Geology & Mineral Exploration Department was founded as a result of the merging of two major Departments of Geology:

• Department of Mineralogy and Petrography, founded in 1901; Head of Department Igor V. Kucherenko, Professor, Doctor in Geology-Mineralogy, «Honored Geologist of RF»(since 1996)»;
• Department of Geology and Mineral Exploration, founded in 1930, Head of Department Alexander F. Korobenikov (1976),Professor, Doctor in Geology-Mineralogy, «Honored Scientist of RF» (since 1976).