Mineral Exploration and Economic Geology
This course has the objective to offer information relevant to students and professionals interested in careers in the mineral resource sector, with a focus on metallic resources such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, molybdenum, uranium, and gemstones such as diamonds.The course provides an overview of the economics of the mineral sector, including the current state of the sector, a review of the major types of mineral deposits for metals, and a review of the main exploration techniques currently used in mineral exploration. In addition, the course addresses topics related to the management, business and regulatory aspects of mineral exploration projects, including the corporate social responsibility of companies involved in exploration and mining.
The course integrates numerous aspects from different disciplines / domains (e.g. mineral economics, Economic Geology, project management, regulatory aspects) that need to be understood by professionals and managers of mineral exploration and development companies, as well as by investors in such companies.
Dirigido a
The content of the course is of interest to:
- Geology / Geoscience / Earth Science graduates and students pursuing pre- and post-graduate studies, who contemplate potential careers in the mineral industry.
- Employees of companies involved in the mineral resource sector (e.g. exploration and mining companies, geophysical companies, drilling companies, assay laboratories), both at the technical and management levels, who would like to acquire / refresh knowledge on the multiple and complex aspects that need to be considered for the proper execution of mineral exploration and development projects.
- Government professionals involved in the development of policies and regulations for the mineral sector in Colombia (e.g. Agencia Nacional de Mineria) and in the acquisition of background geoscientific data on the Colombian territory (e.g. Servicio Geologico Colombiano), who would like to understand the needs and constraints of the mineral exploration and development companies.
- Potential investors who contemplate investments in exploration and mining companies.
- Financial analysts interested in providing informed advice regarding investments in Mineral Exploration and Mining.
Objetivos
- Understanding of mineral economics – relationships between the economic cycles and mineral exploration, as an activity responding to the Society’s demand for metals.
- Understanding of long-term trends in the demand for metals and in multiple aspects regarding the search and the discovery of mineral deposits (e.g. global exploration budget trends, commodities sought, regional trends, discovery trends).
- General understanding of the major classes of mineral deposits, their geological environment and their characteristics.
- General understanding of the techniques available for the search of mineral deposits.
- Understanding of the aspects involved in the management of exploration projects, including regulatory and social corporate responsibility aspects.
Metodología
The course consists of a series of six lectures, three hours each, for a total of 18 hours.The course is offered in the English language.
There is no evaluation or test in this course.
Contenido
- Mineral Sector Economics: demand for mineral resources, mineral resources and mineral reserves, prices, cycles, markets, structure of the industry, stages of projects, chances of succes, factors of risk, financing, long-term trends in exploration
- Mineral Deposits: Classifications, Magmatic deposits, Hydrothermal Deposits (Porphyry, Skarn, Epithermal, VMS, Orogenic Gold), Sedimentary Deposits
- Exploration Techniques: remote sensing, geologic mapping, geophysics, geochemistry, drilling
- Mineral Exploration Projects: Guidelines for planning and execution, quality assurance and quality control, Regulatory Aspects, Business and Management aspects, Corporate Social Responsibility
