Lecture: 2 hours/week
and
Lab: 4 hours/week
Lecture, lab, and occasional field trips.
- Map fundamentals: Map scales, projections, coordinate systems and symbology.
- Publicly available maps and reports: GSC, BCGS and other provincial agencies, USGS, and commercial sources.
- Maps and cross-sections applied to exploration and mining: selection, display and analysis of types of data, surface locations (drill holes, samples, adits, claim boundaries, etc.), surficial geology, bedrock geology, structure, thickness, lithology, mineralogy, geochronology, geochemistry, facies, fractures, subsurface maps. Some applications will use GIS.
- Geology of sedimentary deposits of minerals and coal hydrocarbons: aggregate (gravel and sand), placer, coal, potash, uranium, banded iron, carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb, shale gas, petroleum and natural gas. Deposit characteristics: formation, mineralogy, petrology, diagenesis, alteration.
- Sample description: rock outcrops, core logging, drill cuttings, hand specimens, thin sections.
- Mineral and rock identification tools and techniques: mineral properties (hardness, fracture/cleavage, colour, lustre, crystal form, streak, and others), mineral percentage charts, binary and ternary charts (including QAPF), stereo (low-power) microscope and petrographic microscope (introductory skills).
- Simple geological reports: structure, illustrations.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
- utilize various publicly-available information sources when geologically evaluating an area;
- prepare and interpret a variety of geological map types, including paper base maps and GIS;
- describe types of sedimentary deposits of minerals and coal;
- collect mapping data from rock outcrops, drill cores and drill information;
- prepare geological reports.
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation will be based on the following:
Assignments and Labs: 25-40%
Project(s): 10-25%
Term Tests: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Total: 100%
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Example textbooks and materials may include:
Textbooks:
- Ridley, J.; Ore Deposit Geology; Cambridge University Press.
- Moon, C.J, Whateley, M.K.G., Evans, A.M.; Introduction to Mineral Exploration; Blackwell Publishing.
- Bennison, G.M.; An Introduction to Geological Structures and Maps; Hodder Education Publishing.
- Jebrak and Marcoux; Geology of Mineral Resources; Geological Association of Canada.
Other Course Materials: "Rite in the Rain" waterproof booklet or equivalent, rock hammer, hand lens, mineral identification kit, safety eyewear.