The Department of Mineral Raw Materials of Nuclear Energy (until 01.06.2021 – the Department of Special Metallurgy) (hereinafter referred to as the Department) is the main scientific division of the State Institution “Institute of Environmental Geochemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine” (DU “IGNS NAS of Ukraine”). The department includes non-structural divisions 1) laboratory of material composition of ores and host rocks (until 01.06.2021 – the laboratory of mineral raw materials for nuclear energy, which was part of the department since 2017), 2) the laboratory of isotope geochemistry – from 01.06.2021 and at the same time, 3) the laboratory of radioecology was created. In its activities, the department reports directly to the director of the Institute. The department is headed by the head of the department.
Main areas of activity, fields of research
In its activities, the department supports the scientific areas of activity of the “IGNS of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine”, namely:
- ore formation and mineralogy;
- fundamental problems of complex development of the mineral and raw material base of nuclear energy;
- geochemistry, radiogeochemistry, radioecology;
- scientific support of the nuclear fuel cycle;
- technological and ecological safety.
The department performs fundamental and applied scientific research, scientific and technical developments, scientific and technical services and other works in accordance with the scientific directions of the department.
The main scientific directions of the department are:
- fundamental problems of complex development of the mineral and raw material base of nuclear energy;
- ore formation and mineralogy;
- geochemistry, radiogeochemistry, radioecology of uranium deposits, objects of extraction and processing of radioactive and related elements;
- geological problems of handling radioactive and toxic waste;
- comprehensive monitoring and scientific-methodical foundations of radiation and technogenic-ecological safety of objects of extraction and processing of radioactive and related elements.
Fields of knowledge (research) – 10 Natural sciences: specialties – 103 Earth sciences (in particular, structural geology and petrology, mineralogy, metallogeny, geotectonics, mineral geology, geochemistry of uranium, thorium and related elements); and 101 Ecology (primarily, radioecology of uranium-mining areas, objects of extraction and processing of radioactive and related elements).
Based on the main scientific areas of activity of the Institute, the main scientific tasks of the department are:
- Metalogenic zoning of the territory of Ukraine.
- Performance of geological and metallogenic studies, development of local and regional search criteria for uranium and thorium ores, other mineral raw materials for the nuclear power industry of Ukraine in Precambrian and Phanerozoic complexes.
- Study of patterns of spatial location and time of formation of uranium deposits and genetically related metals (thorium, scandium, vanadium, gold, and others) in Precambrian and Phanerozoic complexes.
- Study of geodynamic conditions and development of models for the formation of uranium and thorium deposits and ore occurrences of various formation types, other mineral raw materials for the nuclear energy industry of Ukraine.
- Structural and paleogeomorphological, geodynamic (including the latest geodynamics) studies of the conditions of formation and preservation of uranium and thorium-uranium mineralization.
- Research of the material composition (textural-structural, mineralogical-petrographic, geochemical features) of uranium, thorium-uranium and other strategic ores of specific types of mineral raw materials for the nuclear power industry of Ukraine with the aim of developing models of their formation and optimization of enrichment schemes.
- Genetic classification and assessment of the prospects of thorium-uranium, uranium deposits and ore occurrences on the territory of Ukraine.
- Study of geology and geochemistry of accompanying elements (Th, REE, Au, Ce, Re, Sc, Mo, V) of various types of uranium ores, evaluation and recommendations for the possibility of their complex use.
- Scientific support and provision of methodical, scientific and practical recommendations regarding exploration and exploration of mineral raw materials for the nuclear power industry of Ukraine using identified search criteria and new technical means.
- Prediction of technogenic concentrations of uranium and related elements in the interaction of uranium mining waste with the environment.
- Assessment of environmental consequences (in the formation and storage of waste from the uranium mining industry).
- Research and assessment of ecological and radioecological aspects of the current state of environmental components in potential zones of influence of uranium deposits of various types, which may potentially be suitable for exploitation.
Functions of the department:
- Perform fundamental and applied scientific research on the main areas of the department’s activities with the aim of odeacquisition of new scientific knowledge and its use for practical purposes.
- Provide scientific, technical and expert assistance to geological enterprises and organizations in matters related to the main scientific directions of the department’s activities.
- Inform about new innovative developments and progressive world experience through: reports at seminars, conferences, meetings; publication of information leaflets; presentation of exhibits at exhibitions; as well as publishing articles in periodical scientific publications.
- Develop proposals to the legislative authorities regarding the improvement of the legislative and legal framework in matters of mining uranium and thorium ores and other mineral raw materials for the nuclear energy industry of Ukraine.
- Provide proposals to the relevant ministries, enterprises and organizations on certain scientific and practical aspects of the search, extraction and processing of uranium, thorium-uranium and other strategic ores of specific types of mineral raw materials for the nuclear energy industry of Ukraine, assessment of environmental consequences during the formation and preservation of waste from the uranium mining industry .
- Perform complex monitoring studies on the study of background environmental, geochemical and radiation indicators to determine the basic state of environmental components in places of prospective mining of uranium mineral raw materials and related minerals, which can be used in the preparation of an environmental impact assessment.