Mineralogy, Petrology and Mineral Resources

The scientifi c research contributions of the department staff are related to raw materials, mineralogy, petrology, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, sedimentology, geochemistry
and biogeochemistry, technical petrography, geoarchaeology and environmental protection. In the academic year 2013/2014, the activities and operations of the department included: micropaleontological and chemostratigraphic definition of stratigraphic boundaries in the lower Triassic sediments of Dinarides; mineralogical, geochemical and micromorphological analyses of clay-rich sediments, soils and palaeosoils in the areas of Istria, the Neretva Delta and Mljet; geochemical investigation of the infl uence of the copper mines in northern Namibia on the environment and the human well-being; the impact of potentially toxic metals on the agricultural soils in the Kombat area in Namibia; modelling of water flow and transport of potentially toxic elements through the unsaturated zones; water and soil pollution processes with potentially toxic elements; archaeometrical research of the origin of the materials and technology of ceramics from diff erent prehistoric archaeological sites in the areas of Podravina, Posavina and Slavonia; mineralogical and petrographic, and physical-mechanical properties of Benkovac dimension stone; impact of properties on the stability of stone on the eff ects of crystallization of salt, freezing and thermal changes; mineralogical and petrological studies of basalts, andesites and amphibolites in the fi eld of external and internal Dinarides; discovery of a rare mineral dumortierite in the pegmatite of Moslavačka mountains and its mineralogical and chemical characterization. These activities have resulted in the participation of staff members in numerous national and international conferences and publishing of their papers in scientific journals.
In the academic year 2013/2014, seven of them have been published in a Current Content scientific journals Employees of the department, in addition to collaborating with scientific institutes and educational institutions (such as the Croatian Geological Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Natural Sciences in University of Zagreb), have intensively cooperated with many business entities in the industry, such as INA-Naftaplin, Našice cement, Jadrankamen, IGH and many others.
In the academic year 2013/2014 the department scientists have: made thin-sections and conducted mineralogical analysis of samples of clay for the CEMTRA and CSS; executed a study on the
impact of heavy elements on the soil in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture of University of Zagreb; participated in the assessment of the procedures on the environmental impact with the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection; conducted the testing of electrical conductivity in the soil samples for Geotehnički studio d. o. o.; and constructed a stone-made geological profi le measuring 1.50 x 1.80m in front of St. Barbara Mine in Rude near Samobor in cooperation with the Museum of Samobor and KUD Oštrc from Rude.