ENGINEERING GEOCHEMISTRY - PROBLEMS AND APPLICATIONS

This article presents the systematics of engineering-geochemical forms reflecting different types of impact by human technological activities on the geochemical environment. On the basis of present knowledge the representative groups of engineering-geochemical systems and processes have been analysed and it has been shown that theoretical investigations and practical applications in engineering geochemistry might be concentrated in two general directions: (1) examination of regularities in the formation and advancement of engineering-geochemical systems which have originated, as a rule, spontaneously as a consequence of the interaction between various types of industrial and agricultural activities and the geochemical environment; and (2) development of geochemically optimal methods to improve engineering properties of geological formations, together with techniques to remove harmful chemical elements and compounds from natural cycles. The problems are covered in detail in this article using information from published sources and data from the author's own investigations.