Turquoise and rare metals may be present on Smith Island in Antarctica, announced Professor Hristo Pimpirev, Chair of the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute, during an event held in the Planetarium’s Star Hall at the Nikola Vaptsarov Naval Academy in Varna on April 11. He presented a summary of the results from Bulgaria’s 33rd polar expedition. Captain Second Rank Nikolay Danailov also spoke about the third Antarctic voyage of Bulgaria’s first military research vessel, RSV 421 Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
The event was attended by Vice President Iliana Iotova, Naval Academy's Rector, Flotilla Admiral Kalin Kalinov, Professor Boyan Mednikarov, and the Rector of Sofia University, Professor Georgi Valchev.
The 33rd polar expedition, which ended on Friday, has been one of the most successful to date, Pimpirev said. In his words, Bulgarian scientists have worked on more than 30 projects.
For the first time, the team began studying solar activity, marking the entry of astrophysics and astronomy into Bulgaria’s polar research. Bulgarian researchers also focused heavily on microbiology, which is critical due to the presence of endemic microorganisms on the frozen continent. He stressed that Antarctica is like a different planet, making it possible to extract strains from those unique microorganisms for the development of new medicines, including some with anti-cancer properties.
One of the expedition’s major achievements was conducting geological surveys of Smith Island — a first for Bulgarian scientists. Initial samples suggest the likely presence of turquoise. The island remains largely unexplored, having only been visited by five expeditions to date — from the U.S., the U.K., and three tourist groups climbing its highest peak.
Pimpirev stressed that Smith Island could be rich in rare and valuable metals — the kind already driving global conflicts. “We must study it,” he said, “because in 20 years, when the current moratorium is lifted, Bulgaria will have the right to use these resources.” He added that the polar researchers aren’t working for the present generation but for our children.
As a great achievement, Pimpirev pointed out the completion of a state-of-the-art scientific laboratory at the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island. “It will serve researchers — not just Bulgarians — for years to come,” he noted with a smile, adding that it’s built for the 22nd century, not the 21st.
The Bulgarian vessel Sts. Cyril and Methodius also enabled scientists from other countries to reach Antarctica for the first time. Pimpirev specified that support was provided to researchers from Montenegro, the United Arab Emirates, Greece, and Spain.
Pimpirev concluded by noting that many tasks remain for the 34th expedition and that there is enough scientific work in Antarctica for at least 33 more expeditions.
Captain Danailov shared more about the ship’s third journey to the Antarctic. He highlighted the international cooperation facilitated by the ship, as it assisted foreign teams with their polar research programmes. Danailov also emphasised the constant training of the crew to handle both equatorial heat and Antarctic cold.
He mentioned that the ship received timely information about potential pirate threats. Mandatory training exercises, including live fire at sea targets, were carried out — with coverage in local media hinting that the vessel is armed and capable of navigating even higher-risk areas safely. Danailov also spoke about the ship's port calls en route to Antarctica, highlighting the docking in Mar del Plata, Argentina, where a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the city and Varna.
Source: BTA
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