Қазақстан республикасы білім және ғылым министрлігі ұлттық Ғылым академиясы жшс «Қ. И. СӘтбаев атындағы геологиялық Ғылымдар институты» орталық Ғылыми кітапхана

In 1973, G.K. Ergaliev participated in the work of the International symposium on the problems of Precambrian and Cambrian, in boat trip excursion to the standard sections of Cambrian deposits in valleys of Aldan and Lena Rivers, the Siberian Platform, Yakutia. The symposium was attended by 28 scientists from Great Britain, France, Denmark, Sweden, West and East Germany, Poland, Iran, Australia, Canada and the United States and about 60 specialists from USSR. A large collection of fauna collected in Siberia, in the future has become the material of study and comparison.

After the tour, G.K. Ergaliev was invited by academician B.S. Sokolov, deputy chairman of ISC, for a meeting with A.P. Palmer, the president of the Cambrian Commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences at UNESCO, professor at New York University and a leading expert in the stratigraphy and fauna of the Cambrian trilobites at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the SB AS USSR (Novosibirsk), where G.K. Ergaliev demonstrated the collection of trilobites from the section of Kyrshabakty River of Malyi Karatau. The collection made ​​a huge impression. Later A.P. Palmer informed many foreign colleagues including Professor J. Shergold from Australia concerning continuous section in Southern Kazakhstan, closing layer upon layer of unique trilobites of Middle and Upper Cambrian, presented mostly by cosmopolitan agnostids.

Data on Kyrshabakty section for Cambrian stratigraphers and paleontologists of the Ministry of Geology of USSR and SB AS of the Soviet Union were unexpected and new, because they themselves for 10 years have been engaged in the preparation of long-line division of the Upper Cambrian sections in the Siberian platform.

In august, 1974, G.K. Ergaliev participated in the Interdepartmental stratigraphic meeting on Precambrian and Paleozoic of north-east of USSR (Magadan). Participated in field trip to the standard sections of the upper-middle Ordovician and Silurian Omulevsk Mountains, where, together with I.F. Nikitin on zone level Glyptagraptus persulptus trilobites there were found Dalmanitina, typical for upper Ashgilian stage of Ordovician. The tour was attended by leading scientists of the Soviet Union, led by Dr. A.M. Obut, confirmed the value of the findings.

In September, 1975, G.K. Ergaliev participated in the symposium «Correlation of Precambrian» by the International Geological Correlation Program, held in Moscow, and then in tour to get to know with the Precambrian gneisses, schists and magmatites of Dzirula massif around Bakuriani in Georgia. The symposium brought together scientists from many countries with reports on Precambrian deposits. The reports of academics A.V. Sidorenko, A.I. Oparin, B.S. Sokolov and many scientists from the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, Australia etc. highlighted problems of the tectonic evolution of the Earth, history of sedimentation, metamorphism, magmatism, formation and evolution of the geosphere, biological aspects of the origin of life on Earth and its connection with the sedimentary formations of more than 3.5 billion years. The report of M. Glessner (Australia) notes the importance of soft-bodied Ediacaran fauna of the pre-Cambrian skeleton fauna.

In 1978, K.I. Satpayev IGN was visited by the largest Australian scientist-paleontologist and expert in the stratigraphy and genesis of phosphorites of almost all countries of the world Dr. J.H. Shergold. Purpose – to study the Cambrian trilobite collections of Malyi Karatau Mountains. He spent 10 days carefully watching layer after layer of the entire collection of trilobites of Middle and Upper Cambrian section of the Kyrshabakty. As a result, he confirmed the regular sequence of complexes, and noted the object of great importance as one of the key sections of the world. At the same time praised the monograph «Lower Cambrian trilobites of Malyi Karatau» (1977) in which descriptions of trilobites strictly control the stratigraphic position of phosphorites.

In 1984, in the program of XXVII International geological congress (Moscow – 1984) for the first time of studying the geological structure of Kazakhstan in Malyi Karatau Mountains there were made excursions 045A and 045S in order to familiarize participants with the sections of the Upper Precambrian, Cambrian, Lower Ordovician and phosphate deposits. Choice of Malyi Karatau was determined by the uniqueness of the sections of Vendian, Cambrian and Ordovician (for completeness, availability for exploring the richness of organic remains of the fossil fauna), as well as the successes of paleontological and stratigraphic studies. In addition, in the sections of the Lower Cambrian are rare in size bedded deposits of phosphate ores – «a stone of fertility». Large-scale development of mining and chemical industry has transformed barren and sparsely populated primarily the Malyi Karatau to mining district with modern infrastructure.

The tour 045А was attended by eminent scientists of United States, Britain, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Australia and Soviet specialists (Moscow, Tallinn, Novosibirsk, Novokuznetsk, and Alma-Ata), including the president of the Cambrian stratigraphic IUGS ​​Subcommission A.P. Palmer (USA) and a leading expert on trilobites, in future a president of IUGS Cambrian stratigraphic ​​subcommission J. Shergold (Australia).

During the tour participants got acquainted with the reference sections of the Middle and Upper Cambrian along Kyrshabakty River and boundary layers of Cambrian and Ordovician along Batyrbay ravine. 12 reports were heard. There were examined in detail the principles and techniques of isolation of international and general stratigraphic units in different countries, as well as their content and scope. Particular attention was paid to the gradual transitions between zones, stages and series in a typical section on Kyrshabakty River proposed as the basic units of the International Upper Cambrian geochronological scale. As the boundary stratotype of Ordovician and Cambrian systems there was proposed Batyrbay. The world's leading experts Dh. Kirshvink, R. Ripperdan, M.L. Drosser (USA) conducted a detailed paleomagnetometric study of Kyrshabakty and Batyrbay ravine by stratified sampling for paleomagnetic analysis.

The second tour 045S was conducted on the UNESCO project 156 «Phosphorites». It was devoted to deposits of phosphorites of Karatau basin, their geological structure, composition, genesis and formation time. This tour, led by academician A.L.Yanshin was conducted by the Institute of Lithosphere of USSR AS, the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of SB of USSR Academy of Sciences, State Research Institute of Mining and Chemical Raw Materials in conjunction with the guidance of K.I. Satpayev IGS, IGC «Yuzhkazgeologia» and Karatau Mining-Chemical Combine. Cross-sections of Middle and Upper Cambrian and transitional Cambrian and Ordovician strata were recognized by participants as one of the best in the world for the completeness and faunistic richness. Much impressed the scale of deposits and grandeur work on their development.

In 1985 in Moscow at the Paleontological Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences there was held a meeting with Dr. M.E. Teylor from the U.S. Geological Survey. Materials have been demonstrated by the sections proposed by Kazakh scientists as tiered support for stage division of the Upper Cambrian and to define boundary of Cambrian and Ordovician systems. There were revealed similarities between Paleozoic sediments and their fossil remains of Malyi Karatau and deposits in Nevada.

It was decided to hold joint works of American and Kazakh scientists on the theme «A comparative study of biofacies, sedimentology, paleotectonics and biostratigraphy of carbonate rocks of Malyi Karatau Mountains and the West of Nevada (USA)».

In 1987 during joint field works participants studied all carbonate sections of Cambrian and Ordovician of Malyi Karatau (Berkuty, Aktugay Rivers, Ayusokkan, Dongulek ravine). The main objects of geological reconstruction were sections Kyrshabakty River and Batyrbay ravine, on which H. Cook and V.G. Zhemchuzhnikov determined submarine carbonate seamount, offering to call it «Aisha-Bibi».

In 1990 G.K. Ergaliev as a member of the organizing committee of 3^rd International symposium on the Cambrian system in Novosibirsk (August 1-9), spoke at the plenary session on theme «Stage division of the Middle and Upper Cambrian in a continuous section, Malyi Karatau (Southern Kazakhstan)». At the symposium, from 9 to 15 August, conducted the second International tour in the Malyi Karatau to view the stratotype sections of Middle and Upper Cambrian and Lower Ordovician offered by him as international standards. Scientists from the United States, Britain, Canada, Italy, Argentina, Sweden, Germany, France, New Zealand, Ireland, Poland, China and the Soviet Union experts participated.

In 1991, from 8 to 20 May, G.K. Ergaliev was in Sweden on the invitation of Dr. Stephen Bengston from the Paleontological Institute of the University of Uppsala, made excursions to Cambrian and Lower Ordovician deposits in the central and southern parts of the country, where he assembled a representative collection of trilobites to compare with a set of Karatau trilobites. Visited the home-museum of Albert Nobel and the monument of the great scientist-reformer Carl Linnaeus in Lunda city.

In December, from 22 to 31, 1992, on the invitation of prof. H. Shanyavsky, Director of the Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, he was in Warsaw to discuss the program of joint studies of stratigraphy and fossil fauna of trilobites and other groups of Kazakhstan and Poland. Under the program, in 1994, Polish scientists led by Professor H. Shanyavsky, selected samples on microfauna from the boundary layers of Cambrian and Ordovician deposits along Kyrshabakty River in Malyi Karatau and Arpaozen River in Bolshoy Karatau.

In 1992 G.K. Ergaliev and A.A. Abdulin, director of K.I. Satpayev IGS, academician of the Kazakh AS from 19 to 25 January were in England on the invitation of Dr. Conway-Morris, Professor at Cambridge University. Purpose – introduction to education and research activities of the oldest university (since 1209), visiting the British Geological Survey (Notingem), and the company British Gas in London. It was the task as well to acquaint with the Cambrian sections of North Wales, look over a collection of trilobites at the Museum of Natural History in London. Visitation of Britain and communication with scientists and business people of this country, with their method of conducting research works in the field of geology and metallogeny has been useful in making and implementing them in further studies. Amazing were series of geological maps, charts and profiles of Zhezkazgan deposit made by the staff of Geological Survey of England in 1930. Recognition of K.I. Satpayev’s merits in converting the area of Zhezkazgan deposit into a major industrial base in Kazakhstan had a great effect.

From 28 August to 5 September, 2001, as a full member of the International Subcommission on Cambrian stratigraphy G.K. Ergaliev attended 7^th International field conference on stages of Cambrian deposits of South China and Guichzhou and the same province with the report «Trilobites of Middle Cambrian of the Malyi Karatau Mountains (Southern Kazakhstan). The report was accompanied by a demonstration of the geological map of Aksay state geological reserve and 64 paleontological tables with images of trilobites.

G.K. Ergaliev’s participation in the conference and in the direct examination of typical sections of Cambrian deposits of Hunan, Guichzhou and Yunan provinces in South China has been very helpful. As expected, Cambrian sections of these provinces, including the Mid-Upper Cambrian sections of Hunan province being contenders to the world standard by lithological, mineralogical and geochemical compositions and fauna of trilobites contained in them do not differ from the Cambrian deposits of Bolshoi and Malyi Karatau Mountains. However, despite this, the Cambrian sediments of Karatau on industrial content of vanadium, phosphorus and other elements, the abundance of fauna of trilobites, as well as exposure are much representative than the Chinese sections, what they talked about members of the sub-commission who are familiar with the sections of Malyi Karatau Mountains in 1984 and 1990. At the end of the trip, G.K. Ergaliev visited the home-museum of ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius.

In 2005, in Nankin (the former capital of China), 4^th International symposium on the Cambrian system took place, where G.K. Ergaliev made the report «Kyrshabakty section of the Malyi Karatau Mountains – a possible stratotype of stages and areas of Middle and Upper Cambrian of International stratigraphic scale».

In 2007, on the program «International cooperation in science» for 2007-2009 and the project «International tour to the Kyrshabakty River section for members of the International subcommission of stratigraphy of the Cambrian system» according to 20.XI and 04.XII G.K. Ergaliev located in Cardiff, UK, for compiling the guide of XIV International conference and Proposal for 9^th Cambrian stage.

An important period in G.K. Ergaliev’s activity was conducting XIV International conference in Almaty and tour of the working group on stage sudivision of the Cambrian system in the Karatau Mountains involving 30 scientists from USA, UK, Sweden, Spain, Germany, China and South Korea, cities Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Tashkent, Karaganda. For this high forum there were published tour guide and materials of participants' reports in Russian and English languages, as well as the monograph «Agnostids of Middle and Upper Cambrian of Aksay state geological reserve» (2009). In this monograph, in Russian and English languages, the results of nearly 40 years of researches of unique and diverse species of fauna of agnostid trilobites from Kyrshabakty key section of Middle and Upper Cambrian of Aksay state geological reserve in the mountains of Malyi Karatau. A description of all units of Middle and Upper Cambrian, 75 genera and 280 species of cosmopolitan trilobites are made in accordance with the requirements of modern classical works, published in the world. For the first time there are tables of vertical distribution of agnostid (miomerian) and polymerian trilobites from Kyrshabakty section, which was not before. The monograph is accompanied by 54 paleontological phototables and text explanations in English. This is still the only work devoted to the 75 genera of agnostid known in paleontological science, where for the first is biostratigraphic subdivision of the Upper Cambrian on stages and zones of the governing agnostid taxa. The main object of the conference and the tour was the approbation of 9^th stage of Suzak stage of Cambrian system and its inclusion in the International geochronological scale by the etalon Kyrshabakty section in the Maly Karatau. As a result of positive vote of 21 members of the working group of subcommission Kyrshabakty section received international status as an auxiliary section of the 9^th stage (ASSP) deposits. This high evaluation given by the competent sub-commission of UNESCO is the result of G.K. Ergaliyev’s fruitful work as a researcher and head, and raises the prestige of geological science of Kazakhstan. Worldwide recognition of Kyrshabakty section coincided with 70^th anniversary of K.I. Satpayev Institute of Geological Sciences formation (1940) and 20^th anniversary of Kazakhstan independence. The international recognition of the achievements of scientists of the Institute is the pride of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in particular, K.I. Satpayev Institute of Geological Sciences.

A significant contribution of G.K. Ergaliev to the development of Kazakhstan geological, stratigraphic and paleontological sciences is known to the world scientific community. He represented reports in English on the sessions of International geological congresses: Moscow (1984), Beijing (1995), Rio de Janeiro (2000), Florence (2004). He took an active part in conferences, workshops and field trips of Cambrian stratigraphic sub-commission: South China (2001), Korea (2004), Spain (2008), Russia (2008).

In 2010 in Prague (Czech Republic) and the cities of Hoff and Freiberg (Germany) 15^th International field сonference and tour of a working group of the International Subcommittee on Stratigraphic Cambrian stages took place. At this forum, G.K. Ergaliev’s and V.G. Zhemchuzhnikov’s reports on «Geology of Karatau Cambrian Basin, Southern Kazakhstan» were heard. As a result of the report the sub-commission decided to prepare proposal (bid) for the global level (GSSP) for base 10 stage with FAD Lotagnostus americanus on continuous sections of the Cambrian system in the Karatau Mountains of Southern Kazakhstan. This work is carried out with participation of specialists of GI, AS, Russia (Moscow).

Since 2010 G.K. Ergaliev on contract with the scientists of the geological department of the Free University in Berlin carries out joint researches in the Maly Karatau Mountains on the global theme «The origin of global changes – Cambrian explosion».

Chairman of ISC of Russia, corresponding member of RAS A.I. Zhamoyda praised highly G.K. Ergaliev’s outstanding contribution to the world stratigraphy. Only a few major geologists in the XX century, offered new stages and, most importantly, were able to substantiate their validity. And he was among those who have substantially added to general (international) stratigraphic scale. He has a unique Aksay geological reserve, geology and stratigraphy of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test polygon until recent years closed, the results of studying Cambrian trilobites, especially miomerian that have international recognition. The results of G.K. Ergaliev’s research activity to promote the achievements of geological science are highly regarded by Chairman of RK MUS Committee of Science, Dr. E. Ongarbayev what he wrote about in an article «Suzak node adds prestige» (25.08.2009).

G.K. Ergaliev’s characteristic feature as colleagues at the highest level mark, are hard work and dedication. As a rule, in the development of the scale of the geological systems of Earth crust there is involved the combined team of scientists. Against this background, G.K. Ergaliev’s personal participation in the creation of Cambrian stratigraphic scale of the Malyi Karatau Mountains is a unique contribution to geological science of Kazakhstan and the world. The scale of the Middle and Upper Cambrian of Aksay state geological reserve in Malyi Karatau Mountains of Southern Kazakhstan compiled with centimeter accuracy, for many years remains almost unchanged, since there are all 10 chronozones proposed by the International Stratigraphic Cambrian ​​sub-commission of IUGS.

The main results of G.K. Ergaliev’s scientific research reflected in his personal and in co-authorship 3 monographs, over 160 articles, 6 guides and 3 applications (proposals), in geological and paleotectonic maps, as well as in more than 100 stock handwritten reports. He described 171 genus and 467 species of trilobites, of which 20 genera and 180 species are new to the world paleontological science. G.K. Ergaliev is an author of several essays of the National Encyclopedia of Kazakhstan, supervised 1 doctor and 4 candidates of geological-mineralogical sciences.

G.K. Ergaliev is actively engaged in scientific and social life. He was a member of 2 councils on defence of theses for scientific degree, STC of RK Ministry of Geology, the expert commission of RK HAC, a member of the permanent Cambrian commission of ISC and KazRISK and All-Union Paleontological Society. He is a member of the scientific-technical council of the Institute and the editorial board of «Izvestia of RK NAS. Series of geological and engineering sciences», Bureau of International sub-commission on Cambrian stratigraphy of the International Union of Geological Sciences.

G.K. Ergaliev’s scientific and labor activity is highly appreciated. He is the State Prize Laureate of the Kazakh SSR (1982). His name is entered in the Golden Book of Honor of the Kazakh SSR (1981), in the 17^th edition of International Handbook «Outstanding scientists» (Cambridge, England, 1996), Encyclopedia of Western Kazakhstan (2002), «Who's Who» of Kazakhstan science in industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2008), Association of graduated students of al-Farabi Kazkah State University, «Our Elite» (2002) etc. He was awarded medals «For Valiant Labor», «Veteran of Labor» and «65 уears of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)», Silver mark of XXVII IGC (Moscow – 84), a diploma and a badge of RK Committee of Geology and Mineral Resources «Honored geologist-prospector of Kazakhstan (2002), diplomas of the Presidium of RK NAS and Akimat of Almaty (2010).

All these successes have been achieved, according to G.K. Ergaliev, thanks parting wishes of academician of the KazakhSSR AS R.A. Borukayev – unforgettable teacher.