History 

 

Geology of the Slovenian territory was first studied by the geologists of the Austrian Geological Survey. The Geological Survey for Slovenia was founded within the frame of the Ministry for Industry and Mining on May 7, 1946. As a result of decentralization of economy, it was placed under the administration of the Energy and Extractive Industry Council of the People's Republic of Slovenia in 1950, and was later in the same year renamed to the Administration for Geological Investigations of the People's Republic of Slovenia.

At the beginning, there were only five geologists in Slovenia, who were all employed at the University. In 1952, first students of geology graduated and were employed at the geological survey.

The Administration for Geological Investigations of the People's Republic of Slovenia was united with the Drilling Company into the Geological Survey of the People’s Republic of Slovenija in Ljubljana in 1952. In the same year the institution assumed residence at Parmova 33 in Ljubljana.

The Geological Survey of the People’s Republic of Slovenia in Ljubljana was proclaimed a financially independent institution and renamed to Geological Survey Ljubljana in 1954. As a financially independent institution, the Geological Survey Ljubljana had to comply with the requirements of the market, which resulted in rapid increase of the number of employees. It had grown from 4 in 1947 to 347 in 1959, and to nearly 3.000 in 1980. The extent of working spaces in different locations had grown simultaneously with the number of employees.

In 1974, the Geological Survey Ljubljana was internally divided into three units:

  • Geology, Geotechnics and Geophysics
  • Geotechnical and Mining Works
  • "Žirovski vrh" Uranium Mine

In 1979, the above-mentioned three units were further divided into six Basic Organizations of Associated Labour (BOAL):

  • Geology, Geotechnics and Geophysics
  • Mining
  • Geotechnics
  • Drilling and Blasting
  • Machine Production and Maintenance
  • Sales and Common Services

Due to scattered working spaces and expired lease at Parmova 33, the Geological Survey Ljubljana moved to a new building at Dimičeva 14.

According to the Law on Enterprises, passed in 1990, the six internal units of the Geological Survey Ljubljana were re-formed into six autonomous companies, which together formed the Association of Interest Geological Survey Ljubljana:

  • Institute of Geology, Geotechnics and Geophysics
  • Mining Company
  • Geotechnical Company
  • Drilling and Blasting Company
  • Machine Production and Maintenance Company

The Institute of Geology, Geotechnics and Geophysics assumed the role of a national geological survey.

As a result of another re-organization in 1998, the Institute was split into two parts: a public research institution Geological Survey of Slovenia and an economic company Geoinženiring.