Professional Development Training

This course offers:

• an introduction to a wide variety of magmatic-hydrothermal mineral systems for early career geoscientists
• a refresher for experienced economic geologists
• a unique opportunity to learn about and discuss some unusual deposit styles and models from around the world.

Day 1

• An introduction to hydrothermal processes, wall rock alteration, applications of hyperspectral mapping and remote sensing
• Intrusion related and greisen mineralisation
• Convergent margins Cu-Au porphyry systems
• Epithermal precious metal ore systems

Day 2

• Intraplate Mo porphyry systems and collision-related porphyry and porphyry-skarn systems
• Carlin-type and Carlin-style systems
• Skarn deposits and Gejiu-type systems in southwest China
• An overview of the extended family of iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposits, including some unusual IOCG-style deposits and Kiruna (iron oxide –apatite IOA) ore systems.

Professor Franco Pirajno has extensive experience in the fields of tectonics, ore deposit geology and mineral exploration in Europe, southern Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand, the southwest Pacific, China, Greenland, southern and eastern Siberia, and Australia.  He is an internationally recognised expert on mineral systems, with more than 50 years of experience in industry, academia and government. He has extensive knowledge in tectonics and ore deposit geology in Europe, southern Africa, South East Asia, New Zealand, southwest Pacific, China, southern Siberia, Greenland and Australia. He is the author of five books, has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers and 20 peer-reviewed geological maps.

Presentation

Course Dates

23 & 24 February 2021

2 x half day workshops

A minimum number of registrants has to be confirmed by 05 February 2021 for this course to go ahead. Please register and make your course fee payment at the time of registration to confirm your attendance and secure your place.

DAY 1 -   The Principles and Key Success Criteria of Exploration Management

DAY 2 -   Day-to-Day Management for Mineral Exploration

• The Exploration Process
• Exploration Portfolio & Pipeline
• Key Exploration Management Decisions
• Exploration methods: Geology, Geochemistry & Geophysics – from a management perspective
• Engaging Consultants
• Drilling: Planning, the Drill Contract, Rig Supervision, monitoring performance

DAY 3 -  Data Management for Mineral Exploration and Feasibility Studies

• Geochem/Drilling data – the importance of a relational database
• Geochemistry QAQC
• Managing Geophysical Data
• Spatial Data: GIS & Maps
• Technical Reports – why they are so important, and how to ensure they get done

DAY 4 -   The Non-Technical Aspects of Minerals Exploration Management (e.g. HR, Administration Logistics, HSEC)

• HR: Organisational Structure, Job Descriptions, Succession Planning, Teamwork, Employment Contracts, Performance Management, Staff Development & Training
• Administration: Asset Management, Field Logistics, Tenement Administration, Budgets & Expenditure Controls
• Health & Safety: Risk Management, Promoting Awareness, MERP, Incident Investigations
• Environment: Approvals, Baseline Studies, Minimising Impacts, Rehabilitation
• Community Relations: Engagement, Why they matter, Standards & Guidelines, Sticky Issues, Security, Socio-Economic Development

DAY 5 -  Financial Aspects of Mineral Exploration and Project Management Evaluation

• Introduction to Finance, the Market, Funding Exploration
• Economic Evaluation of Projects: DCF analysis, building an Economic Model
• Project Valuations: Income, Cost- & Market-based methods
• Accounting Basics: the Balance Sheet, Income Statement & Cash Flow
• The Use of Financial Ratios

Nick is an exploration geologist with a broad range of experience, from grassroots to advanced project (feasibility study) and near-mine operations. He has explored for most types of gold and base metal deposits in a variety of geological terranes, in more than 20 countries, on three continents. This course is based on the Business and Financial Management Masters subject, originally developed by Dr Andrew White and presented by both Andrew and Nick at James Cook University.

Nick also offers EGRU Exploration Management courses for Engineers and for Non-Technical Professionals. These course are aimed at professionals involved in the management of exploration companies and exploration program

Dennis Arne has nearly 30 years experience in geology and applied geochemistry globally. He has overseen regional geochemical exploration programs in the Yukon, Nunavut and northern Quebec in Canada, the USA, eastern Australia, Suriname, Sudan and Laos.

He was Managing Director and Principal Consultant - Geochemistry of CSA Global Canada until late 2017, General Manager and Principal Consultant – Geochemistry for Revelation Geoscience (purchased by CSA Global in 2012), Principal Consulting Geochemist with ioGlobal (now Reflex Geochemistry) and formerly Senior Geochemist with Geoscience Victoria (now Geological Survey of Victoria, Australia).

Dennis is currently director and principal consulting geochemist at Telemark Geosciences. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, a Fellow and President of the Association of Applied Geochemists, is a Registered Professional Geoscientist (Geochemistry) in Australia and a registered Professional Geoscientist in British Columbia.

This intensive 7-day course is designed to provide geoscientists with an introduction to the geology of Mt Isa Inlier, a world-class metallogenic province, and develop essential exploration-related field skills applicable in complexly deformed and altered terrains. Detailed ‘form surface’ mapping of
contacts, alteration zones and structures will be integrated with paragenesis, geophysical interpretation and the use of alternate knowledge-based and data-based exploration models, including an introduction to the simple and useful application of semi-quantitative prospectivity tools.

The course will be based in the Eastern Mt Isa Block, which contains world class IOCG and Pb-Zn-Ag deposits as well as important U and REE mineralisation.

The course is offered as professional development training to professional geoscientists and university students seeking to improve their field geology and mapping capabilities.

The course will include (Subject to change):

• Field visits to major structural and terrain boundaries, including discussions and assessment of the nature, significance and potential of these major structures for mineralization.
• Visits to selected ore deposits, with discussions about deposit geology and potential exploration models for similar deposits.
• Veins, breccias, shear zones: paragenesis, overprinting, mechanisms, geometry.
• Advanced structural geology and structural controls
• Developing exploration strategies from field observations