Economic geology at AGH - a summary of the 2024 activities
2024 was full of scientific and educational activities at the Ore Geology Group at AGH. Besides publishing scientific articles, members took part in numerous conferences, field works and excursions.
On January 01, 2024 collaborative research project AVANTIS "Sustainable, decarbonised co-extraction of vanadium and titanium minerals from Europe’s low-grade vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite deposits" has started. Ore geology group at AGH supervised by prof. Adam Piestrzyński is part of the consortium funded by the Horizon Europe programme (HORIZON-CL4-2023-RESILIENCE-01-02). The kick-off meeting for the AVANTiS project was held on January 19, 2024 in Leuven, Belgium.
In 2024 roku new equipment was installed at the Laboratory of Critical Elements AGH-KGHM allowing to measure trace element composition of minerals with LA-ICP-MS (Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) as well as LIBS (Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) methods. Laboratory was also put on the list of facilities available for SGA Mobility Grant Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits.
At the end of January and the beginning of February we hosted at AGH researchers from the Centre for Exploration Targeting University of Western Australia: CET director prof. Steffen Hagemann and dr Weronikę Gorczyk. Afterwards, accompanied by our team, they visited underground Cu-Ag mine Polkowice-Sieroszowice.
On March 4, 2024 public PhD defence of mgr inż. Krzysztof Foltyn took place, based on a thesis titled: „Selected trace and minor elements in sulfides from the Cu-Ag Kupferschiefer deposit in Poland - implications for silver, rhenium and germanium enrichment”. The thesis was prepared under the supervision of prof. Adam Piestrzyński, and revieved by prof. Stanisław Mikulski (Polish Geological Institute), prof. Zbigniew Sawłowicz (Jagiellonian University) and prof. Herbert Wirth (Wrocław University of Science and Technology).
On April 8, 2024 public PhD defence of mgr inż. Jakub Ryznara took place, based on a thesis titled: „Mineralogy and geochemistry of 3T mineralisation form the Kibara Belt area, Central Afric”. The thesis was prepared under the supervision of dr hab. Jaroslav Pršek, and revieved by prof. Bogusław Bagiński (Warsaw University), prof. Marek Michalik (Jagiellonian University) and dr hab. Anna Pietranik (University of Wrocław). It was part of the "Industrial PhD Program" ("Doktorat Wdrożeniowy).
Ore geology group members participated in IV Polish Geological Congress presenting the following results
On September 1, dr inż. Gabriela Kozub-Budzyń become the Vice-Dean for General and Student Affairs for 2024-2028 term at the Faculty of Geology, Geophysic and Environmental Protection. Congratulations!
In Juney 2024, students of the Economic Geology specialty had an opportunity to participate in ore geology field practice in the Sudety Mountains. They have visited underground Cu-Ag Lubin mine, outcrops of copper mineralization in the North Sudetic Trough (Leszczyna), tin and polymetallic mineralization in the areas of Gierczyn-Przecznica, Kowary, Czarnów and Miedzianka.
In September SGA Baltic Student Chapter organized an online event with a lecture by prof. Steffen Hagemann (University of Western Australia)titled “BIF-hosted iron ore mineral system/deposits”.
In academic year 2024/2025, Konrad Pytel become doctoral student of the Doctoral School at AGH Uninversity. His research topis is: "Tin mineralization in the Sudetes: mineralogy, geochemistry, genesis and age of the mineralization" supervised by dr hab. Jaroslav Pršek.
On 31.10-03.11 dr hab. Jaroslav Pršek guided a fieldtrip of SEG Student Chapter from the Aristotle University of Saloniki (Greece). The goal of the trip was to visit Pb-Zn deposits and alteration zones in Kosovo.
In September/October SGA Baltic Student Chapter organized an annual chapter meeting in Luleå (Sweden). Participants had an opportunity to listen to interesting lectures:
'Gamified learning for mineral exploration and talk with each other' (Glacialle Tiu), 'LCT-Pegmatites in Sweden' (Ed Lynch), ‘Geology of Beer' (Tobias Bauer). The next day students visited Cu-Au mine Aitik.
In 2024, two students defended master thesis:
Michał Anioł supervisors: dr hab. Jaroslav Pršek and mgr inż. Władysław Zygo
Marcel Mroczka supervisors: dr hab. Jaroslav Pršek and mgr inż. Władysław Zygo
Graduates currently work for KGHM PM S.A. company.