I am Irina Kircheva Marinova. I work as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Mineralogy and Crystallography, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. I graduated from Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in 1984 with a magister degree in Geology, with an emphasis in Mineral Resources and Geochemistry. I defended my PhD in Economic Geology in 1994. My PhD thesis focused on the mineralogy and geochemistry of a central Rhodopean lead-zinc ore field in southern central Bulgaria. I have extensive field and research experience exploring base-metal and gold deposits in Bulgaria. I have published my most significant findings in leading journals, such as Mineralium Deposita and Geology of Ore Deposits. Over the last two decades, my main research has focused on the mineralogy, geochemistry, and ore-forming processes of the Krumovgrad goldfield in SE Bulgaria. Other research areas include archaeomineralogy and geoarchaeology. In recent years, I have focused on mining and metallurgical waste from metal extraction, with particular emphasis on recycling and valorization. I am a member of the Bulgarian Geological Society. Nice to see you at SciProfiles!