Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan – Askar Miniakhmedovich Kunaev’s the 90th anniversary
A talented scientist and a major science organizer, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, laureate of state prizes of the USSR and KazSSR, Kunayev Askar Miniakhmed would have turned into 90 years old on July 14 2019.
A solemn meeting of members of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the scientific community of the republic was held, dedicated to this event on July 12 2019 in the conference hall of the House of Scientists of the RSE “Gylym Ordasy”.
The meeting was opened by Murat Zhurinov, the president of the NAS RK, academician of the NAS RK. Murat Zhurinov, highly appreciating the role of Academician Kunaev A.M. in the development of Kazakhstani science, spoke, in particular, about joint work with the study of hydro- and pyrometallurgical processes of extracting alloying metals from rare-metal phosphate-siliceous raw materials of Kazakhstan. Based on these developments, the Novo-Dzhambul Phosphorus Plant introduced the technology of sintering of phosphorite fines and sintering of sinter in phosphoric furnaces. This allowed the plant to produce ferrophosphorus containing, in comparison with the usual, 2-3 times more titanium and 1.5-2 times – vanadium. The alloy was recommended for use as a complex ligature in the smelting of wear-resistant phosphorous cast irons used in the manufacture of brake pads for rail transport.
Bagdaulet Kenzhaliyev, the General Director – Chairman of the Board of JSC Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Benficiation (IMOB), Honored Worker of the Republic of Kazakhstan, reported on the life path and scientific activities of A.M. Kunaev. He outlined the basic facts of the biography of Academician Askar Kunaev.
A.M. Kunaev graduated from the Moscow Institute of Steel in 1951, after which he was sent to work at a metallurgical plant in the city of Temirtau, which later became the largest enterprise of ferrous metallurgy in Kazakhstan.
The scientific activity of A.M. Kunaev began in 1953, when he entered the graduate school of the Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. He was successfully developing an important scientific direction – the development of physical and chemical bases and technologies for the complex processing of off-balance ores and industrial products of the metallurgical and chemical industry, and the extraction of alloying metals from rare-metal phosphorus-containing raw materials.
In 1972, A. M. Kunaev and co-authors were awarded with the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR in the field of science and technology for the development and introduction of fundamentally new electrothermal methods for processing metallurgical industrial products, in 1982 for achievements in the field of complex processing of rare-metal phosphate-siliceous raw materials. In 1978, for the development and mastering of the original technology of copper, lead and zinc production, A.M. Kunaev in collaboration with the creative team was awarded with the USSR State Prize in the field of science and technology. In 1984, he was awarded with the USSR State Prize for the creation and introduction of the phosphorous iron ore processing technology into the metallurgical industry.
Askar Kunaev was elected as a president of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR in 1974, he was concurrently elected as a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, as well as an academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences in 1981. Askar Kunaev had worked as the president of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic for 12 years. Under his leadership, the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR carried out extensive work on the development of promising scientific directions, strengthening the material and technical base of scientific institutions, training research personnel, expanding international scientific and technical ties, and organizing major scientific forums.
Currently, the IMOB under the leadership of General Director, Bagdaulet Kenzhaliyev, continues the traditions established by the founders of scientific schools and develops new scientific directions.One scientific and technical program called “Development and Implementation of Innovative Technologies Ensuring Increased Extraction of Non-ferrous, Noble, Rare, Rare-Earth Metals and Solution of Industrial Problems of Industrial Enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan” and twenty grant projects are being implemented. At the Experimental Metallurgical Production, production sites were organized to obtain functional materials within the framework of commercialization projects for scientific research.
The Institute actively cooperates in improving technological processes and solving production problems with such industrial enterprises and national companies of the country, and also develops cooperation with foreign research centers and industrial companies in Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkey, and China.On May 24 2019, a Cooperation Agreement was signed in Beijing between the Institute of Metallurgy and Ore Beneficiation and the BGRIMM Technology Corporation (China) on the establishment of a joint research and development center.
The institute publishes the scientific and technical journal called “Complex Use of Mineral Resources” which was founded in 1978. Currently, the journal is a part of the international digital database of publications Crossref Publishers International Linking Association, Inc., which contributes to the popularization of scientific achievements of our and foreign scientists.
In conclusion, Bagdaulet Kenzhaliyev said: “On the day of his 90th birthday, we want to pay tribute and appreciation to his scientific and scientific-organizational activities for the benefit of the development of academic science in Kazakhstan and express our gratitude for his high personal qualities – intelligence, wisdom, ability to create an atmosphere creativity and creative labor”.
A.M. Kunaev was distinguished by a high intellectual level, innate nobility, caring attitude to students and colleagues, democratic leadership style, simplicity and sincerity in communication.
Rosa Kunaeva shared her memories about her brother. A.M. Kunaev was a wonderful brother, a model to follow, he was attentive and sensitive to his relatives. He started school at a very early age, at the age of 5. Since he began studying with his older sister, teachers could not not allow to attend school.Another reason of school permision was that because Askar’s father was the director of the state farm. Askar was a great scientist and at the same time he had some practical skills. So, he knew how to repair shoes well, he mastered this craft in the difficult years of his youth and in his mature years, at his leisure, he could demonstrate this skill.
His sons, Eldar Kunaev and Diar Kunaev held a speech about their father. Eldar has been working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2007. Eldar was the Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the city of Omsk (Russia) from 2010 to 2018; he has been a Consul of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the city of Brest (Belarus)since 2018. The other son, Diar has headed the Mukhtar Auezov International Foundation for many years.
In the end of the solemn event, the presentation of a new book called “Onegeli omir” which was published in Kazakh Language and devoted to the Academician Askar Kunaev.
