The Secretary of the IUGS Initiative on Forensic Geology, Prof. Duncan Pirrie visited the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) in Uppsala, Sweden on the 15th December 2023 to give a lecture about the applications of geological methods in crime investigations. Duncan used real cases to illustrate the various methods used in investigations, for example, using soil as trace evidence, geolocation technologies, and provenance of rocks. He also presented on the current Special Project about mining crime which the IFG carries out in collaboration with the Finnish Geological Survey and other partners. The topic is very broad and involves among others mineral theft, mineral exploration frauds, mineral substitutions, trade of fake gemstones and fossils.
The main goal of the project is to evaluate the current global scale of mining crime and assess geological methodologies and strategies, which may aid and assist law enforcement agencies in the detection, prevention, management and mitigation of mining crime. The lecture was a result of an invitation by the chair of the IUGS Commission on Global Geochemical Baselines, Anna Ladenberger in order to establish the Swedish network for the forensic geology initiative in Sweden. The lecture was very well attended, both in person and online by more than 30 participants, including forensic doctors and researchers as well as the chair of the International Medical Geology Association Prof. Chaosheng Zhang from University of Galway.
