Modern history

In 1849, when Czech was part of Austria-Hungary, a new Geological Institute of the Empire was founded. This period is related with czech geologists e.g. František Pošepný and Otakar Feistmantel.

Fr. Pošepný, renowned deposit geologist, is considered the father of Czech geologists. He is the author of more than 100 publications, the most famous being „The genesis of Ore Deposits“ from 1893, which made him the promoter of the geology of ore deposits.

Another well-known geologist was Ot. Feistmantel, who mapped regions in India and Australia and who came up with the term Gondwana, which describes the original southern land that broke down to form the present continents. This discovery was a milestone in understanding the history of our planet.

Other important personality at the end of the 19th century was Antonín Stecker, a Czech geologist who worked in Africa and was succeeded by Emil Holub, who, being the first, did a geological investigation in other parts of Africa.

Czechoslovakia was a founding member and the only inland country to take part in deep ocean investigation of minerals in 70’s. Extensive geological-geophysical research in selected areas of oceans all over the world were carried out, which proved the existence of substantial and usable mineral resources, especially the so called polymetallic concretions .