INSTITUTE  OF EXPLORATION GEOSCIENCES

Director: Dr. Ferenc Mádai, associate professor 
Website: https://exploration.uni-miskolc.hu/EN

Department of Geology and Mineral Deposits
Head: Dr. Ferenc Kristály, senior reaserch fellow

Department of Geology and Mineral Resources 
Head: Dr. Norbert Zajzon, associate professor

Department of Geophysics
Head: Prof. Dr. Norbert Péter Szabó, full professor

Department of Mining and Geological Policy
Head: Dr. Ernő Takács, senior counsellor

Administration: Katalin Szászné Kovács
Office: A/3. building III. floor 318.
E-mail: foldadm@uni-miskolc.hu

Brief history
The institute can trace its history back 250 years to the first department of the Selmec Mining Academy. Its direct predecessor became responsible for teaching geology and mineralogy from 1841. A number of major figures in Hungarian geology and mineralogy are among its teachers and students: József Szabó, János Pettkó, Antal Ruprecht, Alajos Wehrle, Elemér Szádeczky-Kardoss, Hugó Böckh, Ferenc Pávai Vajna, Pál Rozlozsnik, Aladár Földvári, István Vitális, and Miklós Vendl. It consisted of two separate departments (1956–2007); in 1987 the Hydro- and Geoengineering Department branched off; the two remaining departments formed the current institute in 2007. 

Research
A considerable portion of the research being conducted in the institute is related to various areas of raw material exploration: mineral paragenesis; geochemistry; geology of mineral deposits; structural geology; tectonics; raw material exploration and exploitation, and its effects on the environment; and the geology of alternative energy sources. Our research in the areas of descriptive and topographic mineralogy and archeometry and in the age-determination of Paleogene rocks using giant unicellulars is known both nationally and internationally. The institute carries out geological field investigations for both basic and applied research purposes. Several major laboratory instruments have been developed or purchased in recent years: an electron microprobe, X-ray diffractometer, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, Gandolfi camera, derivatograph – to provide a solid basis for mineral testing. In the past several years seven minerals have been acknowledged by the International Mineralogical Association as new discoveries, and others are in progress. In the past four years our researchers have been working on developing geoscience sensors for an autonomous robot that explores flooded mines. 

Teaching
The institute is in charge of the geology specialisation in the BSc Earth Science and Engineering programme, which provides knowledge in the fields of geological and geophysical engineering. The institute is also responsible for the MSc in Earth Science Engineering and takes part in the English-taught MSc in Petroleum Geoengineering. We teach the core subjects ‘Principles in Mineralogy and Petrology’ and ‘Geology’ within all three BSc programs, while ‘Geology of Hungary’ and ‘Environmental Geology’ are taught to all students in certain programmes. The main areas taught by the departments of the institute are: basic mineralogy and geology within different programs at the BSc and MSc level; more specialised subjects in petrology and geology in geology programmes and specialisations (in geology, geophysics, and hydrogeology); ore deposits and industrial minerals; geology and exploration of coal; petroleum geology, hydrocarbon exploration; environmental geology and mineral resource management. Starting in the 1990s environmental geology emerged as a new direction for research, followed in the next decade by environmental mineralogy, environmental geochemistry, and the geochemistry of mining waste.

Industrial and academic partnerships
The institute has connections with prestigious European and Hungarian professional associations, research institutes and companies: the European Federation of Geologists; the Geological and Geophysical Institute of Hungary; Wrocław University of Science and Technology (Poland); Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary); Kjeøy Research and Education Centre (Norway); Istanbul Technical University (Turkey); University of Jena, University of Zagreb, Jagiellonian University (Kraków), INESC-TEC Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (Porto), Tampere University (Finland), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, University of Leoben, Luleå University of Technology, Geological Survey of Slovenia, La Palma Research Centre for Future Studies (LPRC), Unexmin GeoRobotics Ltd. (Hungary), Rotaqua Ltd. (Hungary).

INSTITUTE OF MINING AND ENERGY

Director: Dr. István Szunyog, associate professor 
Website: https://bei.uni-miskolc.hu/EN

Department of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering
Head: Dr. Ákos Debreczeni, associate professor 

Department of Natural Gas Engineering
Head: Dr. Marianna Vadászi, associate professor

Department of Petroleum Engineering
Head: Dr. Zoltán Turzó, associate professor 

Department of MOL
Head: Dr. Dmour Hazim, associate professor

Administration: Lilla Szegediné Körmöndi
Office: A/4. building II. floor 242.
E-mail: bgtadm@uni-miskolc.hu

Brief history
The institute was formed on 1 January 2007, but its departments have been in existence for nearly 250 years, a period worthy of respect! The mining department was established with the Selmec Mining Academy in 1770. Its first professor, Cristoph Traugott Delius, whose famous book The Art and Science of Mining was about a century ahead of its time, and became a core reference. In 1865 the mining equipment broke off to form its own department, as did the mine surveying group in 1872. The department continued to focus on issues relating to mining. With few exceptions, the modern mining engineers of Hungary are the products of institutions following the Selmec tradition, gaining their degrees either from Sopron (1920–1958) or from Miskolc since then. 

Research
The institute has participated and continues to take part in Operational Program research projects in various topics: sustainable natural resource management; reserves of critical elements; surface water and groundwater. Some recent industrial research projects include designing the parts of a dredger for optimal comminution of rocks; diagnostic and safety testing of mining equipment; mechanical testing of rocks and geopolymers; and slope stability of open pit mines. Research is assisted by laboratories for geomechanics, rock mechanics, safety technology, CAD for rock machining, and noise and vibration testing. In recent years considerable development has taken place in the rock mechanics laboratory, which is now capable of modelling the stresses that occur deep in the Earth. The vibration testing equipment and dust measurement technology have also been updated.

Teaching
The institute is in charge of the mining and geotechnology specialisation of the BSc programme in Earth Science and Engineering and is responsible for the Mining and Geotechnological Engineering MSc programme. The main topic areas in teaching are: assessment of mineral deposits; construction materials; energy sources; opening and constructing mines; mining technology and machinery; technical drawing and principles of machines; pumps and compressors; geomechanics; rock mechanics; mine safety; maintenance and diagnostics of machines; design of shells and plates; and noise and vibration. Subjects in these areas are also taught in other programmes in the Faculty, and even in the Energetics Engineering programme of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Informatics. In addition to BSc and MSc teaching, the institute also takes part in the doctoral school, and also teaches additional training courses to meet the practical needs of industry. Specialists from outside the university and from industry also help to pass on specific practical knowledge.

Industrial and academic partnerships
Several companies have entrusted the institute with research projects or are partners in teaching or providing internships: Department of Surface Mining, Department of Machinery Engineering and Transport at AGH University of Science and Technology (Kraków, Poland), Department of Machinery, Devices and Transportation at the University of Petroșani (Romania), Department of Mining Engineering at Hacettepe University: (Ankara, Turkey), Colas Északkő Bányászati Kft., KÖKA Kő- és Kavicsbányászati Kft., Mátrai Erőmű Zrt., and MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Company.

INSTITUTE OF GEOGRAPHY AND GEOINFORMATICS

Director: Prof. Dr. Károly Kocsis, Member of HAS, full professor 
Website: http://foldrajz.uni-miskolc.hu

Department of Physical Geography
Head: Prof. Dr. Endre Dobos, full professor

Department of Human Geography
Head: Dr. Beáta Siskáné Szilasi, associate professor 

Department of Geoinfromatics
Head: Dr. János Vágó, associate professor

Department of Geodesy and Mine Surveying
Head: Dr. István Havasi, associate professor

Administration: Éva Oroszné Gyopár
Office: A/4. building III. floor 302.
E-mail: ecosagan@uni-miskolc.hu

Brief history
The past few decades have seen a broadened teaching profile and further specialisations in the geography programmes. With the founding of the Geography and Environmental Studies Department in 1992 the first specialisation was formed within the Engineering Geology Programme. In 1993 Dr. György Hahn joined the department. In 2000 the department split into the Department of Physical Geography and Environmental Studies and the Department of Human Geography. Later these departments, which had been part of the Institute of Environmental Management, formed the Institute of Geography (2007), which became the Institute of Geography and Geoinformatics in 2013.

Research
The most important research being conducted at the institute is concerned with international projects on geoinformatics modelling, particularly projects on soil science, defences against flooding, optimisation of land use and environmental modelling, and database development, in addition to the geographical analysis, evaluation and description of socio-economic processes. Our main R&D directions are digital elevation modelling and land use, soil and water management, precision agriculture and soil potential investigation using remote sensing technologies and the scenario analysis related to climate change.

In the past decade or so we have taken part in several Hungarian and international projects, as project leaders or work package leaders in the FP 5-6-7, INTERREG and Visegrád 4 programmes and as consortium members in several Horizon 2020 projects. The institute’s projects have won international recognition: Best Practice for the Floodlog and Interreg projects, and the GROW Observatory project won the Land and Soil Management award from the European Landowners’ Organization under the auspices of the European Commission (DG Environment and the Joint Research Centre).
 

Teaching
The institute is in charge of teaching the BSc programme in Geography and its specialisations in Geoinformatics Research. The objective of the programme is to train geographers who acquire the theoretical and methodological foundation needed for understanding the natural, socio-economic and settlement environment and also knowledge of how environment processes and physical and socio-economic environments. In the MSc programme in Geography, the geoinformatics specialisation can be selected. The aim of the master’s course is to train specialists who, based on their understanding of the geographical consequences of natural, environmental, technical and social phenomena, are capable of developing and applying original professional solutions, of presenting results, and of communicating with both experts and laymen.

Industrial and academic partnerships
The research partners of the institute are the ELKH Geographical Institute of the Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences; Szent István University; the ELKH Institute for Soil Sciences and Agricultural Chemistry of the Centre for Agricultural Research; the European Commission Joint Research Centre; Institute of Environment and Sustainability (Ispra, Italy); Technical University of Košice (Slovakia); and University of Security Management in Košice (Slovakia). 

INSTITUTE OF WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

Director: Dr. Tamás Madarász, associate professor 
Website: http://hidrotanszek.hu

Department of Hydrogeological Engineering
Head: Prof. Dr. Szűcs Péter, Member of HAS, full professor 

Department of Engineneering Geology and Civil Engineering
Head:  Dr. Balázs Kovács, associate professor

Department of Environmental Engineering
Head: Dr. Andrea Kolencsikné Tóth, associate professor 

Administration: Ádámné Csanálosi (Éva)
Office: A/4. building gound floor 37.
E-mail: hgoffice@uni-miskolc.hu

Brief history
The Institute of Environmental Management was established in 1992 on the basis of the teaching, research and infrastructure of the Department of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology, which had been formed in 1987. Today the institute focuses on groundwater research to an extent unmatched elsewhere in Hungary; one emeritus professor, two professors, an honorary professor and three associate professors lead a team of 20–25, including many younger members, in carrying out projects related to research, educational development and other topics. The institute is active in the fields of hydrogeology, engineering geology and environmental protection. 

Research
The most important research topics within the area of hydrogeology are: water exploration and acquisition, water protection planning; hydrology and hydrography; investigating characteristics of hydraulic fracturing; protection of water resources; modelling karst hydrogeology, hydrodynamics and transport. Within the area of engineering geology, important topics for research are: engineering geology preliminary investigations for engineering works; researching dynamic geological processes; slope stability investigations; laboratory investigations in soil mechanics; geological mapping in civil engineering; landfills; and in general, the geotechnics of environmental protection. The environmental management activities of the institute cover management for sustainable water supply; protection of vulnerable water resources; geothermal topics; waste management, nature conservation; protection of water quality; and problems related to the remediation of contaminated sites. The institute has been running the Bükk Karstic Water Monitoring System for more than twenty years. A particularly important research activity is transferring developments in international research for potential application in investigating the water resources of the entire North Hungary region. In the past decade the institute had led successful and innovative R&D projects in Hungarian water management (KÚTFŐ, INNOVÍZ) and has participated in a number of Horizon 2020 projects. 

Teaching
The institute teaches subjects in hydrogeology, geotechnical and engineering geology, and environmental engineering in practically every BSc and MSc programme. The institute leads three programmes: the BSc in Environmental Engineering and its specialisation in natural resources and environmental safety, the MSc in Hydrogeology Engineering and the MSc in Environmental Engineering. 

Industrial and academic partnerships
A multi-layered network of professional relationships has developed over the years in order to carry out practical and applied research tasks. Of these connections, the most important are: water conservancy directorates; inspectorates for environmental protection, natural protection and water management; water utility companies; PannErgy Zrt.; Mecsekérc Environmental Protection Ltd.; Tatai Environmental Protection Ltd.; and Golder Associates (Hungary) Ltd. For H2020 projects we worked closely with the British Geological Survey, GFZ Potsdam, and our VITO partners. In addition, over decades we have maintained close ties with a number of European higher education institutions specialising in mining and geology.

INSTITUTE OF RAW MATERIAL PREPARATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY

Director: Dr. Sándor Nagy, associate professor 
Website: http://ejt.uni-miskolc.hu

Department of Mechanical Processing
Head: Prof. Dr. József Faitli, full professor

Department of Bioprocessing and Reaction Techniques
Head: Dr. Valéria Mádainé Üveges, assistant professor 

Administration: Tünde Tóbiás
Office: A/4. building II. floor 202.
E-mail: ejtadmin@uni-miskolc.hu

Brief history
The original core of today’s broader field was ore processing, the key elements of which were described in Agricola’s De re metallica (1550), translated into numerous languages. Subjects related to refining and smelting metals were taught by internationally recognised professors in Selmec, established in 1735, mainly in its mining studies, with some parts also taught in metallurgical studies. It developed into an independent field of study after the First World War with the founding of the Ore and Coal Processing Department, led first by József Finkey, then Gusztáv Tarján, who was the author of the two-volume book Mineral Processing, which was used in university courses around the world, including in China. Developments in the field led to the establishment of a programme in Processing Technology in 1992. The department expanded into an institute in 2008. 

Research
The research carried out in the Institute is focused on three areas. The first is processing technologies, mainly mechanical processing technologies, though biological, chemical, thermal and reaction processing are also topics of research. The second is the processing of raw materials, which includes not only primary mineral raw materials but also secondary raw materials: the processing of waste and recovered materials. The third important area is environmental processing technology for the decontamination of air, water and soil. Our institute is the only higher education institution in Hungary carrying out research and teaching in all of these areas. The institute’s activities are recognised in Hungary and abroad. The institute and its predecessors have a history of nearly one hundred years. The laboratories of the institute are classified into the following units: Comminution-classification-agglomeration; Raw material and waste processing techniques; Nano-processing; Bioprocessing and reaction techniques; Wastewater technology; Powder technology and multi-phase flow, and Lithophysics labs.

Teaching
The Institute leads its own programmes and/or specialisations at the BSc, MSc and PhD levels, and teaches a significant number of subjects in other programmes, including English-taught programmes. At each level the training is divided into two areas: raw material processing or environmental processing techniques and waste processing. Thus, at the bachelor level the Institute is in charge of the raw material processing specialisation in the BSc in Earth Science and Engineering BSc and the waste management specialisation in the BSc in Environmental Engineering. In Master’s studies, the Institute is in charge of the environmental technology module in the MSc in Environmental Engineering and will be the leader of the MSc in Process Engineering for Raw Material Production (currently under development). Within the Doctoral School of Earth Sciences, four main topic groups are involved: mechanical processing technologies, raw material and waste preparation, environmental processing, and geotechnics for environmental protection. 

Industrial and academic partnerships
The companies and educational institutions that work in close cooperation with the institute are: Omya Hungary Ltd.; MiReHu Nonprofit Kft.; Perlit-92 Kft.; Vertikál Nonprofit Zrt.; ALCUFER Zrt.; Inter-Metal Recycling Kft.; 3B Hungaria Ltd.; ProfiKomp Zrt., Cemkut Kft.; Transdanubian Regional Waterworks Ltd.; Montanuniversität Leoben; Technische Universität Berlin; and Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg.