Institute of Geology and Geophysics, National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Baku, Azerbaijan:

Ak. A. Ali-zade, Director, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, gia@azdata.net

The key commercial-value genetic types of Azerbaijan’s deposits of metallic and nonmetallic minerals are briefly described. Azerbaijan possesses a high mineral-resource potential, and the major promising ways of its development are identified. Azerbaijan holds an abundance of deposits of different metals (iron, aluminium, copper, zinc, lead, gold) and nonmetallic minerals to be a feedstock for the chemical and agrochemical industries, production of constructional materials, etc. The special value is given to the Dashkesan iron ore deposit and Zaglik alunite deposit which have become the places for location of mining and processing integrated works and supply metallurgical works in the cities of Ganja, Sumgait and Rustavi. The Dashkesan cobalt and Gedabek copper played an important role in development of the mining industry in Azerbaijan in the 19th century. This article spotlights the role of Azerbaijan geologists in the discovery and exploration of some polymetallic sulphide and copper–pyrrhotine deposits, including the unique Filizchai deposit being the largest polymetallic field both in the Caucasus and in the CIS countries. The scope of the discussion embraces potentiality of construction of a closed-cycle mining-and-metallurgical integrated works. For another thing, the article informs on deposits of gold, mercury, molybdenum, etc., and on the prospects of discovery of new ore occurrences. Resources of nonmetals, constructional materials and nonconventional power sources (oil shales etc.) are described. Currently Azerbaijan holds more than 400 deposits of proven and identified reserves, which allows meeting requirements of the national economy and providing export of minerals to other countries. Advancement of the mining industry is inspired by the high level of geological survey of the territory of Azerbaijan owing to wide-range fundamental and applied research and exploration accomplished by a few generations of the Soviet and Azerbaijan geologists.

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