Department of Environmental Analyses, Geological Mapping and Economic Geology

2016, vol. 42 (2): 226–230 Department of Environmental Analyses, Geological Mapping and Economic Geology Jacek Matyszkiewicz, Maciej Kotarba, Mariusz Krzak, Marek Wendorff INTRODUCTION staff numbers and scientific activities by re search teams of Professors: Maciej Kotarba, An Department of Environmental Analyses, Geolo drzej Paulo and Marek Krąpiec. The following gical Mapping and Economic Geology (KAŚKGG) autonomous units, ranked as Laboratories, are is a continuation of activities of several former now a part of the KAŚKGG structure: Geologi departments and laboratories. One of these was cal Mapping, Hydrocarbons Geochemistry, Envi the Laboratory of Geological Mapping initiated ronmental Analyses, and Economic Geology and in 1952, at the time when the Faculty of Geology Resources Protection. and Exploration became an individual unit, sepa rated from the Faculty of Mining and Surveying. RESEARCH ACTIVITIES Prof. Walery Goetel became the Head of the new Geo logy Department, which was an association of Laboratory of Geological Mapping a.o. former Department of General Geology II re Stratigraphy of the Carpathian Flysch successions named to the Laboratory of Geological Mapping and tectonics of the Outer Carpathians were the headed by Henryk Świdziński. predomnant themes of research activities at an As a result of another reorganisation of the early stage, during Henryk Świdziński headship. Faculty, which coincided with the passing away of This trend was initially followed by the team of H. Świdziński, Institut of Regional Geology and K. Bogacz but, with the passage of time, interests Coal Deposits was instituted, which incorporat in geological structure, especially tectonics, of the ed the Laboratory of Tectonics and Geological S part of the Kraków Upland prevailed. The con Mapping with Kazimierz Bogacz as its Head. In cept of bloc tectonics of the Carpathian Foreland the course of still another reorganization (in 1974) within the boundary zone between the Carpathi of the new Institute of Geology and Mineral Re an Foredeep and the Kraków Upland, dating to sources this unit returned to the previous name that period, as well as a model of the Palaeozoic of the Laboratory of Geological Mapping, with fault tectonics of the Kraków region are valid until K. Bogacz continuing as the Head. now. K. Bogacz also coauthored a hypothesis of Upon the death of K. Bogacz, Jacek Rutkowski hydrothermal karst origins of the UpperSilesian became its new Head. Professor Rutkowski con lead and zinc ore deposits. tinued until 1989 when this position was taken In the 80th and 90th research work on the geo over by Aleksandra Kostecka, who headed the De logical structure of the Kraków region was contin partment until her death. In 1999 Jacek Matysz ued, and in a sense, the results were summarized kiewicz became new Head of Department. in the Sheet Kraków of the 1:50 000 Detailed Geo Upon still another reorganisation in 2006 the logical Map of Poland. Research into lithology, Department of Geological Mapping evolved into sedimentary environments and diagenesis of the Department of Environmental Analyses, Geolog Upper Jurassic limestones of the KrakówCzęsto ical Mapping and Economic Geology (KAŚKGG). chowa Upland and southern Germany, are now The name change was justified by a significant continued by J. Matyszkiewicz, Marcin Krajewski, change and broadening of the departmental Ireneusz Felisiak, Alicja Kochman i Piotr Olchowy. http://dx.doi.org/10.7494/geol.2016.42.2.226 ISSN 2299-8004 | e-ISSN 2353-0790 | Wydawnictwa AGH Department of Environmental Analyses, Geological Mapping and Economic Geology 227 Also research on precipitation of carbonates out of evolution and stratigraphy of river terraces and mineral waters in the Carpathians of Poland and influence of young tectonic movements on their Slovakia, conducted in the past by A. Kostecka, is origin (J. Olszak) as well as dendrochronologi being continued. Stratigraphy and tectonics of the cal work in the Carpathians (Małgorzata Danek). basement strata underlying the brown coal depos A summary study devoted to the neotectonic stage it at Bełchatów are researched by I. Felisiak, Ewa of evolution of the Carpathians and their foredeep Szewczyk, J. Matyszkiewicz, M. Krajewski and was published by Witold Zuchiewicz. P. Olchowy. Work on lithology and stratigraphy Marek Wendorff, conducted research in the of the Quaternary deposits and the geomorpholo Outer Carpathians on olistostromes, and sedi gical evolution of selected areas, esp. the Kraków mentology, basin analysis and diagenesis of the region and the W part of the Sandomierz Basin, Cergowa Beds. His studies of Neoproterozoic suc has been done by J. Rutkowski and T. Sokołowski. cessions in Central and SW Africa significantly Comprehensive studies on history of the Wigry expanded the knowledge of these regions, famous Lake conducted by a multidysciplinary team coor for their worldclass ore deposits. Work on “the dinated by J. Rutkowski and Katarzyna Król were Katangan megabreccias” and Neoproterozoic gla another significant achievement. cial sediments in the Central African Copperbelt Recently conducted projects continue the resulted in revision of stratigraphy, a new model of investigations into lithology and tectonics of tectonic evolution, syntectonic sedimentation and the Late Jurassic carbonate rocks. Next to the tectonostratigraphy of allochthonous orebodies; it KrakówCzęstochowa Upland region, which is has also advanced a new outlook of the ‘Snowball the area of work of most staff members, such re Earth’ concept. These results stemmed from the search has been also conducted in the past years period when he was the initiator and Internation in the Crimea Mountains (M. Krajewski) and N al Leader of two 5year regional projects of UNE Italy (J. Matyszkiewicz, A. Kochman, P. Olchowy). SCO (IGCP 302 and IGCP 419 with over 80 par Research into the Late Cretaceous carbonate stra ticipants – geologists from 18 countries) devoted ta of the Miechów Basin was started by Agata Jur to the Neoproterozoic successions, sedimentary kowska, and the depositional environment of the basins, tectonics and ore deposits in Centralto Zechstein Main Dolomite in the W part of Poland SW Africa and S America. M. Wendorff also stud has been studied by M. Krajewski. Conditions of ied meteorite impact crater “Jwaneng South” in deposition of the Miocene sulphurbearing lime the Kalahari Desert and published a novel mod stones of the Osiek deposit were reconstructed el of impactogenic structure infill upon granitic (P. Olchowy). Important results have been ob basement. He is also a member of an internation tained in the course of research conducted by al research team, which recently discovered plati Jerzy Zasadni and Andrzej Świąder into the de numgroup mineralization in the Neoproterozoic velopment of glaciers during the last glacial maxi Kalahari Copperbelt succession in Botswana. mum in the Tatra Mountains and selected regions of the Alps. A part of this work culminated in the Laboratory of Petroleum Geochemistry publication of a map depicting the extent of gla and Environmental Analyses ciers in the Tatra Mountains, which won interna A research team of Maciej Kotarba developed tional applause and an award. On the other hand, a programme that focused on petroleum geo a part of the maps published in the English version chemistry and environmental analyses with ap of Atlas of the Tatra National Park were collated. plications of isotope and geochemical analyti Furthermore, geomorphological and geological cal techniques. The scientific results of the team conditions of preservation of macrofossils from have broadened the foundations of petroleum a famous palaeontological site at Starunia were ex geochemistry and are devoted to the conditions plained by Janusz Olszak and Tadeusz Sokołowski. controlling the origins and migration of hydro T. Sokołowski was involved in geoarchaeologi carbons in sedimentary basins in the territory of cal activities in the Kraków area. Other investi Poland. This research is of fundamental impor gations conducted by the Laboratory staff include tance for deposit exploration and assessment and Geology, Geophysics and Environment, 2016, 42 (2): 226–230 228 Matyszkiewicz J., Kotarba M., Krzak M., Wendorff M. has appeared important for environmental pro GIS tools to the decision making process, assess tection because it has revealed accumulations of ment of influence of mining and processing units gaseous hydrocarbons near the soil surface, which on the environment, and management of former pose hazard to human life. mining areas. Applications of mathematical meth In the periods 2004–2005 and 2006–2009 the ods in economic geology, economic assessment of team started interdisciplinary investigations in raw materialrelated projects and geoenvironmen the Starunia region (E Carpathians) to identify tal mapping are important other fields of research. sites prospective for potential occurrences of the hairy rhinoceros remains in the Quaternary sedi Equipment ments. This was a continuation of an earlier work Considering the departmental equipment, the of polish palaeontologists who in 1907 and 1929 most important are the items kept in the Faculty discovered in the Pleistocene deposits well pre Lab of Organic Geochemistry, which works espe served remains of mammoth and hairy rhinocer cially for the Laboratory of Petroleum Geochem os, including a unique, almost complete specimen istry and Environmental

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