to become a vital platform for fostering cultural exchange and heritage within the global mineral specimen industry. Through professional displays, immersive experiences, and interactive participation, the expo aims to offer audiences a comprehensive understanding of the charm and unique essence of gemstones and minerals.

As a representative of the organizing institutions, Wu Yupeng, Vice President and Party Committee Member of Jiangsu Cable Network, highlighted that the inaugural Nanjing Mineral Expo in 2023 showcased hundreds of thousands of exquisite mineral, gemstone and fossil specimens, achieving on-site transactions exceeding 1 billion RMB. This remarkable success demonstrated Nanjing's exemplary appeal as a global mineral exhibition destination.

As the executive organizer of the first Expo, Jiangsu Cable Network played an integral role in conceptual planning and integrated communications, effectively facilitating public access to these precious geological cultural resources that were once "hidden in secluded chambers."

With the second Nanjing Mineral Expo approaching, Jiangsu Cable Network, now as a co-organizer, will: Deepen cultural exploration, Leverage digital-intelligent advancements, Enhance promotional services for quality communication, Implement practical measures to empower the expo under the paradigm of new quality productive forces, Contribute "Mineral Expo expertise" to Jiangsu's high-quality development.

Dong Ting, Party Secretary of the School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at Nanjing University, emphasized that this Mineral Expo serves not only as a grand platform for promoting scientific spirit, enhancing international cooperation, and facilitating cultural exchange, but also as an excellent opportunity to showcase NJU's achievements in petrology, mineralogy, paleontology and related fields - particularly in scientific research, science popularization, social services, and industry-education integration.

She expressed the hope that through this prestigious event, NJU's School of Earth Sciences could fully demonstrate its distinctive accomplishments in talent cultivation, scientific research, and social services. By doing so, the Expo would: Strengthen its scientific foundation, Elevate appreciation standards for mineral specimen culture, Promote the profound essence of geoscience culture, Continuously advance public education in minerals, gems and fossils.

Qiao Nan, Deputy General Manager of Chinese National Geography Nature Education, stated that the Chinese National Geography Nature Education Center is an educational platform initiated by Chinese National Geography, with "heaven-earth" and "all living things" as its core themes, integrating Chinese National Geography's premium content into offline experiential learning.

He expressed dual aspirations for this Mineral Expo: To guide curiosity-driven children in "opening nature's door" and reconnecting with the wonders of the universe and earth's treasures and to collaborate with experts in becoming effective discoverers, documentarians, and disseminators of scientific knowledge, enabling more people to appreciate the beauty of minerals.

As representative of the government department, Li Yang, Deputy Director of the Exhibition Office of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Nanjing Sub-council, spoke highly of the Expo. He noted that the organizers of this year's expo had visited major mineral exhibitions worldwide to invite international exhibitors, professional buyers, and collectors. By integrating natural geological science popularization with cultural tourism, the event provided the public with a multifunctional platform encompassing "exhibition and trade, academic exchange, and science education," showcasing the unique charm of Nanjing as the "City of Stones" and a "Renowned Historical and Cultural City." Nanjing will continue the thorough implementation of key guiding principles from Chairman Xi’s speech towards Jiangsu, developing new quality productive forces based on local conditions, and fully leverage the exhibition industry's vital role in driving industrial strength, promoting trade and economic cooperation, boosting consumption capacity, and enhancing the city's influence.

"This year's Mineral Expo features numerous highlights," said Wang Yingjun, Secretary-General of the Mineral Specimen Committee of VSAC and Secretary-General of the China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo Organizing Committee. He introduced that this year's expo, themed "Verdant Minerals Exhibition," boasts an exhibition area of 40,000 square meters, including 50 custom-designed booths and 412 international standard booths. The exhibition scope covers mineral specimens, jewelry, fossils, meteorites, stone-based art and cultural products, and science-themed derivatives, attracting global collectors, museums, scientific communities, and industry leaders.

Additionally, the expo will host a variety of engaging events, such as the International Museum Cultural Exchange Conference, the New Mineral Discovery Symposium, a special exhibition of international professional testing equipment, the Tianyan Museum exhibition, a featured display by Chinese National Geography, and a "Starting from 0 Yuan" auction for minerals, gemstones, fossils, and meteorites.

This year's expo will welcome over 200 exhibitors and guests from dozens of countries and regions, including the United States, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Uruguay, France, Russia, Serbia, Colombia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, alongside domestic participants.

Reporters learned from the organizing committee that the expo will showcase several blockbuster exhibits, such as Brazil's "King of Pederneira Tourmaline," a 400-kilogram "King of Turquoise," China's largest dinosaur fossil (the 39.8-meter-long Xinjiang Qitai Zhiming dinosaur), a rare 20-ton meteorite ("Celestial Visitor"), and the mysterious "Dragon Sighting in the Year of the Dragon."

At the press conference, Peng Zhaoyuan, Director of the Mineral Crystal Special Committee of VSAC and Deputy Director of the expo's organizing committee, and Wu Yupeng, Deputy General Manager and Party Committee Member of Jiangsu Cable Network, signed a strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. This partnership marks a joint commitment to advancing the culture of stone appreciation and fostering global exchange and heritage preservation in the mineral and crystal industry.

Li Zhijian, representative of VSAC and Executive Deputy Director of the China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo Organizing Committee; Liu Shouhua, Executive Vice Chairman of the Jiangsu Journalists Association; Zhou Bin, Editor-in-Chief of Qunzhong Magazine; Zhuang Chuanwei, Party Secretary and Chairman of Jiangsu Cable Network; Ma Genwei, Party Committee Member and Deputy Director of Nanjing Museum; and Gui Changjie, Deputy Director of the expo's Organizing Committee jointly witnessed the signing on site.

At the conference, the 2024 "Mineral Visionaries@Stone City" Global Ambassador Program and the ticket reservation/pre-sale system for the 2nd China Nanjing (International) Mineral Expo were officially launched.
From now until June 2, netizens can participate in a creative content contest by posting original expo-related content on platforms including Shijieguan, Sina Weibo, Toutiao, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, WeChat Video, Kuaishou, Bilibili, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube with the hashtags #南京矿博会# (Nanjing Mineral Expo) or #CIMGE. Outstanding entries stand a chance to win rewards totaling 10,000 RMB.

With the press conference, ticket reservations and pre-sales for the 2nd edition of the Expo has begun. To claim free tickets, follow the official WeChat account "晶彩收藏" (Sparkling Collections), navigate to the "Mineral Expo" menu, and select "2024 Expo Tickets." For discounted tickets to special zones like the Fluorescent Minerals Display or Verdant Minerals Themed Exhibition, search "南京矿博会" (Nanjing Mineral Expo) or "2024南京矿博会" on Douyin.

The event also debuted the expo's new mascot, "晶灵" (Jing Ling)—a portmanteau of "晶彩蕴天地" (crystals embody heaven and earth) and "灵珑出自然" (exquisite wonders born of nature). The name reflects the harmony between mineral beauty and natural artistry, while phonetically echoing "金陵" (Nanjing's poetic name) and "精灵" (spirit/elf).

The 1st New Minerals Conference will be held concurrently with the expo. Organized by the New Mineral Nomenclature and Classification Committee and the Genetic Mineralogy & Prospecting Mineralogy Committee of the Chinese Society for Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry, the conference will feature: A symposium on new mineral discovery research, nomenclature, and genesis; A special exhibition of newly discovered minerals and R&D equipment; Showcases of China’s recent breakthroughs in mineralogy.
This initiative aims to engage experts and enthusiasts in advancing mineral research, supporting China’s national mineral exploration strategy, and highlighting the significance of scientific discovery.