According to the differences in research contents, the Center mainly focus on the following three research areas:

1. Technology development

This direction is mainly oriented towards targeted and directed development of problems encountered in geological research, such as lack of methods, special lithologies, and unknown principles, etc. At present, the Center has successfully established the techniques for the analysis of iron fractions and carbonate lattice sulfur (CAS), developed the techniques for the analysis of carbonate-associated phosphorus (CAP), and is now in the process of developing the techniques for the analysis of carbonate-associated chlorine, nitrogen, and organic matter, as well as the analysis of phosphorus fractions. In the future , analytical techniques for K, Mg, Si, Li, Mo, Cu, Zn, Sr, and Ca isotopes will be developed after the MC-ICP-MS acquired by the Center is in place, and techniques for trioxo and polysulfide isotope analysis will be developed when the IRMS 253 Plus is in place. In addition, this research direction also carries out some mechanistic studies on isotope fractionation coefficient correction, influence of diagenetic process, dolomitization modification through experimental simulation and recent sediments, etc.

2. Geological research

This direction mainly focuses on scientific research on geological samples, and explores the environmental evolution and resource and biological significance of the geological history period through comprehensive means such as mineral morphology, elements and isotopes, and modeling. Currently, the time periods include the Middle Proterozoic Silent Period, the Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic Major Transition Period, the Ordovician-Silurian turn, and the Mesozoic Extreme Climate Period, etc., including seawater chemistry (redox conditions, temperature, pH, etc.) and elemental cycles (nutrient salts, sulfate, Mo, Mn, Fe, etc.), climate (Snowball Ice Age, Extreme Thermal Event, etc.), continental weathering, and the evolution of the atmospheric composition (O₂ , CO₂) evolution, etc.

3. Geological Applications

This direction mainly serves the exploration and development of minerals and energy, including shale oil and gas generation and storage, phosphorite and manganese ore formation and distribution.