UNDERSTANDING MINERALIZATION CONTROLS: APPLIED STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY TO EXPLORATION AND MINING

Understanding the structural geological controls on ore deposition and geometry is of critical importance in exploration and mining. Structural geological controls impact exploration area selection, near-mine exploration, resource delineation and estimation, geotechnical domaining, hydrogeology, and in some cases metallurgy. This two day course is designed to deliver practical tools for industry geologists to interpret and utilize structural data in regional and deposit scale exploration, resource estimation, and mining (e. g. in resource estimation: geology defines the resource, not grade alone). Day 1 will focus on the tools and methods for interpreting structural data and key structural principles in mineral exploration. This will be followed by an overview of the use of structural geology in regional exploration, geophysical interpretation (e. g. aeromagnetic interpretation), and exploration targeting/target ranking. Day 2 investigates the application of structural geology to near-mine/deposit scale exploration, 3D modelling of ore bodies and geology, and impact on resource estimation (e. g. gross geometric controls; continuity/variability of ore zone contacts and grade) and mining (e. g. dilution factors; geotechnical domains).