If geology were a job for me, not a hobby, it would be torture for my intellect, says Danylo.
Geology is a worldview and a way of life. A person who is well versed in geological sciences will never look at the world with ordinary eyes. For us, time is measured in other intervals. We understand more about the life of our planet than ordinary people."
Danylo has been interested in geology since childhood. He recalls the first time he saw minerals during a school trip to the Carpathians. Since then, he has been fascinated by mineralogy.
Danylo has never regretted his choice. Although he met with some resistance from his family, as his parents wanted him to be a manager, accountant or lawyer.
Who are geologists? They are some guys who roll around in the mud, walk around drunk and smeared, and make no money. But I had a calling. I don't regret entering Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv."
Ukrainian geologists serve subsoil users
The profession of a geologist in Ukraine has changed over time, reflects Danylo Koval. If earlier it was a specialist who dealt with cores, described rocks and minerals, now a geologist must be an expert in geospatial analysis, legal and land issues.
This is bad for geology as a science. In addition, geologists work for enterprises, and their decisions are influenced by their managers. Therefore, they "choose between conscience and earnings".
In the USSR, the geological service was a separate body, an authority. Geologists wore uniforms and had knowledge. They were rich, respectable people and no one influenced their decisions."
There are no geological services left in Ukraine
We work on the legacy of specialists who have been studying Ukraine's mineral resources for the past hundred years.
In the 21st century, the role of a geologist is reduced to servicing subsoil users, explains Danylo Koval. A geologist is a reference person who maximizes profits and rational use of subsoil and minimizes losses at mining companies.
There are no geological services left in the country. Only those who study oil and gas - geophysicists and drillers - are engaged in geological exploration.
The raw material base is not developing. All geological expeditions and state geological exploration institutes have collapsed. Most "dinosaur" geologists go abroad or "die" due to age.
Comparatively speaking, the USGS is a global organization, on par with NASA, that collects information not only about American minerals but also about the world's."
Money does not reach scientists
Ukraine has a "boyish" policy: it is better to earn a hundred dollars now than one million in 20 years.
The State Service of Geology and Subsoil has issued half a thousand special permits, but has not conducted any exploration work. In other words, geological information that was obtained in the past is being sold.
Geology was put to rest after 2010. Orders for exploration work were reduced, and we stopped mapping and studying the sheets. Now we get a lot of money from auctions, but this money does not reach geologists and contractors."
Geology is a guild
Ukrainian geology as a science is dying out and moving into the stage of a craft. It is turning into a medieval guild, explains Danylo Koval. If a university graduate does not find himself or herself "under the wing" of an experienced specialist, a field worker, he or she will not realize himself or herself in the labor market.
Geologists are not searched for through work.ua or robota.ua. Everyone knows each other.
Now it is important to understand information geosystems so that you can get a special permit and put these points on the map. Work with vector graphics, coordinate systems, collect all the information you can on all the fields, because you never know what you will do. But if you do, it is important to choose two or three areas that you will specifically develop. It is difficult to establish yourself in the labor market, but once you do, you will no longer be looking for a job, it will look for you!"
Amber laws need to be simplified
The successes with amber subsoil are related to personnel changes and the introduction of electronic auctions, explains Danylo Koval.
The 2019 law looked like an innovation, like a ticket to a happy future for those who want to engage in amber mining. But it has turned into a hellish torment.
Subsoil users were convinced that with a special permit for ten hectares and five years, some bureaucratic procedures were simplified, but most of the "problems" that you have with a 200-300-hectare plot have not disappeared.
These include permits for emissions of pollutants, water use, environmental impact assessment, reserve protection, reclamation, geological exploration, geological exploration projects, and drilling.
So, this is an incomparable size of what needs to be done to start working on ten hectares.
It's not about passing laws, it's about simplification. In my opinion, in order to use amber resources rationally and efficiently, we need to simplify everything as much as possible."
Geotourism and practical geology
Geology needs to be popularized. You can organize excursions to different locations.
In particular, there are sites of paleontological and mineralogical interest in the Rivne region. For example, this is the Polytske basalt deposit. After the explosion, you can collect amethysts and zeolites in bags. People would be interested in seeing these stones, the geologist suggests.
Scientific testing grounds can be created at the fields and excursions for children or the elderly can be organized there. Following the example of national parks, an enterprise could be created on the basis of these dying expositions to popularize geotourism. We don't have any natural history excursions with visiting specialists.
Regarding education, Danylo believes that it is impossible to teach a geologist remotely. You need a lot of field practice, a lot of work with minerals, rocks, and maps.
After all, we will have higher education formally, but in reality it will turn into a guild of 16th-century artillerymen, who will be paid money and will not be touched.
Danylo dreams of finding the remains of a meteorite
Any scientist is faced with something that is difficult to explain, to grasp, and to understand.
In the Zhytomyr region, near the town of Ovruch, they were digging for amber and found green fused glass in the sole. It is Paleogene, 40 million years old. What can this indicate? Only two stones can fit the characterization of a mineral formation - emerald or Moldavite. Emerald is out of the question. So, it is Moldavite. Moldavite is the melted remains of a meteorite impact. That is, when the meteorite landed on the earth, it melted the rock, and this rock was scattered in bursts of molten sand, which hardened and turned into green meteorite glass. I am interested in finding at least one piece of that glass to see if it is really meteorite glass or not."