The Institute was founded in 1957. It was an academician I.V. Tanan,ev who played a significant part in the process of its foundation and who influenced its subject -matter forming. The Institute acquired his name in 1997, on the eve of his 40th anniversary. At present acad. V.T. Kalinnikov heads the Institute.

   There are 12 laboratories, a design office, experimental workshops and pilot plants in the institute structure. There are 290 workers on its staff, including 105 research assistants, 17 doctors of science and 51 candidates of science. A dissertation council on the following specialties is attached to the institute: "Ferrous, non-ferrous and rare metals metallurgy", "Geoecology" and "Inorganic chemistry".

   As a result of the research work a scientific school was established, it works out the theory of complex nonpolluting treatment of natural and technogenic raw materials and mining wastes. In particular the institute carried out researches on chemistry and technology of no conventional titanium-rare-metal and aluminum silicate raw materials, comprising loparite, perofskite, sphen, eudialyte, baddeleyite, titaniferous magnetite and nepheline. On the basis of these researches the fundamental hydrometallurgical technologies of complex titanium, niobium, zirconium, yttrium, aluminum and rare metal ores were worked out; these principles open up possibilities for the development of unique deposits of the Kola Peninsula.

   The developments of the Institute in the field of titaniferrous niobates are put into practice in a complex technology of loparyte at the firm "SILMET" (Sillamae, Estonia).

   In recent years the research work acquired a bias of the material authority, first of all the study of materials for electronic engineering and other science-capacious industries. The production methods of the following materials were worked out:

    The calculated models for paramagnetic clusters magnetism and magnetic semiconductors were worked up at the Institute. A new class of ferroelectric nonlinear optical materials was revealed. The basic principles of getting optical and laser materials with laser emission tolerance were formulated.

    Material processing for optoacustic electronics on basis of lithium niobates and tantalates, which includes niobium and tantalum extraction refinement, charge synthesis, single-crystal growth, manufacturing of piezoplates and waste recovery was worked out and applied in industry.

    An acidic nepheline technology with getting of coagulants, explosives elements and amorphous silica was worked up and applied in industry. Jointly with the Mining Institute an explosive technology, based on silicon-containing thickening agent, was installed at JS "OLKON" and JS "APATIT". The applying of the new explosive let increase the performance characteristics and environmental safety during drilling-and-blasting. (This work was honored the Prize of the Government of the RF in the sphere of science and technology in 1997.)

    According to the order of business a production line with the annual capacity of 70 th./t of coaglant-floculant was applied at JS "Apatit". The product is used for the apatite and nepheline concentrate pulp thickening and also for cleaning of recycle waters and domestic and agricultural sewages.

    The scientific ground for electrolytic generating processes of high-clean rare metals and protective plating was worked out. A Kola seminar on rare meal electrochemistry exists on basis of the laboratory of molten salts, which in recent years has achieved an international status.

    Scientific ground for substitution of fire production by hydrometallurgical one at "Severonikel" combine was worked out; this let reduce the rare metal losses and make the production at the combine almost pollution-free.

    The institute worked out the technology of high-clean cobalt production from cobaltic cake and combine concentrate. An experimental-industrial plant, producing clean cobaltic salts with the production capacity of 200 tons of metal was applied there. The possible hydrometallurgical production of all output cobalt is being under consideration now.

   

For "Severonikel" combine a technology of osmium extraction from waste anion-exchange resin using a cobalt hydroxide (III) oxidizer was applied in industry. The annual benefit from the technology amounts to 800 th./rub.

    The institute developed a unique extraction technology of sulphuric acid regeneration from manifolds, which is derived at treated copper electrolytes processing. Pure acid and non-ferrous metal sulfates can be reprocessed, ensuring practically nonwaste method. At present acid regeneration complexes are being built at the combine.

    The man-caused wastes processing technology is an important activity interest of the Institute. The following technologies are being successfully worked up: iron-containing products treatment and manufacturing of high-clean iron compounds, processing of sulfuric acid apatite concentrate treatment wastes (phosphogypsum and phosphopolyhydrate) and manufacturing of rare-earth elements, processing of waste military equipment and manufacturing of precious metals and by-products.

   

A number of new building and technical materials was received from mining wastes and by-products of metallurgical works, including fine concretes for radiation and corrosion protection of underwater pipelines. Highly efficient compounds and a device for fire-resisting coating of communication lines, also at nuclear power engineering plants, various chemically stable ceramic materials and decorative and heat-resistant glassware were suggested.

    Before an attestation examination in 1997 a Kola building materials test center was established on basis of the laboratory of concretes, it is occupied with the property determination of the feed stock, materials and products and includes the following qualities: strength, solidity, specific surface, reactivity, abradability, water uptake, frost-resistance, waterproofness, acid -and alkaline proofness, heat resistance, refractoriness, thermal conductivity and chemistry. Also a mineral and petrographical and radiation - hygienic assessment is carried out.

    During the years of activity the workers of the institute received 585 inventor's certificates of the USSR and patents of the RF, including 121 ones in 1991 - 1999. The research activity of the Institute won the worldwide recognition and from 1970 the merchantable inventions are patented abroad (21 inventions was patented in 29 countries by 93 foreign patents). The Institute completed 7 license agreements amounting to 3.5 mln./doll.

    Due to the fact that the equipment of laboratories is being renewed, the up-to-date research work can be conducted there. In recent years the institute bought a spectrometer for combinative light diffusion spectrum registration RamanSpec, a bitmap electronic microscope LED-420, a device for specific surface determination - Flow Sorb 2300, a potentostate - AUT20 - AUTOLAB, a photosedimentometer "LUMOSED", a hammaspectrometer "Progress - AP", an atomic absorptive spectrometer "KVANT - AFA" and a tunnel microscope.