Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Central Laboratory of Mineralogy and

Crystallography “Acad. Ivan Kostov”

and

the challenges of the

Common European Research Area

Research Staff - Basics

High-qualified specialists in the fields of:

– Mineralogy and Economic Geology (23/10 scientists)

– Crystallography (6 scientists)

– Physics of Condensed Matter (5 scientists)

– Chemistry (7 scientists)

The majority of scientists have specialized in leading scientific

institutions and universities in Austria (Marie Curie Fellowship), Belgium,

Germany (4 Fellows of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation), France,

Japan, Portugal, Spain, Russia, USA, Switzerland, etc.

70% of the Research Staff is habilitated (Senior Research Fellows)

90% of the Research Staff has Academic Degrees (DSc/PhD)

About 50% of the Research Staff is in the 40-50 age group

Research Staff - Basics

Leading interdisciplinary Research Groups

in Bulgaria, well-recognized abroad in:

- Mineralogy, Geochemistry and Utilization of Coals and Coal Products

- Mineral Deposits Modeling, Mapping and Prognosis

- Structural and Chemical Transformations of Minerals and Materials

- Mineralogy and Mapping of Heavy Minerals Concentrates

- Archaeomineralogy and Archaeogeology

- Technological Mineralogy

- Crystal Structure, Composition and Properties of Minerals and Materials

- Natural Zeolites and Microporous Analogs

- Synthesis of New Functional and Nanosized Materials

- Crystal Growth of Optical Crystals

Research Staff – Academic Ranks and Degrees

Academic Ranks/Degrees Current State Short-time Prospects (in 5 years)

Senior Research Fellows I Degree

1

4

Senior Research Fellows II Degree

19 (+ 2 current habilitation procedures)

25

Academic

Ranks

Research Associates I-III Degrees

6 5

PhD Holders without Academic Ranks 3 1

Total: 29 35

DSc 2 4 Academic

Degrees PhD 25 31

Total: 27 35

PhD Training – Current State

Signed Agreement between CLMC and the Institute of Geological

Sciences at the University of Bern, Group “Mineralogical

Crystallography”, for collaboration in PhD graduation in “Mineralogy and

Crystallography” of Milen Kadiyski (CLMC PhD student) in Switzerland to

the end of 2009 by Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Tomas Armbruster and Assoc.

Prof. Dr. Ognyan Petrov

Self-training PhD Student in “Mineralogy and Crystallography” Louisa

Dimova, MSc, from April 24, 2009; PhD Thesis: “X-Ray Powder Diffraction

Study of Clinoptilolite Modified by Ion-exchange and Salt Occlusion”,

Supervisors: Prof. DSc. G. Kirov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. O Petrov

Regular PhD student in “Mineralogy and Crystallography” Daher Farid

Daher, MSc, from September 1, 2009; PhD Thesis: “Phase-mineralogical

and Chemical Composition of Fly Ashes from Oil and Coke Combustion

in TPS”, Supervisor: Prof. DSc. S. Vassilev

Research priorities - Basics

Areas of activities, mission and priorities corresponding to

the main strategic goal, basic policies and programs of BAS, national

and EU research priorities:

- Understanding the Earth

- New Materials and Technologies

- Environmental Protection

- Nature and Natural Resources of Bulgaria

- Training and Education

Interdisciplinary research approach

Basic and applied research topics with proved scientific productivity

Proved ability for solving of complex scientific and applied problems

requiring interdisciplinary knowledge and experience

Research priorities – Ad Hoc Refinement

The current priorities of the Bulgarian National Science Fund

and the EU Scientific Programs as well as the industrial progress

of the national economy enforce ad hoc refinement of the basic

priorities of CLMC toward:

Ecology and Human Health

Materials Science and Nanotechnologies

National Cultural and Historical Heritage

Research in Support of Competitive Bulgarian Industry

Effective Utilization of Mineral Resources and Raw Materials

Research Prioritization

MINERAL SYSTEMS

Minerals, rocks and deposits, important for prognosis and

assessment of the mineral resources of Bulgaria

Mineralogy and geochemistry of soils, rocks and incoherent

sediments aiming at revealing of geochemical anomalies

and mineral concentrations as natural pollutants

Assessment of the environmental hazard related to natural

radioactivity and the presence of REE-Th-U containing

minerals in magmatic and metamorphic rocks in Bulgaria

Mineralogical and petrologic investigations of artifacts for

the purposes of the archaeology, etc.

BG NSF Research Project “Archeometrical studies of

gold artifacts from the Early Bronze Age (3300–2000 BC) -

the Dubene Archaeological Site ”, Project Leader Dr. Z. Tsintsov (CLMC)

CLMC Research Project “Distribution and typifying of gold artifacts in

alluvial sediments in Bulgaria”, Project Leader Dr. Z. Tsintsov

5 mm__

Research Prioritization

TECHNOGENIC and ECOLOGICAL MINERALOGY

Mineralogy, geochemistry and environmentally friendly

utilization of solid fuels and products of their combustion

and pyrolysis

Creation of new high tech composites and building materials

Using the research potential of CLMC in support of

competitive long-term profitable development of the Bulgarian

industrial companies in time of global financial crisis

Research Prioritization

EXPERIMENTAL MINERALOGY, MODELING and

MODIFICATION of MINERAL SYSTEMS

Modification and crystal chemical investigation of ion-exchanged natural zeolites with potential application in ecology, medicine and cosmetics

Synthesis and crystal chemical properties of porous materials –potential catalysts, sorbents and biologically active materials

Synthesis of new inorganic ionites (titanosilicates and zirconium dioxide) and investigation of their effectivity for removing long-term radionuclides (as Cs, Sr) as well as toxic anions in waters and waste waters

Design and modification of natural phosphates, zeolites and technogenic products

Research Prioritization

SYNTHESIS, COMPOSITION, STRUCTURE and PROPERTIES

of MINERALS and NEW MATERIALS

Modification and modeling of physical parameters of crystals for optical storage and processing of information

Synthesis and structural characterization of:

- Ca-phosphate materials with biological application

- novel biodegradable nanostructured materials accelerating osteogenesis

- novel multicomponent telluride matrix with changeable non-linear optical properties

Synthesis, composition, structure and properties of crystalline matrixes of Synrock

Crystal growth, local structure and optical linear and non-linear properties of fluorides of alkaline earths

Research Infrastructure - Basics

Laboratory of Electron Microscopy

– SEM EVO LS25 – CARL Zeiss SMT

– Philips EM 420T (120kV) with EDAX 9100/70 &

Si/Li-detector

– Philips SEM 515 with WEDAX-3A

– Philips SEM 515

– Kontron IBAS image analyzer

– various subsidiary and peripheral devices

Laboratory of X-Ray Diffraction

Analysis

– X-ray single crystal diffractometer Enraf Nonius

586 CAD 4 (the only in Bulgaria)

– two X-ray powder diffractometers DRON 3M with

PC-based system for phase identification

– specialized data processing software, full ICDD

database and structure databases ICSD, CSD,

and PDB

Laboratory of Spectroscopy– Bruker FT-IR spectrometer Tensor 37

– Varian UV-VIS spectrophotometer CARY-100 Scan

– Share parts in purchasing and using of Raman Spectrometer

(SU) and Mossbauer Spectrometer (IGIC-BAS)

Laboratory of Thermochemistry– Differential scanning calorimeter DSC 1500 (Stanton Redcroft)

– Differential thermal analyzers STA 781 and DTA 675 (Stanton

Redcroft)

– Thermomechanical analyzer TMA 790 (Stanton Redcroft)

Laboratory of Experimental Mineralogy and

Crystal Growth– Low temperature (up to 150°C), low pressure (up to 5 MPa)

hydrothermal crystallization

– Melt growth by the Bridgman-Stockbarger method (Crystalox)

– Flux growth

– Hot-pressing (up to 1500°C, up to 100 MPa) (Crystallox)

– Furnaces of different type up to 1600°C

Service Laboratory Department

Research Infrastructure –

Cooperation in Equipment Renovation

CLMC (Principal Organization), Geological Institute (BAS), National Institute of

Archaeology and Museum (BAS), Central Laboratory of General Ecology (BAS) – partner

organizations in the consortium Interdepartmental Laboratory “Scanning electron microscope

with extended possibilities for investigation of natural and artificial, inorganic and organic

materials” for purchasing a new SEM EVO 25LS – CARL Zeiss SMT, Budget Subsidy

D2 Phaser Powder Diffractometer for the Laboratory of X-Ray Diffraction Analysis in CLMC,

purchased from Bruker AXS, Budget Subsidy

CLMC (Principal Organization), Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski”, University of Chemical

Technology and Metallurgy, Institute of Catalysis (BAS) - partner organizations in a consortium

for realization of the NSF Infrastructure Project ”Design of New Materials for Ecological

Application”, 2009-2011, incl. purchasing of new thermochemical equipment and IR facilities

Geological Institute (Principal Organization), CLMC, National Institute of Archaeology and

Museum (BAS), Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - partner organizations in a consortium

for realization of the NSF Infrastructure Project “Trace element and isotope studies of rocks,

soils, minerals, coal, waters and archaeological materials using LA-ICP-MS”, 2009-2011, incl.

purchasing of LA-ICP-MS spectrometer

Current International Research Cooperation

Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences

Tallinn Technical University and Estonian Academy of Sciences

Technical University in Iasi, Romania

Institute of Sorption and Problems of Endoecology, National

Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Group “Mineralogical Crystallography”, Institute of Geological

Sciences at the University of Bern, Switzerland

Geological Institute, Kola Scientific Center of Russian Academy of

Sciences

Geosciences Faculty, University of Hamburg, Germany

University of Munster, Germany

Current Research Cooperation at a National Level

with the CLMC Leadership

UNIVERSITIES:

- Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”

- University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”

- University of Chemical Technology and Metallurgy

- University of Forestry

- South-West University “St. N. Rilski”

- Subsidiary of the University of Rousse in Razgrad

MUSEUMS:

- National History Museum

- National Museum “Earth and Man”

- History Museum of Blagoevgrad

- History Museum of Kustendil

Current Research Cooperation within BAS

with the CLMC Leadership

Institute of Solid State Physics

Central Laboratory of Optical Storage and Processing of

Information

Geological Institute

National Institute of Archaeology and Museum

Central Laboratory of General Ecology

Central Laboratory of Physico-Chemical Mechanics

(+) Research Project Cooperation with

more than 10 other Institutes of BAS

Current Research Project Proposal to the Executive Agency for

Health and Consumers (EAHC), the EU Health Programme

Project Proposal “Safety Evaluation of Manufactured

Nanomaterials by Characterisation of Their Potential Genotoxic Hazard”

(NANOGENOTOX)

Participants: Afsset (France), French Health Ministry (France), Institut Pasteur

de Lille (France), AFSSA (France), AFSSAPS (France), LNE (France), INRS

(France), FPS (Belgium), NRCWE (Denmark), National Institute of Health

(Portugal), Ministry of social affairs and health (Finland), FIOH (Finland),

National institute of occupational medicine (Poland), BfR (Germany), JRC (EC),

Exterior Ministerio de Sanidad y Política Social EMSPC (Spain), Istituto

Superiore di Sanità (Italy), RIVM (The Netherlands), Institute of Molecular

Biology (BAS, Bulgaria), CLMC (BAS, Bulgaria)

CLMC participates in WP4 “Physicochemical

Characterization of Nanomaterials and

Exposure Mediums”

Research Projects Proposals with the CLMC Leadership

to the 2009 Competitive Session of the NSF

Structural Characterization of New Crystalline Materials(incl. purchasing of new Single Crystal X-Ray Diffractometer in CLMC)

Synthesis of Nanozeolite Crystals by Solid State Transformation

New Crystalline Fluoride Materials with Application in the Modern Optical Technologies

Natural Zeolites and Microporous Analogs – Basis for Design of Ecomaterials, Biomedical Antibacterial Products, and Composite Construction Materials

Assessment of Ecological Risks in Connection with Natural Radioactivity and Presence of REE-Th-U-contained Minerals in Intact and Weathered (Biolotically and Abiotically) Granites and Metamorphites from Southwestern Bulgaria

Ecological Products Synthesized by Using Low-efficient Raw Materials and Industrial Wastes

Research of Non- and Microcrystalline Epithermal Mineral Phases in the System SiO2-H2O from the Low-sulfidation Krumovgrad Goldfield, Eastern Rhodope Mt., SE Bulgaria

CLMC - Vision in 5 Years

Leading scientific organization in Bulgaria and SE Europe in the

fields of Mineralogy, Crystallography and Materials Science, with

comprehensive scientific contacts at national and international

level, well balanced staff of high habilitated and young scientists

and modern research equipment - an academic centre of new

knowledge on the minerals, mineral systems and materials, open

for advanced research and training, equal partner of the European

research centers and institutions…

Center of Excellence

in Mineralogy, Crystallography

and Materials Science