• CBGA 2022
  • Email Us: cbga2022@gmail.com

PRE-CONGRESS Excursions and Workshops

Guides

Dian Vangelov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Geology, Paleontology and Fossil Fuels

Valeri Sachanski
University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The field trip will make a transect along the Iskar gorge, Western Balkan, with a focus on: pre-Alpine stratigraphy, Rheic Ocean mid-Ordovician–Devonian sequences; tectonic boundary between intermediate (Srednogorie Zone) and external zones of the Balkans (West Balkan Zone); differences in pre-Alpine basement in both zones; platform type Triassic stratigraphy as a base of the Early Alpine cover.
 

Start at 8.00 h in Sofia, end 18.00 h in Plovdiv, Congress Venue

Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Price: 140 Euro (includes travel costs, packed/small lunch and BB accommodation)

Contact: Dian Vangelov (dedo@gea.uni-sofia.bg)

Guide

Valeri Sachanski
University of Mining and Geology, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The Svoge Unit is the northernmost fragment of the Srednogorie Zone, and is thrust to the north over the West Balkan Unit of the Balkan Zone. The focus of the field trip is on the lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic subdivision of the Silurian System in the Svoge Unit, which outcrops in the Iskar River Gorge, W Balkan. Field stops will follow the Ordovician/Silurian, Llandovery/Wenlock, Wenlock/Ludlow and Silurian/Devonian boundaries.
 

The field trip starts in Sofia and ends in Plovdiv (Congress Venue) on the 6th of September.

Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Price: 70 Euro for transport and packed/small lunch

Contact: Valeri Sachanski (v_sachanski@geology.bas.bg)

Guide

George Ajdanlijsky
University of Mining and Geology “St. Ivan Rilski”, Sofia

In a set of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate tidal and shallow-marine carbonate ramp, Lower Anisian deposits outcrop along the Iskar River Gorge, NW Bulgaria, where Milankovitch cyclicity will be demonstrated. Hierarchical patterns of precession (20-kyr), short (100-kyr) and long eccentricity (400-kyr) cycles will be discussed. Local and laterally traceable syndepositional soft-sediment deformation structures are interpreted in terms of accommodation space and basin morphology. The variations of terrestrial input, sorting and fragmentation of phytoclasts is applied for environmental changes interpretation and cyclostratigraphic and sequence-stratigraphic subdivision. Similar in scale sedimentary cyclicity in the underlying Lower Triassic fluvial succession, incl. paleosol profile development, will be demonstrated and open for discussion.
 

The field trip starts in Sofia and ends in Plovdiv on the 6th of September.

Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Price: 70 Euro for transport and packed/small lunch

Contact: George Ajdanlijsky (g.ajdanlijsky@mgu.bg)

Guides

Philip Machev
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology

Momchil Dyulgerov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology

The field trip will cross part of the West and Central Sredna Gora Mountains. The focus will be on the metamorphic rocks of the Pre-Variscan basement (gneisses, migmatites, serpentinites) and Variscan granitoids. The Variscan magmatism in the region is characterized by intrusions of varying (gabbro to leucogranites), but predominantly granitic, composition and age spanning from 312 Ma to 290 Ma, which will be visited during the planned two transects. Visit of the famous Thracian Panagyuriste gold treasure is included in the program.
 

The field trip starts in Sofia at 9.00 h and ends in Plovdiv at 18.00 h.

Minimum participants: 10, maximum: 20

Price: 50 Euro for travel costs, lunch pack and visiting of the Museum in Panagyuriste

Contact: Philip Machev (machev@gea.uni-sofia.bg)

Guides

Neven Georgiev
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Geology, Paleontology and Fossil Fuels

Jan Pleuger
Freie Universität Berlin

Kalin Naydenov
Department of Geotectonics and Regional Geology, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Zlatka Cherneva
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology

The field workshop focuses on the structure and geodynamic evolution of the Rhodope nappe stack as a coherent part of the Alpine orogen of SE Europe. The participants will be introduced to the general structure, age and metamorphic history of the Rhodope Metamorphic Complex. The later extensional tectonic features that controlled the exhumation of the high-grade basement rocks, and also controlled the Paleogene sedimentation and concomitant volcanic activity and ore formation, will be shown as well.
 

The field trip starts in Sofia at 9.00 h and ends in Plovdiv (the venue city).

Minimum participants: 10, maximum: 20

Price: 450 Euro for travel expenses and accommodation costs (breakfast included)

Contact: Neven Georgiev (neven@gea.uni-sofia.bg)

Guides

Miodrag Banješević
University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor, Serbia

Kristina Šarić, Vladica Cvetković
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mining and Geology, Department of Petrology and Geochemistry, Serbia

Stoyan Georgiev
Department of Geochemistry and Petrology, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Kalin Kouzmanov
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland

The Apuseni–Banat–Timok–Srednogorie (ABTS) belt is Europe’s most extensive belt of calc-alkaline magmatism and Cu–Au mineralization. It was generated during the subduction of the Neotethys Ocean beneath the European continental margin during the Late Cretaceous phase of the Alpine–Himalayan orogeny. Economic deposits are restricted to certain segments along the belt, and this field trip will focus on two major ore districts – in the Timok region (Eastern Serbia) and the Central Srednogorie, Bulgaria (also called Panagyurishte). Geology and specific petrological and geochemical features of the ore-related Late Cretaceous magmatism in the less-mineralized western and eastern parts of the Srednogorie Zone in Bulgaria will be covered as well.

During the excursion, which will be organized as a field workshop, we will encourage the participants to share their expertise and discuss the major processes controlling ore formation, based on the transects through the Late Cretaceous magmatic successions in the Timok region, the northern part of the Central Srednogorie, and in part of the Eastern Srednogorie. Visits to the open pits of the porphyry Cu-(Au-Mo) deposits of Veliki Krivelj (Serbia) and Elatsite (Bulgaria), as well as to the epithermal Au-Cu deposits Čukaru Peki and Chelopech, are planned. However, due to the Covid pandemic, they will be mainly restricted to access to drill cores and to safe parts of the deposits in open air and in field outcrops.

The field trip/workshop is organized with the logistic support of ZiJin Mining Company, Dundee Precious Metal (DPM), Serbia and Bulgaria, and GEOTECHMIN-Elatzite Med AD providing access to their production sites and exploration areas and introduction to the geology of the latter.
 

Starts in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the 1st of September at 8.00 h; ends in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on the 6th of September, at 18.00 h.

Minimum number of participants: 10; maximum: 20.

Price: 600 € (includes travel costs, accommodation BB and lunch pack)

Contact: Miodrag Banješević (miodrag.banjesevic@gmail.com), Stoyan Georgiev (kantega@abv.bg)

MID-CONGRESS Excursions and Workshops

Guide

Michael Sandy
University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA

This half-day field trip will provide an opportunity to visit three abandoned sites associated with in situ leaching (ISL) uranium mining at Momino, near Rakovski, Plovdiv District. Two of the decommissioned sites include the remnants of buildings and outlines of infrastructure from ISL uranium mining in the area from the 1970s–1990s. A few buildings are still standing. Defunct separating basins still exist at two of these sites. There will be the opportunity to walk around these sites and interpret the infrastructure and processes at these sites. The final process at Momino was the mixing of mined uranium with resin beads and then transport to Buhovo. Processing into yellowcake occurred at Buhovo, then additional transport to the Soviet Union for nuclear weapons. Uranium mining also provided nuclear fuel for Bulgaria’s electricity-generating nuclear power reactors at Kozluduy Nuclear Power Plant, the first reactor commissioned in 1974.

Discussion will include the mining processes that occurred at these sites and environmental impacts of ISL mining; input from participants will be most welcome! A third site comprises abandoned administrative buildings that at the time of writing still stand.

The fact that remnants of these ISL sites still remain contributes to Bulgaria’s mining and geoheritage. The sites represent an educational opportunity for schools and the public.

The field trip starts and ends in the Congress Venue, Plovdiv

Minimum participants: 6; maximum: 20

Price: 30 € (includes travel costs and lunch pack)

Contact: Michael Sandy (msandy1@udayton.edu)

Guides

Eugenia Tarassova
Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Aleksey Benderev
Department of Hydrogeology, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The field trip will take place in the area of the town of Hisarya, located on the southern slopes of Sredna Gora, about 44 km north of the city of Plovdiv. Here is located one of the largest deposits of thermal waters in Bulgaria. The favorable climate and thermal waters have attracted people to these places since ancient times. In the area, there are traces of a prehistoric settlement (6,000 years BC), a later Thracian settlement (5th and 4th centuries BC), and archeological remains of the large Roman city Diocletianopolis (3rd and 4th century AD). There are more than 20 mineral springs and wells in the region with temperatures ranging from 19 °C to 52 °C. The recharge zone is the fissure-water hydrothermal system of the Hissar Pluton, Sredna Gora Mountains. According to their physicochemical characteristics, the waters are HCO3-SO4-Na, with high pH (9) and low TDS (0.2 g/L). The waters are used for balneology, spa and bottling.

The tour includes a visit to the thermal springs “Lily of the Valley” and “Maiden’s Bath”, the archeological remains of Roman baths, the Roman fortress wall and tomb in the resort of Hisarya, a visit to the ancient Thracian cult temple, lunch and tasting local wines in a winery near the village of Starosel.
 

Departure: 11 AM from Plovdiv; return to Plovdiv at about 6 PM.

Minimum participants: 6; Maximum participants: 12

Price: 50 €

Minimum number of participants: 10; maximum: 20.

Contact: Eugenia Tarassova (etarassova@mail.bg)

POST-CONGRESS Excursions and Workshops

Guide

Lubomir Metodiev
Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Geocollections

The Rhodope Karst is associated with the widespread occurrence of marbles from the Rhodope metamorphic complex. It is abundant in both surface (canyons, rock bridges, sinkholes and karst springs) and subsurface karst forms (caves and gorges). The focus of the field trip is on the karst in the Central Rhodopes. Field stops provide visits to: the rock phenomenon Wonderful Bridges; the Museum of the Rhodope Karst that keeps a spectacular collection of rocks, minerals, fossil mammals, cave formations, Neolithic cave artifacts, and also presents the history of Speleology in Bulgaria; and the Ukhlovitsa Cave, which is extremely rich in speleothems and is a refuge for rare species of bats. In addition, the Agushevite Konatsi near Mogilitsa Village will be visited as the best-preserved feudal family ensemble in the Rhodopes from the early 18th century.
 

The field trip starts at 8.00 h in Plovdiv and ends at 20.30 h in Sofia on the 11th of September.

Minimum participants: 10; maximum: 20

Price: 60 Euro for transport and packed/small lunch

Contact: Lubomir Metodiev (lubo@geology.bas.bg)

Guides

Philip Machev, Momchil Dyulgerov
Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology

The field trip will cross part of the West Rhodopes and Pirin Mountains. The focus is on the metamorphic rocks of the lithotectonic units in this part of the Rhodope Metamorphic Complex and the tectonic structures there: the North Rhodope Nappe, Struma detachment fault, sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Mesta Basin, as well as the composite Late Cretaceous– Paleogene plutons of the Rila-West Rhodope batholith and Paleogene plutons of the Pirin Mt.
 

Minimum participants: 10; Maximum participants: 20

Price: 200 Euro for travel costs, small/packed lunch, hotel accommodation BB+small dinner (no drinks included)

Start: in Plovdiv, 8.00 h; arrival in Sofia, 19.00 h

Contact: Philip Machev (machev@gea.uni-sofia.bg)

Guides

Rossitsa Vassileva
Department of Mineralogy and Mineral Resources, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Science

Stoyan Georgiev
Department of Geochemistry and Petrology, Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Science

Vasilios Melfos
School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Grigoris Sakellaris
School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

Itinerary: Plovdiv – Laki (11.09) – Madan – Krumovgrad (12.09.) – Ada Tepe region – Komotini (13.09.) – Perama Hill – Maronia (14.09.) – Kavala (15.09.) – Sofia (16.09.)

Exhumation of metamorphic core complexes during extension, triggered by detachment faulting, can provide a favorable environment for ore formation. In northern Greece and southern Bulgaria, in the Rhodope-Serbo-Macedonian massif, the final stage of the Cenozoic orogenic collapse led to the formation of widespread Oligocene–Miocene silicic to intermediate magmatism. It gave rise to a broad variety of styles of hydrothermal mineralization, which include polymetallic vein and skarn-hosted deposits (Laki and Madan, Thermes, Olympias-Stratoni Chalkidiki), intrusion-related gold and Mo-W (Kavala, Pangeon, Kimmeria), intermediate- to high-sulfidation epithermal gold (Spachievo, Zvezdel-Pcheloyad, Madzharovo and Perama Hill in the Eastern Rhodopes), detachment-related sedimentary rock-hosted gold at Ada Tepe (Kesebir-Kardamos dome), and porphyry Cu-Au(-Mo) (Skouries, Maronia, Sapes).

The present field trip focuses on a six-day visit to some of the most interesting deposits in the Bulgarian and Greek part of the Rhodopes (Laki and Madan, Ada Tepe, Perama Hill, Maronia, and Kavala region). Field stops will demonstrate the geological setting and relation to tectonic zones, as well as the main characteristics of the magmatism. The excursion will be organized as a field workshop, as we would like to encourage the participants to share their expertise and discuss the major processes controlling ore formation, based on the transects through the Cenozoic magmatic successions.
 

Starts in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, on the 11th of September at 8.00 h; ends in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the 16th of September at 19.00 h

Minimum participants: 10; Maximum participants: 20

Price: 600 € (includes travel costs, accommodation BB and lunch pack)

Contact: Rossitsa Vassileva (rosivas@geology.bas.bg), Vasilios Melfos (melfosv@geo.auth.gr)