In 2015, members of the Programme Group organized 12 geological workshops at educational institutions across the country, involving levels from kindergarden to secondary school. This way we promoted science and geology in the general public, we raised awareness among younger generations of the importance of geology and natural sciences for the society, and stimulated interest of school kids to pursue a career in natural sciences.
D.10 Educational activities
COBISS.SI-ID: 1181790Mining operations are one of the major sources of toxic elements contamination in the environment. Furthermore, tailings dam failures and related accidents often significantly increase the environmental impact. FYR Macedonia is a metal-rich country where lead, zinc, copper and other metals are exploited. The collapse of the Sasa tailings dam significanlty affected the adjacent area. We conducted a field study to determine the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTE) and rare earth elements (REE) in the surficial sediments and in water of Lake Kalimanci and also in its fauna and flora. Majority of studied samples exhibit significantly increased levels of PTE, which are also highly bioavailable under normal conditions. We determined the Health Risk Index which reveals that V. melanops can pose significant health risk to human population, as it is highly contaminated with PTE and can consequently harm human health, especially children in their early development stages. This study, performed in the frame of doctoral dissertation, presents a significant contribution to local population awareness and to mitigation of future health problems, and is an example how the research performed in the programme group benefits the disadvantaged local population of a less developed country.
F.30 Professional assessment of the situation
COBISS.SI-ID: 1066078Alluvial groundwater aquifers are very important groundwater resources in alluvial plains, where water use conflicts among different users (public drinking water supply, water for industry, agriculture, energetic use etc.) are present due to complex land use. Because of the latter the Slovenian Environment Agency needed to develop the expert decision support system for groundwater management in the shallow alluvial aquifers links numerical groundwater flow models with the water permits and concessions databases in a complex decision support system. Stand-alone groundwater models are used in the process of the assessment of groundwater quantitative status as well as for assessing availability of groundwater resources during the period of maximum water consumption and minimum groundwater recharge.
F.15 Development of a new information system/databases
COBISS.SI-ID: 1174110Seismic safety of the Krško nuclear power plant is of major concern to local population and to neighbouring countries of Slovenia. Operator of the plant is therefore funding a comprehensive, decades-long program of geological investigations addressed to assess the seismic hazard of the site. Our expertise in active tectonics and tectonic geodesy of the region, which is providing important boundary constraints for understanding and quantifying tectonic deformation rates in the Krško basin, was solicited for the recent international technical workshop, organized by the Austrian government.
F.18 Transfer of new know-how to direct users (seminars, fora, conferences)
COBISS.SI-ID: 1324638Mineralogical and geochemical analytical approach to the characterization of pottery samples from an archaeological site near Mošnje (Slovenia) was conducted. The mineralogical, geochemical and statistical data confirmed the archaeologists´ hypothesis and interpretation of a similar origin / alteration of source material / probable local ceramic production for the majority of the pottery sherds; the imported origin of samples K3 and K13 was recognized, while sample K5 had been intentionally imported as a sample for comparative purposes.
F.27 Contribution to preserving/protecting natural and cultural heritage
COBISS.SI-ID: 1084766