The NATO Advanced Research Workshop “Mineral Resource Base of the Southern Caucasus and Systems for its Management in the XXI Century” was held in Tbilisi on April 3-6, 2001. The workshop was financed by the NATO Science Programme and financially supported by the Open Society – Georgia Foundation. By the end of the XX century the new states of the Southern Caucasus (Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia) found themselves in the lowest phase of a severe structural crisis. Belonging to the same geopolitical space and having the common economic history during the XIX and XX centuries, these countries will be able to overcome this crisis and to integrate into the world community only step-by-step, exploiting their resource bases and developing competitive branches of industries. Moreover, in our opinion, such conception is the only alternative to the spontaneous economical chaos. Solution of this problem seems to be impossible without close international collaboration. From this point of view, the idea of regional alliances where regional actors would be linked by a general, non-contradictory macroeconomic model seems to be the only possibility for sustainable development. Creation of The Southern Caucasus Alliance (SCA) where Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey would find their place could be possible only in case if the economic reality and economic interests would weigh down nationalistic doctrines of political isolationism.

The Joint 6th Biennial SGA-SEG Meeting was held in Krakow in August 2001. This volume contains 274 extended abstracts, grouped thematically under 18 session titles covering topics such as lead-zinc deposits; metamorphism affecting mineral deposits; and the environmental aspects of mining.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Appendices include "Mineral Resources of Georgia and Caucasia -- Manganese Industry of Georgia" by D. Ghambashidze (p. 67-152).