The beginnings of mineral sector activities were represented by the first geological formation in the Iraqi Government structure which was known in 1933 as "The Department of Geology" .That Department was one of the Ministry of Transport and Communications formations. Then, in 1955 that Department was attached to the Ministry of Construction as "The Department of Minerals and Mineral Industries". In 1959, it was attached to The Ministry of Industry and Minerals as "The Department of Geology and Mineral Survey".

 In 1966, the "Directorate of Geological Survey and Mineral Investigation" was introduced and was attached to The Ministry of Oil and Minerals. Afterwards, in 1969 the Directorate was joined to the Iraqi Mineral Company. In 1974, "The State Directorate of Geological Survey and Mineral Investigation" was founded as one of the formations of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals. In 1987 it became "The State Establishment of Geological Survey and Mineral Investigation" until 1998 where the name was substituted to "The State Company of Geological Survey and Mining. In 2013 and until our present day GEOSURV has been known as "Iraq Geological Survey" and it continues to be within the Ministry of Industry and Minerals formations.