2010 Midwest Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Symposium convened in the lecture hall of ISL August, 17th through 18th. More than one hundred experts and scholars from colleges, universities, research institutions and business circles all over the country got together to exchange scientific studies in inorganic chemistry and chemical engineering and to discuss the future development of midwest inorganic chemical industry.

SONG Pengsheng, the 7th president of Qinghai Chemical Society (QCS) as well as ISL researcher hosted the opening ceremony on 17th.  Academician YOU Xiaozeng from School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, XIE Yuan, director general of Qinghai Science and Technology Department, MA Haizhou, director of ISL, GUO Xiaoyun, vice-president of Qinghai Association of Science and Technology, etc, attended the opening ceremony.

Ma Haizhou made an opening speech. He expressed hearty congratulations for the opening of  the symposium and warmly welcomed all the attendants on behalf of ISL. Ma pointed out that ISL is the only comprehensive research institution which specializes in applied basic researches and hi-tech research and development on the exploitation of salt lake resources in China.

ISL has always persisted in the development strategy of rejuvenating the country through science and technology since its foundation over forty years ago. It has catered to the nation's demand, being brave in undertaking the nation's significant scientific and technological missions since it entered the knowledge innovation program (KIP) of CAS. The institute has made a series of important achievements which gained striking economic and social benefits, especially in studies in the inorganic salt industry of salt lake rich elements and their value-added applications.

Xie Yuan introduced the social development, the status of resources and the planning of scientific and technological development in related areas of Qinghai Province. He pointed out that Qinghai Province has vast territory and abundant resources. Qinghai has reinforced the construction of an circular economy in Qaidam Basin. The circular economy development model and industry chain feature a principle scenario of exploiting salt lake resources, with comprehensive development of petroleum, gas, coal, metal, nonmetal and other mineral resources, aiming at building a network of cyclic utilization industry chain. It is also a circular economy industry chain of multiple industries intersection and merging development, with salt lake industry in a dominant position. The construction and development of regional circular economies apparently will spur the development of light, building materials, machinery and new materials industries, which will then improve the comprehensive economic competitiveness of Qinghai Province.

During the symposium, each specialist and scholar had an in-depth communication and discussion in a number of topics including scientific researches, disciplinary development, educational reform, and the integration of production, teaching and research, as well as sustainable development of industries.