Natural resources are a field that includes knowledge of the basics of geology, paleontology, mineral extraction, and primary processing. The implementation of educational programs in this area allows you to develop a holistic geological worldview, get acquainted with the main theoretical provisions of paleontology, elements of the structural occurrence of various types of geological bodies and the conditions of their formation, the most important classes of minerals and types of rocks, their composition and properties, and also studies the relationship between mining and technological, topographic and hydrographic conditions of with a variety of possible methods of opening, systems of development, use and arrangement of technological equipment in the implementation of the entire complex of mining and capital, stripping and mining operations, ensuring planned, safe and economical operation for the entire life of the mine workings.

Minerals are the basis of the national economy, and there is no sector of the economy where they are not used. At the current stage, theoretical and practical knowledge and skills in the field of mineral resources are becoming increasingly important, and they can be used to address the current challenges of sustainable development in our country.

The Fundamentals of Geology program includes:

• studying the structure of the Earth as a celestial body and its main geospheres;
• studying mineral classes, rock types, and methods of their diagnosis;
• study of the forms of mineral occurrence in nature;
• study of the most common igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks;
• familiarization with methods for determining the absolute and relative ages of minerals and rocks;
• studying the diversity of the organic world in past geological epochs;
• studying the basic principles of environmental geology and modern geodynamics;
• consideration of the regional features of modern geological processes in Belarus;
• analysis of the consequences of anthropogenic geological processes in Belarus;
• consideration of deposit conditions and their impact on the choice of mining technology;
• mastering methods for collecting, processing, and presenting factual material on mining issues;
• familiarization with measures to prevent and reduce the negative impact of technogenesis on the environment;
• acquisition of skills and knowledge in determining the genetic types of mineral deposits;
• mastering the skills and techniques of identifying the main rock-forming minerals and organic residues in rocks, as well as their identification and description;
• mastering the skills of describing and constructing geological sections. 

Curators of the program:

Plaks Dmitry Petrovich – Associate Professor of the Department of Mining Operations at the Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology of the Belarusian National Technical University, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Kukharik Evgeny Aleksandrovich – Head of the Laboratory of Modern Geodynamics and Paleogeography of the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Bulova Anastasia Sergeevna – Head of the laboratory “Natural Resources” of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree.

The Mining program includes:

• familiarization with the state’s need for certain types of minerals;
• familiarization with the technological properties of minerals;
• study of technology and tools for conducting field exploration;
• development of modern methods of visualization of mineral deposits;
• consideration of the stages of field development;
• familiarization with the structure of the mining enterprise;
• study of technologies and mechanization of underground, open-pit and downhole mining of mineral deposits (oil, construction rocks, potash salts);
• development of measures to reduce the negative impact of mining on the environment;
• development of measures for the conservation and use of soil in open-pit mining.

Curators of the program:

Getz Anatoly Konstantinovich – Associate Professor of the Mining Department of the Belarusian National Technical University, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Narizhnova Yevgeniya Narizhnova – Senior Lecturer of the Mining Department of the Belarusian National Technical University, Master of Technical Sciences;

Lukyanova Anna Andreevna – Lecturer at the Mining Department of the Belarusian National Technical University;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Bulova Anastasia Sergeevna – Head of the laboratory “Natural Resources” of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree.

The Mineral Processing Program includes the following:

• study of minerals extracted in the Republic of Belarus;
• determination of the physical and mechanical properties of the main building rocks;
• familiarization with the preparatory processes of primary raw material processing: crushing, grinding, and screening;
• determination of the granulometric composition and size characteristics of loose material using sieve analysis;
• study of enrichment processes (washing, dewatering, and drying);
• performing the centrifugation process on the rock sample;
• determining the effect of drying temperature on the intensity of the process;
• review of the operation of crushing and sorting plants and facilities;
• study of equipment used in mineral processing;
• compilation of stone and sand-gravel mixture processing schemes used in production.

Curators of the program:

Naryzhnova Evgeniya Yurievna – Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mining Operations at the Belarusian National Technical University, Master’s Degree;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Gets Anatoly Konstantinovich – Associate Professor of the Department of Mining Operations at the Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology of the Belarusian National Technical University, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Kishko Anna Andreevna – lecturer at the Department of Mining Operations at the Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology at the Belarusian National Technical University.

The Paleontology program includes:

• familiarization with the main paleontological research methods;
• working with instruments, equipment, and computer applications for processing paleontological data;
• studying the diversity of the organic world in past geological epochs;
• familiarization with the principles of taxonomy and the identification of levels of biological organization;
• mastering the skills of identifying fossil remains of organisms;
• mastering the techniques and skills of describing taxa;
• consideration of the main stages of development of the organic world;
• studying the patterns of burial and preservation of fossilized organisms;
• familiarization with methods of determining the conditions of sediment accumulation and their age based on the set of fossil organisms;
• study of the chemical and mineral composition of the skeletons of fossil organisms and their rock-forming significance;
• consideration of the main paleontological methods for correlating geological sections;
• familiarization with the principles of organizing paleontological work during geological surveys and mineral exploration;
• analysis of paleontological materials for paleogeographical purposes.

Curators of the program:

Plaks Dmitry Petrovich – Associate Professor of the Department of Mining Operations at the Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology of the Belarusian National Technical University, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Kukharik Evgeny Aleksandrovich – Head of the Laboratory of Modern Geodynamics and Paleogeography of the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Bulova Anastasia Sergeevna – Head of the laboratory “Natural Resources” of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree.

The Information Systems in Geology program includes:

• mastering the basic concepts of information technology in geology and mining;
• studying the principles of operation of modern information systems used in geology and mining;
• familiarization with the main functions of geoinformation systems designed to determine the spatial and geometric position of objects on plans;
• study of methods for obtaining and processing large amounts of initial spatial data related to various-rank geological structures, bodies, rock masses, and individual deposits;
• mastering the basic computer and remote methods of constructing topographic surfaces and various types of models;
• mastering the skills and techniques of working in automated design systems using computer models of various geological bodies and structures;
• development of skills to work with general and special-purpose software products to solve theoretical and practical problems in geology and mining;
• development of skills to determine the spatial position of geological objects based on the results of computer modeling, and to import initial data for constructing maps and models of heterogeneous deposits or productive strata/layers.

Curators of the program:

Kukharik Evgeny Aleksandrovich – Head of the Laboratory of Modern Geodynamics and Paleogeography of the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Naryzhnova Evgeniya Yurievna – Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mining Operations, Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology, Belarusian National Technical University, Master;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Kishko Anna Andreevna – Lecturer of the Department of Mining Operations, Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology, Belarusian National Technical University.

The Geoinformation Systems in Mineral Mining program includes:

• study of the genetic classification of mineral deposits, the conditions of their formation in various geological environments, and the patterns of their distribution in the subsurface;
• familiarization with the interface and principles of operation in the environment of special geoinformation systems used in mining and geological exploration;
• study of the main functions of geoinformation systems designed to determine the spatial and geometric position of geological objects and mineral bodies;
• training in computer-aided design systems using computer models of mineral deposits;
• study of technologies and methods of modeling and special geological mapping for the purpose of searching, exploring, and developing mineral deposits.

Curators of the program:

Kukharik Evgeny Aleksandrovich – Head of the Laboratory of Modern Geodynamics and Paleogeography of the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor;

Naryzhnova Evgeniya Yurievna – Senior Lecturer at the Department of Mining Operations, Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology, Belarusian National Technical University, Master;

Kishko Anna Andreevna – Lecturer of the Department of Mining Operations, Faculty of Mining and Engineering Ecology, Belarusian National Technical University;

Kurasova Larisa Dmitrievna – Deputy Head for organization of the educational process and material and Technical support of the Department of implementation of the educational program for additional education of gifted children and youth of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree;

Bulova Anastasia Sergeevna – Head of the laboratory “Natural Resources” of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree.

The programs are implemented with the assistance of Belarusian National Technical University.

The program «Geoinformation Systems in Soil and Geochemical Research» includes:

• studying the fundamentals of geochemistry, soil science, and soil geography, and becoming familiar with research areas in these fields;
• familiarization with the types of soils in Belarus and their distribution patterns;
• study of the physical and chemical properties of soil cover, land degradation processes, and ways to prevent them;
• mastering the basic methods of statistical data processing used in soil and geochemical research;
• mastering the functionality of geoinformation systems and remote sensing technologies in studying data on land resources, soil cover, and its characteristics;
• developing skills in using the ArcGIS geographic information system to create geodatabase, process raster images, build digital elevation models, build maps of distribution of analyzed soil and geochemical data; modeling of water erosion;
• development of methods for calculating economic costs during detailed digital mapping of soil properties for precision farming technologies.

Curators of the program:

Kindeev Arkady Leonidovich – Senior Lecturer of the Department of Soil Science and Geoinformation Systems of the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformatics of the Belarusian State University, Candidate of Geography;

Kukhlevsky, Egor Aleksandrovich – Lecturer of the Department of Soil Science and Geoinformation Systems of the Faculty of Geography and Geoinformatics of the Belarusian State University;

Bulova Anastasia Sergeevna – Head of the laboratory “Natural Resources” of the National Children’s Technopark educational Institution, Master’s degree.

The program «Information Systems in Hydrometeorology» includes:

• mastering the basic concepts related to the study of the atmosphere and hydrosphere, and the physical foundations of weather and climate modeling;
• familiarization with modern approaches to studying weather and climate processes;
• development of methods for obtaining and processing large amounts of initial hydrometeorological data;
• studying the principles of information systems used in hydrometeorology;
• development of skills to work with general and special-purpose software products to solve theoretical and practical problems in hydrometeorology in order to ensure hydrometeorological safety;
• development of skills for modeling atmospheric and hydrological processes at various scales;
• developing the skills of visualizing numerical atmospheric modeling data in order to provide a physical and geographical description of the area using various software programs;
• analysis of hydrometeorological processes in various regions using automatic online tools and numerical models of various scales.

Curators of the program:

Gledko Yulia Aleksandrovna – Head of the Department of General Geography and Hydrometeorology at the Belarusian State University, Candidate of Geography, Associate Professor;

Danilovich Irina Sergeevna – Leading Researcher at the Center for Climate Research of the State Scientific Institution «Institute of Nature Management of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus», Candidate of Geography, Associate Professor;

Dorozhko Natalia Vasilievna – Researcher at the National Research Center for Ozone Monitoring at the Belarusian State University;

Tarasevich Irina Vladimirovna – leading hydrologist engineer at the Minsk Hydrological Station of the Minskoblhydromet branch of the Republican Center for Hydrometeorology, Radioactive Contamination Control, and Environmental Monitoring.

The programs are implemented with the assistance of Belarusian State University