The Institute of Geology of Mexico and Its Precedents: History and Legacy

In 2019, the Institute of Geology celebrated its ninetieth anniversary as part of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). The main establishment in Mexico for the teaching, research, and dissemination of the geological sciences, it is an institution with a long history and a great scientific legacy. It dates back to the 19th century, since it is the heir to the Geological Institute of Mexico (1888), the first institute in the Mexican republic to carry out research in the geological sciences and to study the country’s territory from three points of view: scientific, technical, and industrial. It was conceived by the mining engineer Antonio del Castillo (1820–1895) to meet the need to scientifically explore the country’s latent mineral wealth, for which reason its functions included: mapping regions whose lithology and resources were unknown, providing specialized services to the public—the analysis and classification of water, rocks, land, fossils, minerals, and oil—and creating a geological and paleontological museum for the nation. From 1888 to 1917, the institution was part of the Ministry of Development, Colonization, Industry, and Commerce (Ministerio de Fomento, Colonización, Industria y Comercio). In 1917, the Venustiano Carranza administration promulgated a new constitution, reformed governmental administration, and created the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Labor (Secretaría de Industria, Comercio y Trabajo), which was responsible for all questions related to industries such as mining and oil. Although it lapsed somewhat between 1917 and 1929, during the armed conflict of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920), the Institute of Geology of Mexico was assigned to the Department of Geological Studies and Explorations, with the task of carrying out applied science through the study of new and old mining areas and the location of aquifers. A new scenario emerged in 1929 when the administration of President Emilio Portes Gil enacted the Organic Law of the National University, granting the latter university autonomy, which also allowed institutions of a scientific nature such as the National Astronomical Observatory, the National Library, the Department of Biological Studies, and the National Geological Institute to carry out research as one of their substantive activities. On November 16, 1929, the former Department of Geological Studies and Explorations was incorporated in the most important scholarly institution of Mexico under the name of the Institute of Geology.

Analiza aktualnego stanu zasobów gazu ziemnego znajdujących się w złożach krajowych oraz prognoza krajowego wydobycia gazu do roku 2030

Natural gas is the basic fossil fuel in the global economy. According to the information published by Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo SA in the document Company Presentation, gas consumption in 2018 amounted to 19.7 billion m3. Due to the fact that the domestic reserves of natural gas are increasingly depleted, the demand for natural gas will be satisfied by growing imports. Balancing gas demand will require precise knowledge of the volume of domestic natural gas production. On the other hand, every year the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PIG – BIP) publishes Balance of mine resources in Poland. According to the publication on the state of resources as of December 31, 2018, 298 natural gas fields have been documented in Poland, 5 in the Baltic Sea region, 35 in Carpathians, 105 in Carpathian Foreland and 153 in Polish Lowland. The balance presented by PIG – BIP for 2018 showed the state of natural gas contingent resources in the amount of 139.93 billion m3 (total balance resources). The volume of industrial reserves of natural gas deposits as at December 31, 2018 was 66.64 billion m3. It should be emphasized that all data published in the Balance of mine resources in Poland are given in normal cubic meters. Therefore, the data published by PIG – BIP do not take into account the actual calorific value of natural gas produced from various fields. Starting from 2014, the basic accounting unit in Poland is the energy unit (kWh). Due to the introduction of the settlement in energy units, the value of 1 m3 of nitrogen-rich gas produced from the fields located in the Lowland region is lower than the value of gas produced from the Carpathian Foreland fields and the Carpathians. The average calorific value of gas produced from the Lowland fields is about 8.0 kWh/m3, while the average calorific value of gas produced from the rest of the Foreland is about 11.2 kWh/m3. The main goal of this article was to make a forecast of gas production from domestic deposits based on the Balance of mine resources in Poland published by the Polish Geological Institute –National Research Institute. The forecast of gas extraction from domestic deposits was made for the years 2020–2030. The production forecast was prepared for each gas-bearing region separately. In order to adjust the reported volumes to the applicable energy units, the gas production forecast for the Lowland fields was converted into high-methane gas production.

Matoniaceous ferns from the Lower Jurassic strata of the Holy Cross Mountains (SE Poland). Revision of historical specimens and description of some new materials

Ferns from the family Matoniaceae are characteristic but not very numerous elements of Early Jurassic floras of the Holy Cross Mountains. Based on historical specimens from the Geological Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, only partly published by Raciborski and Makarewiczówna, and a new collection gathered recently from the Gromadzice outcrop, two taxa are here recognised: Matonia braunii and Phlebopteris angustiloba, of which only P. angustiloba is rather frequent. Both species are represented by sterile and fertile specimens well comparable with historical and recently published material of these species from Greenland, Germany and Sweden. Specimens referred by Raciborski to Laccopteris elegans (illegitimate name) do not belong to Matoniaceae.

Petrogeochemical and isotopic characteristics, connection with magmatism of tungsten deposits of Aginskaya and Argunskaya structural-formation zones of the Eastern Transbaikalia

Research subject. Tungsten deposits of the Aginsky and Argunsky structural-formation zones in the Eastern Transbaikalia. The aim was to clarify the sources and conditions for the formation of tungsten mineralisation, as well as to clarify a relationship between magmatism and tungsten mineralisation. The conditions of deposit formation were studied using data on the chemical composition of rocks and ores and the oxygen isotopic composition of the ore veins of tungsten deposits.Methods. The elemental composition of rocks was determined by the methods of X-ray fluorescence and standard chemical analysis; the concentration of rare-earth elements was determined by sorption-atomic emission analysis with inductively coupled plasma (Geological Institute SB RAS, Ulan-Ude). The examination of oxygen isotope composition was carried out at the Geological Institute of SB RAS (Ulan-Ude) using a MIR 10-30 system of laser heating with a 100W CO2 laser and 10.6 microns wavelength in the infrared region in the presence of a BrF5 reagent (analyst V.F. Posokhov).Results and conclusions. It was established that granites in the Kukulbey complex of the Antonovogorsky and Bukukinsky tungsten deposits correspond to granites of an ilmenite series, while the ores in the Spokoininsky deposit are associated with the granites of a magnetite series. A close correlation was established between W with Ta, Nb, Hf and As, indicating similar compositions of ore-bearing sources of the tungsten deposits. For Barun-Shiveinsky, Antonovogorsky and Bukukinsky deposits, the oxygen isotope compositions in the fluid in equilibrium with quartz of the productive stage was calculated, indicating the magmatic sources of mineralisation.

Rare-earth element distribution features in natural-technogenic complexes of some polymetallic deposits of Eastern Transbaikalia

The purpose of the study is to investigate rare-earth elements distribution features in all components of the natural-technogenic complexes of Akatuevsky, Blagodatsky and Novo-Shirokinsky polymetallic deposits of Eastern Transbaikalia. Due to increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE) in various fields of industry, identification of features of REE distribution in natural-technogenic complexes of polymetallic deposits of Eastern Transbaikalia is relevant. The chemical elements of the REE group include 15 elements, yttrium (Y) and the lanthanoid group consisting of 14 elements (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu). Determination of the elemental composition of samples was carried out by X-ray fluorescence method in the Geological Institute of the Geological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Ulan-Ude) and by ICP- MS method in the laboratory of SGS Vostok Limited (Chita). In the process of investigations REE concentrations in all components of natural-technogenic complexes of Akatuevsky, Blagodatsky and Novo-Shirokinsky polymetallic deposits (lead-zinc ores, technozems, soils) were determined. Their regular decrease of REE concentrations in the order: soils→technozems→lead-zinc ores was established. In the most of studied samples there is a decrease of heavy lanthanides content relative to light ones, as well as negative europium anomaly, in some samples of lead-zinc ores positive europium anomaly is observed. Europium anomaly magnitude (Eu/Eu*) is an indicator of the degree of differentiation of magmatic melts, determined by plagioclase fractionation processes. It is known that feldspars serve as the main controller of the Europium anomaly. The phenomenon of a negative europium anomaly is observed if plagioclase remains in the source after fractional crystallization or partial melting. Positive europium anomaly in sulphide ores is caused by the presence of barite, as well as by the accumulation of plagioclase in the liquid phase due to the fractionation process. REE is known to have adverse effects on the environment due to its high biological and biochemical activity. Modern methods of remediation of the potential damage to the environment have been proposed

A hero of his time(in remembrance of Valentin Andreevich Pripachkin).

Valentin Andreevich Pripachkin came to work at the Geological Institute of the Kola Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciencesin the early 60s of the twentieth century. He made a successful career in science —he defended his PhD thesis, was the head of the laboratory, scientific secretary and deputy director of the Geological Institute, deputy head of the Department of Geology of the Apatity branch of the Murmansk State Technical University. However, the article is devoted to what Valentin Pripachkin and his peers were outside of their main work —on sports grounds, in amateur groups and informal creative unions.

Vladimir Konstantinovich Popov: a keen researcher, talented teacher, remarkable man

Представлены материалы, посвященные памяти кандидата геолого-минералогических наук, ведущего научного сотрудника Дальневосточного геологического института ДВО РАН Владимира Константиновича Попова – талантливого ученого, специалиста в области исследований магматических процессов. Список его научных работ включает более 120 публикаций, в том числе 6 монографий (4 из них в соавторстве). В рамках международного проекта В.К. Попов участвовал в исследованиях совместно с учеными из Австралии, Японии, Южной Кореи, США. Помимо научных изысканий активно занимался преподавательской деятельностью в Дальневосточном федеральном университете. Награжден медалью «За заслуги в разведке недр Приморского края» (2000 г.). Presented materials dedicated to the memory of Vladimir Konstantinovich Popov, candidate of geological and mineralogical sciences, leading research scientist of the Far East Geological Institute, FEB RAS, who was a talented scientist, specialist in investigation of the magmatic processes. List of his papers comprises over 120 publications, including 6 monographs (in 4 of them as the co-author). Under the scope of international project V.K. Popov participated in joint research with the scientists from Australia, Japan, South Korea and USA. Besides scientific research, he took an active part in teaching in the Far East Federal University. He was awarded a medal Merit in Exploration Survey in Primorsky Territory (2020).