“Our anniversary year has been characterised by a large number of research projects,” explained Vello Klein, director of the Geological Survey. “We are in the final stages of an international coastline project at the moment, as well as finishing off the Kiviõli and Tartu geological maps, and more than 80 other projects in the fields of mineral resources, groundwater and environmental protection.” The Geological Survey of Estonia dates back to the formation in 1957 of the Geology and Earth Protection Authority by the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union. The centre came under the governance of the Ministry of the Environment in 1993 and has had state limited liability status since 1 March 1997. The centre’s work is based on orders received from the state and the private sector alike. It provides mapping services; offers consultation and environmental assessment services related to the earth’s crust; carries out mineral resource and groundwater studies; and performs analysis of rocks, deposits and the water table. All of Estonia’s mineral resources and ground water have been thoroughly studied during the Geological Survey’s fifty-year history, including the Värska, Häädemeeste and Ikla mineral water sites, among others. Although the centre is clearly focussed on applied geology, in the course of its work it has made a number of discoveries that have contributed to the development of science, such as the authentication of the Kärdla and Neugrund meteorite craters. The centre’s geology foundation has published around 12,000 volumes of writing and more than 3000 geological maps from studies of the Estonian earth. It is also the keeper of almost 2100 cores from geological bore holes. Approximately two-thirds of these have been sorted and stored according to modern requirements and conditions, and the remainder are undergoing this process. Over the last five years the work and turnover of the Geological Survey have doubled, while staff numbers have dropped by a fifth – a sign of the significant increase in the intensity of its work and the technological developments within the company. The open day celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Geological Survey will begin at 11.00 am on Friday 7 September in the Cybernetics Building at Akadeemia tee 21 in Tallinn. For further information please contact: |
