Slovenia is a small country covering as little as 0.014 % of the world land surface. It is also poor with mineral raw materials. Nevertheless, geologically very complex area of Slovenia, at the contact between the Alps, Dinarids and Pannonian Basin, holds deposits of various mineral and energy raw materials. Some of them are even Europe or World particularities, such as Idrija, Velenje, Mežica, Žirovski vrh. The investigations of the eastern part of the Northern Karavanke Mountains yielded new information on the origin of the Mežica ore deposits, as well as Alpine lead and zinc ore deposits in general, which, however, are still not satisfactory explained (the discovery of the Peca thrust and its structural - kinematic interpretation; structural and time interpretation of the lean and zinc mineralization in the Mežica ore deposit). We have set theoretical foundations and conducted practical implementation of the methodology for macroscopic characterisation of the Velenje lignite, which in a broader sense contributes to lithotype classification of soft brown coals. Genetically interpreted petrological, palaeofloristical and geochemical zonation of the Velenje and Zasavje coal enables the comparison with some other coal deposits in the area between the Alps, Dinarids and Pannonian basin. A theoretical contribution to the implementation of the principles of sustainable development into mineral resources management in different levels (national, local and objective) is also important. We succeeded in the interpretation of the origin of sedimentary rocks of the lower part of the Val Gardena Formation in the Žirovski vrh ore deposit, which belongs among the most important European uranium deposits, as well as the characteristics and origin of zircon minerals in the Val Gardena Formation.