Mineral Exploration, Economics and Sustainability

Module code: GL3109

The exploration for - and assessment of - new mineral resources is a complex process. The industry relies on the assessment of multiple datasets of geographical, geochemical, geophysical, and economic data to identify areas of the Earth's crust that appear anomalous. This may include the presence of elevated concentrations of certain metals in streams and soils, or changes in the physical properties of the sub-surface that may indicate bodies of rock enriched in certain minerals. Once discovered, further analysis is required to advance a promising discovery to an identified resource and ultimately to an economically viable reserve.

This module has been designed in association with the exploration industry through a pioneering collaboration with Micromine. You will take the role of a junior exploration geologist, responsible for a desk study assessment of an exploration project where you have access to relevant datasets. You will analyse these in ‘real time’, using industry-standard software, and will then decide whether to progress with the exploration; if so, you will get a budget to design the next stage of exploration.

You will also be involved in the later-stage evaluation of a separate project for your ‘company’, which will require you to determine the future cash flows it will generate, assess its economic viability, highlight financial and technical risks, and make a recommendation to the company on whether to proceed.

The module provides a range of relevant employability skills, including the use of widely used industry software and the production of industry-style reports, plus the transferrable skills of problem-solving and managing and analysing large datasets. It provides an excellent experience of the projects you’ll encounter as a graduate geologist in the exploration and financial industries.