Exploration and Mining 1

Curriculum guideline

Effective Date:
Return to Course
Print Guideline
Course
EAES 2900
Discontinued
No
Course code
EAES 2900
Descriptive
Exploration and Mining 1
Department
Earth & Environmental Sciences
Faculty
Science & Technology
Credits
4.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
20
Contact hours
Lecture 2 hours Lab 4 hours
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Lab
Learning activities

Lectures, labs, and occasional field trips.

Course description
This course covers the various stages of the mineral exploration process, from reconnaissance to pre-development. Field trips will be required.
Course content
  • Mineral economics and industry structure, including:  types of companies, financial markets, commodities, economic cyles;
  • Mineral deposits, including: economic minerals, alteration minerals and coal, deposit models (sedimentary, magmatic, hydrothermal, supergene);
  • Process of exploration, including:  exploration phases, geological methods, remote sensing, geophysical methods, geochemical methods, drilling methods;
  • Sampling mediums and methods and applied statistics;
  • Exploration safety, including:  risk assessment, planning, training, equipment, evacuation;
  • Exploration tenure and access, including:  mineral ownership, mineral claims, surface access, guidelines and regulations, interested parties;
  • Mining methods;
  • Maps and cross-sections showing exploration information, using GIS and other methods.
Learning outcomes

After successfully completing EAES 2900, a student will be able to:

  • Discuss the economic and industrial factors that affect exploration and mining;
  • List major types of mineral deposits;
  • Describe the stages of the exploration process, including the methods used to collect and assess information;
  • Describe sampling methods, and use appropriate sampling methods to collect soil and rock samples;
  • Identify exploration safety risks, and prepare an emergency response plan;
  • Describe the process of gaining tenure and access to an exploration property, including identifying interested parties;
  • Summarize the common methods of mining;
  • Prepare maps and cross-sections to display exploration information.
Means of assessment

Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College 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 exams and quizzes     25%

Final exam                         25%

Textbook materials

Students should consult the bookstore for the latest required course materials, including textbooks.

Textbooks:  

  • Moon, C.J, Whately, K.G., Evans, A.M.; Introduction to Mineral Exploration; Blackwell Publishing.
  • Stephens, R.; Mineral Exploration and Mining Essentials;  Pakawau GeoManagement Inc.
  • Coe, A.L.; Geological Field Techniques;  Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.

Additional course materials:  "Rite in the Rain" waterproof booklet or equivalent, rock hammer, hand lens, mineral identification kit, safety eyewear.

Prerequisites

EAES 1500

and EAES 1900 or GEOL 1900

and CMNS (1105 or 1110 or 1111 or 1115 or 1118) or ENGL (any 1100 level course).

Corequisites

Courses listed here must be completed either prior to or simultaneously with this course:

  • No corequisite courses
Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses
Which prerequisite

EAES 2810 and EAES 2910.