Department of Geology of Mineral Deposits and Mining Geology - Laboratory fo Coal Mining Geology
AGH University of Science and Technology
Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection
Al. Mickiewicza 30
30-059 KRAKÓW

RESEARCH

• litostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the coal-bearing strata;
• lithology and petrology of the brown coal, bituminous coal, anthracites and associed (co-existing rocks) rocks;
• technological quality of the coal;
• petrology of the vulcanic rocks in coal-bearing sediments;
• lithology and origin of coal seams;
• sedimentology of the Carboniferous and Neogene coal-bearing sediments;
• assemmnet of coal rank and kerogen thermal maturity;
• influence of coal mining on environmental quality;
• thermal history of sedimentary basins;
• burial and thermal maturity modelling;
• graphites and antracithes petrology.

DIDACTICS

The employees of the Laboratory conduct the following classes:

Undergraduate studies:

• Geology;
• Mineral deposits;
• Introduction to mineral deposits;

Graduate studies:

• Petrography of coal and organic matter;
• Coal mining geology;
• Coal technologies;
• Post-mining land reclamation;
• Methods of coal deposits exploitation;

The Department of Coal Mining Geology supervises engineer's theses, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations on coal mining geology.

HISTORY

The Department was founded in 1952 by Tadeusz Bocheński, D. Sc., Eng., Associate Professor, the first Director of the Department until his death in 1958. As a specialist in the field of Carboniferous paleobotany and coal petrography, he outlined the main research and development directions for the new facility. The scientific activity of the Department was focused on paleobotany, phytostratigraphy, zoostratigraphy, coal petrography, and carboniferous coal deposits. The studies were carried out in two departments: The Department of Palaeobotany and Coal Petrography (Tadeusz Bocheński, D. Sc., Eng) and the Department of Coal Mining Geology (Professor Stanisław Zbigniew Stopa, D. Sc., Eng.). From 1959 to 1969, the Director of the Department was Professor Stanisław Zbigniew Stopa, D. Sc., Eng., paleobotanist and geologist. Both scientific and teaching activities were carried out in several departments; more than 20 theses or doctoral dissertations on coal mining geology were supervized each year. Since 1969, the Department is included in the newly created structure of the Faculty. The research scope of the Faculty of Coal Mining was expanded; The Faculty included two separate Departments:

• The Department of Lignite Mining (Kazimierz Matl, D.Sc, Eng.)
• The Department of Bituminous Coal Mining (Professor Stanisław Zbigniew Stopa, D. Sc., Eng. and, since 1993, Professor Ireneusz Lipiarski, D. Sc., Eng.)

Both Departments were initially included in the Department of Regional Geology and Coal Mining (1969 - 1974) and the Department of Geology and Mineral Resources (1974 - 1980), and finally into the Department of Fossil Fuels (1980-1993). During this time, the reservoir, lithological, and petrographic analyzes of lignite formations (especially Tertiary) have been widely developed, while the applied paleontology (paleobotany, palynology, and zoostratigraphy) studies have been significantly reduced. Significant and important research results have been achieved in this field (8 monographs and numerous other publications). In 1993, The Institute was replaced with the Department of Coal Mining Geology. The first Director of the Department, until 1999, was Professor, D.Sc. Eng. Ireneusz Lipiarski. In the years 1999-2002, the Director of the Department was Marian Wagner, D.Sc. Eng. In the period 2002-2006, the Director of the Department was Barbara Kwiecińska, Professor, D.Sc. Eng. Currently, the Department is a Division of the Department of Deposit and Mining Geology. It maintains close cooperation with the industry, foreign, and domestic institutions. The scientific activity is focused on mining geology, particularly on the petrography of coal and non-coal rocks, coal technologies, and sedimentology. Academic scripts and textbooks are being prepared.

©  Jacek MISIAK