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The Man Who Was Called a “Classic of Geology” During His Lifetime

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© Архив Института геологии и минералогии имени В. Соболева СО РАН

In the summer of 1989, the deep-sea submersible "Mir" descended to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with renowned geologist Nikolai Dobrecov on board. Dobrecov was intrigued by the exposure of oceanic crust about 50 million years old. After examining magma frozen in cracks of the rocky crust and taking a few photographs, he was ready to ascend when the submersible commander nervously informed him of a hydraulic control system failure.

The hydraulic tubes had burst, and oil droplets floated in front of the porthole. With control lost, the vessel tilted into the sediment at a 45° angle. It took four hours to activate the emergency system, after which the submersible shot up like a cork, emerging five meters above the water right by the ship's side. The terrified crew on board sighed with relief upon seeing "Mir" surface, and someone joked that "academicians shouldn't be sent to the ocean floor." Despite the incident that nearly ended in tragedy, Dobrecov was thrilled, as he had found exactly what he was searching for underwater—parallel basalt dikes, conclusive evidence of oceanic spreading (a geodynamic process in which rigid lithospheric plates are pushed apart by magma from below).

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© Иркутский научный центр СО РАН

It's hard to imagine the work of geologists without risk and overcoming challenges. The purpose of this extreme effort is not self-assertion but exploration. Over his life, Nikolai Leontievich worked 67 field seasons across more than 30 countries—63 consecutive years with a geological hammer and carabiner in hand, traveling thousands of kilometers through the Himalayas and Tien Shan, beyond the Arctic Circle, in the tropical regions of India, the sands of Iran, and the mountains of Afghanistan.

It was precisely his perseverance and courage that enabled him to make breakthroughs in studying volcanism and ore formation processes, including the creation of precious metals. Dobrecov founded a scientific school on plate tectonics and deep geodynamics—a theory that revolutionized humanity's understanding of Earth's processes.

The scientist was particularly interested in so-called ophiolites, relics of ancient oceanic crust. He studied them extensively in various parts of the world, discussed their formation conditions at international conferences, and predicted their distribution on Earth's surface. Why is this important?

Years of studying gold deposits led him to believe that large deposits of gold and silver are often found in ophiolitic complexes. This insight suggested that the geological structure of areas where these relics are discovered should be re-evaluated for potential mineral deposits, especially gold. For instance, Dobrecov's prediction about the Okinsky district in Buryatia was confirmed by the discovery of the Zun-Kholbinskoye deposit, which yielded over 60 tons of gold over 20 years.

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© Архив Института геологии и минералогии имени В. Соболева СО РАН

Nikolai Leontievich studied processes occurring in the depths of the Earth, creating a new field focused on metamorphic facies and formations, and their connection to metamorphogenic deposits. He developed petrological models of ophiolite and eclogite-glaucophane schist complexes in the Earth's crust. For these studies, he was awarded the USSR Lenin Prize, the Russian Federation State Prize, and other state and public honors, including the Order of Merit for the Fatherland.

Nikolai Leontievich was born in Leningrad in 1936 into a family of prominent specialists in physical electronics, with his father, Leonty Dobrecov, being a significant figure in the field.

«From childhood, I was 'charged' toward science. I wavered between mathematics, shipbuilding, and geology. My father had a rule: after successfully finishing school, each of us four children could choose a reward—either money for a gift or a trip with him. I chose the trip and went to the Pamirs, to a cosmic ray research station, where I spent two months working as a lab assistant. That experience ultimately determined my path»,- the scientist recalled.

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© С отцом на Памире, 1953 год/ Из семейного архива Добрецовых ("Наука из первых рук")

Even as a student at the Leningrad Mining Institute, Nikolai told his classmates that he would either become a minister or an academician. His grandfather was the founder of Russia's domestic surveying and geodesy school, a professor at the Leningrad Mining Institute, and the first rector of the Ural Mining Institute, Nikolai Kell. His uncle was also a rector of the Leningrad Mining Institute. Nikolai was always proud of his scientific family roots, and although he came from a line of renowned ancestors, he made a name for himself independently.

He did indeed become an academician and even served as the vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and the head of its Siberian branch.

After graduating, the young specialist immediately went into the field, starting as a senior geologist in geological surveying expeditions in Siberia, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Far East. Summers were spent in the field, while winters were for data processing back in Leningrad. Four years later, a decree was issued by the Central Committee and the Council of Ministers to establish the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

According to Dobretsov, his celebrated grandfather advised him, "I see that you’re thoughtful and curious. But here in Leningrad, there are too many like you, packed in like sardines. Go to Siberia. There's new work there, and you’ll have a chance to make your mark." And so it happened.

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© Строительство института геологии и геофизики СО РАН, 1959 год

In 1960, Nikolai Leontievich joined the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences, where he progressed over 20 years from a junior researcher to head of a laboratory.

«In 1979, I was on a work assignment at Stanford University: first for an internship, then to teach a course on the geology of Asia. During my time there, an assistant professor position opened up. The Dean of the Geology Department, Robert Coleman, tried to persuade me to stay, offering an apartment and a promising career. I said, 'Thank you!' and turned him down. A year later, as part of our scientific collaboration, he visited me in Ulan-Ude, where I had become the director of the Geological Institute of the Buryat branch of the Siberian Division of the USSR Academy of Sciences. He looked around—a small institute, a modest little town. Certainly not San Francisco. He was left puzzled, wondering, 'Why did you trade Stanford for this backwater?», - Dobretsov recounted.

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© Профессор Роберт Колман и профессор Николай Добрецов во время совещания «Доюрская эволюция Восточной Азии», Улан-Удэ

He lived in Ulan-Ude for 10 years, and in his final years there, he held two roles simultaneously: Chairman of the Buryat Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. In Buryatia, Nikolai Lvovich developed as an administrator and leader. Under his management was not just a small laboratory team of ten people but an entire institute within a national republic. This brought a fundamentally different scale of responsibilities and opportunities. He addressed issues of the Trans-Baikal and Pribaikal regions, created new survey maps, and collaborated with industry professionals.

During his work on these maps, Dobretsov focused on geological generalizations, which marked his shift toward tectonics—a pivotal stage in his scientific development.

«Plate tectonics was a revolution in geology that took place precisely in the 1980s. Before this, geological theories were largely based on fixism—everything was static; mountains would rise and sink, basins would subside and fill with seawater, then uplift again as the sea receded. But a new perspective emerged, positing that all geology is defined by moving plates, which travel vast distances. Geology transformed from a random collection of sciences into geodynamics, an integrated discipline», - Dobretsov reflected.

His motto was to "outpace without chasing"—to find unique challenges that no one had yet tackled and, by uniting efforts, solve them. Together with colleagues, he was among the first to explore questions of geodynamics and to search for remnants of ancient oceanic crust—on the ocean floors, in mountains, and deserts.

In 1997, Dobretsov became the Chairman of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This was a challenging time marked by economic default, with devalued resources and meager salaries. Academic science was on the brink of collapse, and fundamental research nearly ceased due to the lack of state funding. Expeditions seemed like an impossible dream. Yet, even then, Dobretsov, who was deeply committed to fieldwork, did everything he could to find ways to send researchers on expeditions, advocating to officials that fieldwork was essential for geologists. He actively worked to establish international connections and was one of the initiators and founders of AASA—the Association of Academies of Sciences in Asia.

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© Архив Института геологии и минералогии имени В. Соболева СО РАН

"Outstanding geologist, your achievements are recognized both in our country and far beyond its borders. The results of your research, which hold great theoretical and practical significance, not only help unveil the mysteries of the Earth’s crust but also lead to the discovery of rare mineral deposits", - said Russian President Vladimir Putin, congratulating Dobretsov on his latest milestone birthday.

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© Избрание Добрецова, выпускника Ленинградского горного института, почетным доктором альма-матер, 2000 год

In 2020, just a few months before his 85th birthday, Nikolai Leontievich embarked on a journey to the Eastern Sayan Mountains, where he enthusiastically explained ophiolite complexes and rock formations to his companions, made entries in his journal, and marked maps, occasionally exclaiming, "This is simply amazing; we are standing on the ocean floor that's about a billion years old!" This expedition turned out to be his last...

The day before his passing, he was editing articles, and ten hours prior, he participated in an online conference. On December 23, 2020, the scientist passed away..