Laboratory of geochemistry

The laboratory consists of 12 employees.

History of the laboratory: The Laboratory was created in 1998 based on two laboratories’ unification: “Geochemical cycles and processes” (the Heads of the Laboratory were Prof. S.T.Badalov – from 1964 up to 1989 and Dr. of Sc. R.M.Talipov – from 1989 up to 1998) and “Interdepartmental geo-technological Laboratory (the Head was A.Kh.Turesebekov—from 1989 up to 1998). The laboratory “Geochemistry and Geotechnology ” was headed by A.Kh. Turesebekov since 2020. N.E. Shukurov has been the head of the Laboratory from 2020 up to today.

The laboratory conducts research on fundamental and applied problems of geochemistry, geotechnology, and ecology of natural and man-made ore-forming systems, assessment of processing technology, enrichment and complex use of mineral raw materials of natural and man-made deposits; establishing the features of the formation of natural and man-made deposits based on the study of chemical and

mineralogical features (based on macro-micro-nanosized mineral formations), and forms of occurrence of elements using modern physical and chemical methods.

The regularities of behavior of copper, lead, gold, zinc, molybdenum, bismuth, sulfur and accompanying elements and forms of their occurrence during the formation of copper, bismuth, lead-zinc, gold ore deposits were established; the “Periodic Table of Protoisotopes of Chemical Elements” was compiled with identification of new regularities of their distribution at the isotopic level; Of particular importance for studying the genesis and age of copper-molybdenum, lead-zinc and other deposits were studies of isotopes of sulfur, lead, carbon, oxygen and radiogenic isotope ¹⁸⁷ Os. The mineralogy and geochemistry and forms of occurrence of uranium, rare, noble, and other elements in uranium deposits and oil shales of Uzbekistan were studied, and a technological assessment of the extraction of these metals was given. Studies have been conducted on the forms of gold occurrence in refractory ores of the Daugyztau, Kokpatas, Muruntau, Triada, Karakutan, and other gold deposits.

The possibility of using the biogeochemical method of searching for hidden ore deposits in arid conditions has been established. Several dozen anomalous biogeochemical areas have been identified within the studied ore fields of Uzbekistan and on their flanks, which are recommended for further exploration work. “Practical recommendations on biogeochemical anomalies” and “Biogeochemical methods of searching for ore deposits in arid conditions of Central Asia” have been developed and published.

In the field of environmental geochemistry, scientific research is conducted to study the impact of technogenic geochemical factors on the environment, the distribution of heavy metals in soils, waters, and vegetation of mining and industrial areas, assess their impact on the environment and the relationship in the “heavy metals – soil – plants” system. Within large mining regions, technogenic anomalies of heavy metals have been mapped, and practical recommendations have been developed to reduce the harmful impact of industrial facilities on the environment. In recent years, detailed studies have been conducted on the concentrations and forms of heavy metals in the soil and their impact on soil microorganisms. As a result of research on the mineralogical and technological assessment of the metal content of ash and slag waste of the Angren TPP and technogenic waste of the AGMK, a technology for obtaining iron-containing concentrate has been developed.

The geography of the laboratory’s cooperation is quite wide; in recent years, its employees have visited various scientific centers around the world (Germany, Italy, Spain, China, USA, Israel, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece, Czech Republic, Mongolia, Jamaica), with which joint research is conducted in the field of environmental geochemistry and geotechnology. More than 800 scientific papers have been published, more than 30 of them in prestigious international journals indexed on the SCOPUS and Web of Sciences platforms, and more than 10 monographs. During the laboratory’s activity, ten doctors of science and more than 50 candidates of science and doctors of science were trained. A.Kh.Turesebekov and N.E.Shukurov are members of the Russian Mineralogical Society, A.Kh.Turesebekov is a member of the Commission on Technological Mineralogy of the Russian Mineralogical Society.

Based on the results, contractual work is carried out on orders from AGMK, NGMK and the Ministry of Mining and Geology of the Republic of Uzbekistan.