The scientific youth school and conference dedicated to the memory of outstanding scientists Kauko Kratz and Felix Mitrofanov started in Petrozavodsk on October 1st. The event has been held since 1985 at geological institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences in three cities: St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk and Apatity. Every year researchers gather to discuss topics in geology, petrology, geochronology, mineralogy, crystallography, geophysics, geochronology and other fields.

— Today we commemorate the scientists who have contributed greatly not only to the study of the geology of Northwest Russia, but also to the training of young scientists. Kauko Ottovich Kratz studied the Precambrian geology of our region. The scientist has always cared for young researchers, and a whole pleiad of geologists is associated with his name. Felix Petrovich Mitrofanov also paid great attention to working with the youth, he brought up a generation of talented young researchers in Apatity, the discovery of most platinum deposits on the Kola Peninsula is connected with his name, - said Sergey Svetov, Director of the KarRC RAS Institute of Geology, in his opening speech.

Over the years, the conference has become a platform for discussion and a scientific school for young scientists not only in the North-West, but also in other regions of Russia. This year Petrozavodsk welcomes geologists from St. Petersburg, Apatity, Tomsk, Voronezh, and Moscow.

The conference includes a plenary session with geology lectures by Russian scientists and eight thematic sections, including Mineral Resources and Metallogeny, Lithology and Paleontology, Geoecology of the Northern and Arctic Zone, and others. The first day was devoted to a workshop on preparing academic articles: authors, editors and reviewers of leading Russian and foreign journals spoke about how to successfully publish one's research results.

The program will be concluded with a field trip to geological research sites in Karelia. The guests will be introduced to the Paleoproterozoic Onega volcanogenic-sedimentary structure complex, visiting the vicinity of Belaya Gora and Girvas settlements in the Kondopoga District and Shuyskaya Station in the Prionezhsky District of Karelia.