The 31th Session of the International Geological Congress-31th IGC-held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 6 to 17 of 2000. About 3 705 geologists from 103 countries and areas are attended this Congress. The theme of the 31th IGC is Geology and Sutainable Development: Challenges for the Third Millennium. More then 180 geologists consisting China delegation are presented and jointed exchange in different fields and subjects during the IGC. Fortunately, authors followed the China delegation to Rio de Janeiro, and here would like to talk on the development tendency and facing challenge of geological sciences in 21 century according to our feeling and exchange date for discussion with our colleagues. This paper mentioned briefly the development features during past 100 years and emphasized the technology play an important role in pushing progression of geological sciences; offer some tasks facing new century of geological sciences as following as: supply mineral resources sutainablly, shortage of water resources, reducing nature hazards and service society and police.%第31届国际地质大会于2000年8月6～17日在巴西里约热内卢举行，共103个国家和地区3 705名代表出席。第31届国际地质大会的主题是：地质学与可持续发展——第三个千年的挑战。中国代表团共180余人出席了大会，在不同的领域和学科参加交流。作者有幸参加了大会，现根据交流资料和领会的感受，对新世纪地质科学发展的趋向及面临的挑战作一归纳，与同仁讨论。文中简单回顾过去100年地质科学发展的特征，强调了技术进步推动地质科学进步的决定性作用；提出了21世纪地质科学面临的若干方面任务，包括：矿产资源持续供给、水资源短缺、减轻自然灾害、溶入社会和政治等。
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