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Proceedings of the MSTU, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2012 pp.275-276
UDC 55 : 001.89
Geological Institute KSC RAS is 60 years old!
Yu.L. Voytekhovsky
Director of Geological Institute, KSC RAS, Apatity
The systematic geological research on the Kola Peninsula started in the 1920's with discovering rich deposits of apatite ores in the Khibiny mountains. The "Tietta" Mountain Station played an organizer role in the complex development of the Kola region. It was the first all-year-operating scientific research institution of the Russian Academy of Sciences on the country periphery established in 1930 under geologist Acad. A.E. Fersman's (1930-1945) run. In 1934 it was reorganized into the Kola station of the Academy of Sciences, the geological section and geochemical laboratory were created there. Already the first decade on the peninsula saw the discovery of major deposits of copper-nickel and iron ores, kyanite, perovskite, titanomagnetite, loparite, etc. The World War II broke off the plan study of the region.
On coming back after the evacuation in 1944 and reconstructing, the Station was reestablished into the Kola Branch of the Academy of Sciences in 1949 under geologist Acad. D.S. Belyankin's (1945-1952) run. The geological department with the sectors of geology and mineralogy, geochemical and chemical-analytical laboratories was created. In 1952 the department was reorganized into the Geological Institute, the first one in the Kola Branch of the Academy of Sciences structure, headed by Dr. Sci. (Geol.-mineral.) E.K. Kozlov. The Institute continued the complex study of the geology and minerals of the Kola Peninsula. This research trend was supported by geologist Acad. A.V. Sidorenko, Chairman of the Kola Branch of the Academy of Sciences Presidium in 1952-1961 and Director of the Geological Institute.
Directors of the Geological Institute KSC RAS (from left to right): Dr. Sci. (Geol.-mineral.) E.K. Kozlov (1953-1955, 1959-1961), Acad. A.V. Sidorenko (1955-1959),
Dr. Sci. (Geol.-mineral.) I.V. Bel'kov (1961-1986)
Dr. Sci. (Geol.-mineral.) I.V. Bel'kov headed the Geological Institute in 1961. This period is worked with a rapid growth of the Institute staff, creation of new laboratories: the ones of the ore deposits geology, isotope geochronology and geochemistry, regional geophysics, experimental petrology, geochemistry . All this provided the profound research of mineral raw materials, elaboration of criteria for mineral deposit prospecting and publications of major compilation monographs. Up to date chemical and physical methods of the matter analysis were greatly promoted. Owing to the work of geological expeditions, geological surveys of mining-processing enterprises and the Geological Institute, the Murmansk region became a first-rate mineralogical base of the chemical, rare metal, mica and ceramics industries, black and color metallurgy. At that time the Geological Institute bred strong scientific schools. Geologist Corresp. Member G.I. Gorbunov, Chairman of the Kola Branch of the Academy of Sciences (1971-1985) greatly contributed to the scientific schools development.
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Voytekhovsky Yu.L. Geological Institute KSC RAS is 60 years old!
Directors of the Geological Institute KSC RAS (from left to right): Acad. F.P. Mitrofanov (1986-2007),
Prof. Yu.L. Voytekhovsky (2007 - present day)
In 1986 the Geological Institute had a new Director of Dr. Sci. (Geol.-mineral.) (later - Acad. RAS) F.P. Mitrofanov. At that period the Institute research was focused on the geology, geochronology and deep Precambrian structures of the continental lithosphere and development of the forecast minerageny of ancient shields. One of the country-best centres of collective use for the isotope-geochronological research was established in the Institute. The Institute profound achievements ground supplying operating mining enterprising with mineral raw materials and defining non-traditional types of raw materials, the high-liquid ones first of all. A great PGE-bearing province (Russia-second after the Norilsk one) was defined. It was referred to the formation of the Early Proterozoic layered intrusive complexes with reserves of some deposits prospected. Elaborated were the isotope-geochemical and geochronological criteria of the intrusive complexes specialization on PGE, copper + nickel, chromium.
In 2007 Prof. Yu.L. Voytekhovsky took the run of the Geological Institute. Considering the fact that in the perestroika years the Russian Academy of Sciences suffered no mean staff reductions, the Geological Institute structure was fit in up to date. Now, the Institute has 150 employees, half of them being researchers, another half - administrative, engineering and technical staff. The Institute hosts the laboratories to follow: regional geology and geophysics; geochronology and isotope geochemistry; gold and other high-liquid minerals; Arctic geology and geodynamics; geology and minerageny of modern sedimentations; PGE ore genesis; complex analysis of unique ore-bearing systems; prospecting research; physical methods of the rocks, ores and minerals research; chemical-analytical; precious metals analysis. They cover all traditional research trends of the Institute with the emphasis on the complex study of high-liquid and promising minerals.
Annually, the Institute carries out 4-6 scientific symposiums of various scope - from the international to the regional ones. In the framework of bilateral agreements on scientific research the Geological Institute has friendly ties with geological institutions of Europe (Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Bulgaria) and Asia (China, India). The Institute researchers partake in all geological conferences in Russia and abroad. They also deliver lectures in the Murmansk State Technical University, which supplied the Institute with young employees. The Geological Institute KSC RAS has an optimistic ahead-looking.
IX All-Russian Fersman Scientific Session was held on 1-4 April 2012 and was dedicated to the Institute jubilee. The Institute web-site: http://geoksc.apatity.ru/.
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