The Pécs-based chapter of the Association of Hungarian Geophysicists was established on 14th January, 1959. Founders of the chapter were geophysicists of the Mecsek Ore Mining Company (MÉV – for uranium mining), of the Mecsek Coal Mining Trust, and of the Komló Branch of the National Drilling and Prospecting Co. Later geophysicists of the Bauxite Prospecting Co (Balatonalmádi) affiliated. Between 1965 and 1977, named as Southern Transdanubian Chapter, it incorporated the oil prospecting geophysicists of Nagykanizsa. To date, its name is Mecsek Chapter. 

Radon monitoring

    Mining in the Mecsek Mountains started in the 18th century (coal mining) and in 1953 (uranium mining). In the second half of the last century, assignments were quickly formulated serving the effectivity and safety of deep mining works. Geophysicists of the region successfully solved these tasks. The gradually introduced methods of the in-mine geophysics significantly contributed to the information demand of the mine management, not only for safety but operation issues as well. Geological information was indispensable for operative decisions on exploi-tation planning and scheduling, and these data were yielded from the application of in-mine geophysical methods.

In the decades preceding the new millennium, the nearly half-century long prosperity of the Mecsek coal and uranium mining and later the life-cycle of the mining were more and more determined by the globalisation of the energy markets. Decreasing of coal and uranium world market prices as well as the lack of domestic capital directly resulted in close-down of both mining companies of the region almost the same time. For the local experts in geophysics, mine closures and the subsequent situation have meant new challenges. Environmental protection, recultivation and remediation, monitoring of brown fields, later investigations on the radioactive waste repositories became the new, challenging assignments.

Seismic survey in a coal mine

Processing of seismoacoustic data

With adaptation of former practice in mining and environmental protection, as well as with development of formerly applied methods, members of the Mecsek Chapter have importantly contributed to solve these tasks (sadly, by decreasing staff number). Presentations at the year-end closing/opening convocations, main events of the expert and social activity of the Chapter, are rendering an account of the results on this field. 

The first regional meeting of the Association, dealing with the specific tasks of the geophysical prospecting in the Mecsek Mountains and around, was organised in 1962. This successful event was the model of the subsequent Autumn Meetings. This Chapter organised (and acted as host of) five autumn meetings (1969, 1978, 1990, 1998, 2009), and five „Mining geophysics” meetings (1974, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1984).

Our Chapter works in close co-operation with the professional institutions and workshops of the region, first of all with the Zala Chapter of the Association, with the Southern Transdanubian Group of the Geological Society of Hungary, as well as with the Pécs Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.