The Bahia-Sergipe Section of the Brazilian Geological Society, and the Organizing Committee acknowledge the excellent response of the Brazilian geological community to the III SCSF announcement . As much as in the two previous meetings, one can expect that this event will be attended by the majority of the Brazilian and foreign geoscientists and geoscience professionals who are interested in the development of various aspects of the knowledge about this important South American geotectonic unit.

OBJETIVES OF THE MEETING – The main objective of the III SCSF is to complete an inventory of the "state of the art" of the geology, geotectonics and geophysical knowledge of the São Francisco Craton, as well as of its sedimentary platform and marginal fold belts, along with its mineral, energy and water resources. This will result in economic and social benefits for the country, and it is likely that new research progrmas will be established in order to promote the advancement of the concerned scientific issues.  

LOCATION OF THE EVENT – The III SCSF will take place at the Convention Center of the Bahia Othon Palace Hotel. Temperatures in middle August oscillate between 25 and 30ºC (77-86ºF) during the day, which is usually sunny and seldom rainy, and 20-25ºC (68-77ºF) during the night. Salvador lies about 1:30 hr direct flight from Brasília, 1:40 hr from Rio de Janeiro, and 2:00 hr from São Paulo, the main airport entrances in Brazil.
The opening ceremony of the III SCSF will take place on Sunday, August 14th at the Bahia Othon Palace Hotel, starting 7:00 p.m. The secretary for symposium registration will open at 10:00 a.m. on the same place. The scientific sessions will take place during the 15-18 August. The pre-symposium field trips will start on August 9th, and the post-symposium field trips on August 19th.

THEMES – All scientific contributions relating to the following lines of investigation of the São Francisco Craton: 

1.      Regional geology, remote sensing and geomorphology.
2.      Geoscience modelling using the Geographical Information System (GIS).
3.      Geophysics and paleomagnetism.
4.      Petrology and rock geochemistry. 
5.      Isotopic geology and geochronology
6.      Geotectonics and crustal evolution. 
7.      Structural geology and microtectonics.
8.      Sedimentology, stratigraphy and paleontology.
9.      Chemostratigraphy of the Proterozoic platform.
10.  Mineral deposits, metallogenesis and mineral exploration.
11.  Hydrogeology and water resources.
12.  Oil and gas exploration.
13.  Ornamental and dimension stones. 

ORGANIZATION – The scientific sessions will comprise oral and poster presentations. Slide, transparency and data show projectors will be available. There will be no simultaneous sessions and so the Organizing Committee reserves the right to assign papers that will be presented in oral form.

LANGUAGES – Submitted papers and presentations may be in Portuguese or English.  

PUBLICATIONS – Besides a short paper volume it is intended to have selected papers delivered in the Symposium, published in a special issue of a specialized journal. . 

INVITED SPEAKERS – There will be several invited talks by distinguished scientists, on selected themes, regarded as of major emphasis for this event. The complete list of invited speakers will appear soon on this page. 

FIELD TRIPS – Ten field trips either pre- or post-symposium are planned. The main topics will be: mineral deposits, dimension stones, hydrogeology, oil fields and the geology of the Araçuaí and the Sergipano fold belts. Details will be provided soon on this page.