Advancing Science and Discovery

NEWSLETTER
w w w. s e g w e b . o r g

OCTOBER 2016 NUMBER 107

M
em R
An Inexpensive Way to Maximize and Preserve be ene
rs w
the Value of Oriented Core: The Orientation Log hi Y
p ou
p. r
Russell Myers, Mars Geosciences US Inc., Chris Brown, Oriented Targeting Solutions LLC, Leisa Meitl, 20
Northern Associates Inc., Chris Puchner, International Tower Hill Mines LLC, Carl Schaefer, –2
Northern Associates Inc., and Keith Schneider, Northern Associates Inc. 1

The orientation of diamond drill core can provide

invaluable information about structural geology
and mineralization that often cannot be obtained
in any other way, particularly in areas of poor
surface exposure or where hole conditions or
logistics preclude the use of televiewer technology.
It has been our experience that the data are often
used with good results by specific individuals,
usually consultants, who make their own mea-
surements to solve specific problems. However,
structural data gathered during routine logging are
commonly captured in a database with no infor-
mation on measurement quality and, as a result,
later users cannot distinguish genuine structural
complexity from error-related noise and often
conclude that the data are useless. In environ-
ments with consistently oriented planar features,
such as bedding, foliations, or vein sets, a quick
test of quality can be done by plotting the poles
to the features on a stereonet. If the data define a
small circle centered on the drill hole orientation,
it indicates that the orientation line has effectively
been spun around the drill FIGURE 1. Basic elements of core orientation. In this case a “back-end method” (see discus-
to page 14 . . .
axis, e.g., not drawn sion in text) was used, so the orientation mark was made at the bottom of the core run and the
line was drawn uphole to the previous mark. Note that every piece of core has an arrow on
†
Corresponding author: the orientation line, indicating the downhole direction. Smaller arrows at run blocks indicate
e-mail, rmyers@marsgeosciences.com the origin of the line (refer to text). Ori = orientation.

Ore Deposits of Asia: China and Beyond

O
September 17–20, 2017 Beijing, China

CUGB
seg2017.org
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No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 3

Contents
F E AT U R E A R T I C L E
NEWSLETTER 1 An Inexpensive Way to Maximize and Preserve the Value of Oriented Core:
The Orientation Log
Nº 107 — OCTOBER 2016
NEWSLETTER COLUMNS
Executive Editor................... Brian G. Hoal 4 From the Executive Director: Ramping Up for SEG 2017 in Beijing, China
Technical Editor.................. Shaun Barker 6 Presidential Perspective: A Global Society with a Global Vision and Global Responsibilities –
Views Editors............ Jeffrey Hedenquist Time to Deliver
John Thompson 7 SEGF Presidential Perspective: The “Fun” Part of Fund-Raising – Giving Away the Money
Production Editor................. Chris Brandt
News Editor.......................... Alice Bouley VIEWS
Graphic Design 9 Commentary on “SEG Programs Need More Practical Content”
   & Advertising........... Vivian Smallwood
Announcements..................... Alison Cronk SEG NEWS
7 Contributions – SEG, SEG Foundation, and SEG Canada Foundation
Society of Economic Geologists, Inc. 22 Dyslexic Mentor – Exploration Technology: Quest for the Missing Pieces
7811 Shaffer Parkway
24 Report on the 35th International Geological Congress, Cape Town, South Africa
Littleton, CO 80127-3732 USA
Tel. +1.720.981.7882 • Fax +1.720.981.7874
E-mail: seg@segweb.org SEG STUDENT NEWS
www.segweb.org 25 Round II 2016 Student Chapter Funding
25 Welcome, New SEG Student Chapters
Feature articles are 26 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki SEG Student Chapter Activities
peer reviewed before they 26 Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences SEG Student Chapter:
are accepted for publication. Zhongtiaoshan Copper Belt Field Trip
Please submit material to the 27 Colorado School of Mines SEG Student Chapter: Field Trip to
Technical Editor. the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand
28 McGill SEG Student Chapter: Field Trip to Minas Gerais and Goiás, Brazil
Tel. +1.720.981.7882
Fax +1.720.981.7874 28 University of Orléans SEG Student Chapter Field Trip
E-mail: sbarker@waikato.ac.nz
E X P L O R AT I O N R E V I E W S
The SEG Newsletter is published quarterly in January, 29 Alaska • 29 Australasia • 30 Northern Eurasia • 31 Contiguous United States
April, July, and October by the Society of Economic
Geologists, Littleton, Colorado, exclusively for mem-
bers of the Society. Opinions expressed herein are MEMBERSHIP
those of the writers and do not necessarily repre- 34 SEG Membership: Candidates and New Fellows, Members, and Student Members
sent official positions of the Society of Economic 36 Membership Recognition – 2016
Geologists. When quoting material from the SEG
­ 37 Personal Notes and News
Newsletter please credit both author and publication.
© 2016 The Society of Economic Geologists, Inc. ANNOUNCEMENTS
Printed by MODERN LITHO–PRINT CO. 5 SEG 2017 Conference: Ore Deposits of Asia: China and Beyond, Beijing, China
Jefferson City, Missouri 7 AEMA's 2016 Annual Meeting, Exposition and Short Courses, Sparks, Nevada
SEG Newsletter non-receipt claims must be 13 Quarterly Member Tip: SEG Fellowship Application
made within four (4) months of the date of publi- 20 It’s Time! Renew Your Membership 2017
cation in ­order to be filled without charge.
35 11th Annual Workshop — Ore Deposits Models and Exploration, Guiyang, China
— FOR CONTRIBUTORS — 36 An Interesting Read in Economic Geology
The SEG Newsletter is published for the benefit of 39 SEG Compilation Series (inside back cover)
the worldwide membership of the Society of Eco-
nomic Geologists. We invite news items and short
articles on topics of potential interest to the mem-
S E G E D U C AT I O N & T R A I N I N G C U R R I C U L U M
bership. If you have questions on submittal of ma- 32-33 SEG-WMS Senior Exploration Management Course, Littleton, Colorado, USA
terial, please call the SEG office at +1.720.981.7882
or send details by FAX to +1.720.981.7874; by e-mail
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
to publications@segweb.org.
Format: E-mailed news items should be 5 Mb
38 Calendar
maximum. Send to publications@segweb.org.
Short items may be faxed. Please include your
name and contact information for verification
purposes. Please e-mail Chris Brandt at the above
address if you have questions.
Advertising: Paid advertising is solicited to help ADVERTISERS —
offset publication and mailing costs; for rates, 2 Actlabs, Ltd. (inside front cover) 34 Laravie, Joseph A. 38 Resource Geosciences de Mexico
contact viviansmallwood@segweb.org. 24 Anzman, Joseph R. 36 Olson, Steven F. 30 SGS
24 AVRUPA Minerals 2 OREAS (inside front cover) 38 Shea Clark Smith
DEADLINE FOR NEWSLETTER #108: 27 Birak, Donald J. 36 Petrographic Consultants Intl. 31 Target 2017

November 30, 2016 27

25
Blue Sky Geoscience
Condor Consulting, Inc.
34
30
Recursos del Caribe, S.A.
Renaissance Gold, Inc.
2 Zonge Engineering & Research
(inside front cover)
37 Geoscientists Symposia
4 SEG NEWSLETTER
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ramping Up for SEG 2017 in Beijing, China
After a successful conference in Çeşme,
Turkey, the Society is in a very active
stage of planning our next major con-
ference, Ore Deposits of Asia: China and
Beyond, to be held over the period Sep-
tember 17–20, 2017, in Beijing, China.
This is the Society’s first such conference
in Asia and it will take place on the cam-
pus of the prestigious China University
of Geosciences, Beijing (CUGB), home to
10,000 students majoring in geology(!)
and this venue will ensure close coop-
eration with the Chinese earth sciences
community. In partnering with CUGB,
the Society plans to introduce many
of its members to a fascinating conti-
nent from the point of view of giant
ore deposits (including important new
discoveries from eastern Russia to the
southwestern Pacific arcs) and unique
cultural experiences. The SEG 2017
Organizing Committee is co-chaired
by Rich Goldfarb, who has affiliations
with CUGB and the Colorado School
of Mines, and Jun Deng, President of
CUGB and a prominent Chinese eco-
nomic geologist. Other members of the
Organizing Committee may be found on
www.seg2017.org where regular confer-
ence updates will be posted.
The CUGB campus boasts excellent
modern facilities and a western-style
hotel attached to the main conference
venue. In addition to other nearby
hotels, there is a wide array of restau-
rants within short walking distance that
offer a rich diversity of both local and
international cuisine. It is anticipated
to be the largest SEG conference to
date, with more than 1,000 attendees
likely, and early registration is strongly
advised. Starting with student events on
Sunday, September 17th, and a welcome
reception, technical sessions (opening
addresses, keynote talks, parallel and
poster sessions) will run from Monday
through Wednesday, September 18–20.
Yuling Xie and her committee of young
SEG professionals will be organizing
the student events that will include
a luncheon on the 17th, as well as a
mentoring forum planned to include
discussions of the benefits of SEG for
students and tips on publishing papers
in Economic Geology. Larry Meinert,
Editor of the journal, is coordinator of
the technical program, with keynote
sessions entitled Mineral Resources of
China, Giant Deposits of Asia, and New
Discoveries in Asia. Other proposed
technical sessions are Magmatic Ni-Cu-
PGE Deposits, Orogenic Au—Tectonic
Setting and Genesis, REE Deposits—
Geology, Mineralogy, and Genesis,
Porphyry Provinces of the Western
Pacific, Skarn Deposits—Metal Content
and Zonation, Sediment-hosted Base
and Precious Metal Deposits—Genetic
Controls on Mineralization, Analytical
Techniques and Equipment Applied to
Ore Deposit Research, and Ore Depos-
its of Tibet. The abstract deadline is
March 31, 2017, and instructions for
submittal will be available in early
2017. See p. 5 for more information.
A varied and exceptional group of
field trips are being organized under
the leadership of Kezhang Qin. In
China, these will include visits to the
Giant Jiaodong gold deposits, Guizhou
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
Carlin-like depos-
its, Yangtze River
Fe-Cu-Au porphy-
ries/skarns, Yunnan
metallogeny—base
metals, Au, and
IOCGs, Sn-W
Brian G. Hoal
resources of SE SEG Executive Director
China, Jinchuan and Editor
Ni-Cu-PGE ores,
and porphyry/
epithermal deposits of NE China. Trips
elsewhere in Asia will include the
Great Noril’sk magmatic province, gold
deposits of the Russian Far East, epi-
thermal gold ores of Japan, magmatic
mineral deposits of Indonesia, and
the Late Paleozoic metallogeny of the
Rudney Altai of Kazakhstan. Zhaoshan
Chang is setting up numerous pre- and
post-meeting workshops, with proposed
titles of Current Ideas for Exploration/
Ore Genesis (Base Metals, Carlin,
Orogenic Au, Porphyry, Epithermal,
Magmatic Ni-Cu, & VMS deposits) and
on Applied Techniques (Fluid Inclusion,
LA-ICP-MS, Modern Geochronology,
and Mineral Spectroscopy).
To accompany the conference, SEG
will release a Special Publication under
the editorship of Zhaoshan Chang and
Rich Goldfarb, entitled Mineral Deposits
of China, with versions in both English
and Mandarin. The conference abstracts
will be published in an English language
Chinese journal under the editorship of
Zhiming Yang.
A great social program is also part
of the agenda to take advantage of the
conference being hosted in this unique
setting. A partner program will include
trips to Great Wall, Forbidden City, Silk
Plaza, Pearl Market, and there will be a
post-meeting trip to Xi’an to view the
amazing Terracotta warriors. The SEG
Awards Dinner on September 19th will
be held at a nearby restaurant specializ-
ing in Beijing Duck. Evening excursions
will include visits to the Peking Opera
and the Great Leap Brew Pub.
This will be a meeting of wide inter-
est to those in both industry and aca-
demia. Late September generally brings
the most pleasant weather of the year to
Beijing and typically much clearer skies
than at other times.
We hope to see you all in Beijing
next fall. 1
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS • Abstract deadline: March 31, 2017
CONFERENCE CHAIRS
Richard Goldfarb
China University of Geosciences,
Beijing (CUGB) and Colorado School
of Mines
Jun Deng
China University of Geosciences,
Beijing (CUGB)
SEG Executive Director
Brian Hoal
Technical Program
Larry Meinert, U.S. Geological
Survey
Publications
Zhiming Yang, Chinese Academy of
Geological Sciences, Beijing
Field Trips
Kezhang Qin, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing
Short Courses
Zhaoshan Chang, James Cook
University, Australia
Poster Sessions
Liqiang Yang, China University of
Geosciences, Beijing (CUGB)
Marketing/Publicity in China
Jingwen Mao, Chinese Academy of
Geological Sciences
Marketing/Publicity Overseas
Nikki Morrison, Society of Economic
Geologists (SEG)
Student Activities
Yuling Xie, University of Science
and Technology Beijing
Administration/Logistics
Kunfeng Qiu, China University of
Geosciences, Beijing (CUGB)
SEG NEWSLETTER 5
Ore Deposits of Asia: China and Beyond
O
September 17–20, 2017 Beijing, China
CUGB
seg2017.org
The SEG-CUGB 2017 Conference, the Society’s first annual
meeting in Asia, will focus on the great deposits of China
and neighboring countries, and on the most important new
discoveries in this part of the globe.
 Themes:
• Mineral Resources of China
• Giant Deposits of Asia
• New Discoveries in Asia
• Magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE
• Orogenic Au—Tectonic Setting and Genesis
• REE Deposits—Geology, Mineralogy, and Genesis
• Porphyry Provinces of the Western Pacific
• Skarn Deposits—Metal Content and Zonation
• Sediment-hosted Base and Precious Metal
Deposits—Genetic Controls on Mineralization
• New Analytical Techniques and Equipment
Applied to Ore Deposits
• Ore Deposits of Tibet
 Field Trips in China and Beyond:
• Jiaodong Gold Deposits
• Guizhou Carlin-like Deposits
• Yangtze River Fe-Cu-Au Porphyries/Skarns
• Yunnan Metallogeny—Base Metals, Au, and IOCG
• Sn-W of Southeast China
• Jinchuan Ni-Cu-PGE Ores
• Xinjiang Metallogeny
• Porphyry/Epithermal Deposits of NE China
• Other excursions in Japan, Mongolia, Russia,
Indonesia, & Kazakhstan
 Workshops:
• Exploration and Ore Genesis: Base Metals, Carlin,
Orogenic Au, Porphyry, Epithermal, Magmatic
Ni-Cu, & VMS Deposits
• Techniques: Fluid Inclusions, LA-ICP-MS, Modern
Geochronology, & Mineral Spectroscopy
6 SEG NEWSLETTER
PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE
A Global Society with a Global Vision and
Global Responsibilities – Time to Deliver
Thanks to the vision of a number of to addressing the complete spectrum
remarkable presidents over the past two of training needed, extending beyond
to three decades and supported by an the more obvious exploration- and
outstanding Executive Director and HQ mining-specific capabilities, and the
team, the SEG has evolved into a global outcomes of these deliberations will be
society that has a unique relationship realized over the next few years. Fred
with the mining industry. Slightly more Graybeal’s thoughtful and thought-pro-
than half our membership is employed voking contribution to the previous
in the industry, some at the very SEG Newsletter (“SEG Programs Need
highest levels. Through its high-impact More Practical Content”) was a timely
publications and training courses, the reminder that these concerns are shared
Society provides a critically important by many and need to be addressed—and
and porous interface with industry and the Society is rising to the challenge.
its managers and it is also an important A reminder that the Society has
conduit for the incentivization and about 7,000 members drawn from over
recruitment of the next generation 100 countries around the world—our
of successful explorers, miners, and industry is global and will continue
industry leaders—observations that I to be so. With its unique framework
have variously made in my previous and strengths embracing cutting-edge
three Perspectives this year. I make no science via publications by its members
apology for the repetition! and a spectrum of membership that
The past year (2015) was an ex- includes leading academic geoscientists,
tremely challenging time for the global geoscience educationalists, industry
economy and our industry suffered practitioners, and industry leaders, the
more than most—with the exploration Society is well-placed to lead. To ensure
sector being particularly hard hit. For- we do so, we need a dual strategy of
tunately, we now see significant point- continuing to collaborate closely with
ers to recovery in global existing centers where
markets, M&A activity is …we will see the cycle economic geology is well
back on the agenda, and reversed yet again, and founded, while also cre-
exploration is on the rise, ating new footprints. The
we are not completely out
driven by increasing pric- latter is the key challenge
of the woods yet, but the
es for precious and some and one that the Society
Society is well-placed to
base metals and a general is addressing. Established
take a robust approach to
consensus of confidence. centers of expertise in
planning positively for the
Yes, just as with death economic geology tend
and taxes, we will see the future. to be self-sustaining,
cycle reversed yet again, assuming research success
and we are not completely continues to deliver
out of the woods yet, but the Society is that essential academic and industry
well-placed to take a robust approach to funding! These centers are core to the
planning positively for the future. Society in terms of delivering the critical
In this respect, the Education and research and attracting young geoscien-
Training Committee has been giving tists to our industry, but how and where
much thought to the types of train- do we create the new footprints?
ing courses that would reinforce the With few exceptions, the new foot-
appropriate capabilities of new gradu- prints will be developed around edu-
ates through to mid-career geologists to cational institutions with the relevant
ensure they have the skills that industry research and training interests and this
needs. Consideration is being given is where Student Chapters, now num-
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
bering close to a
hundred in more
than 30 countries,
Robert P. Foster
have such an im-
portant role to play. SEG President 2016
This is a symbiotic
partnership that
benefits all concerned. Institutions with
active chapters benefit from students
taking advantage of the enhanced train-
ing and even employment opportuni-
ties available via the Society’s Education
and Training Curriculum and related
networking, while the Society grows its
membership and delivers incentivized
young professionals to the workplace.
The SEG’s international confer-
ences are an important first step in this
whole process, the bringing together of
industry and academic practitioners to
discuss the latest metallogenic research.
As an extension of this, discussion
about the search for new mineral depos-
its is the ideal catalyst for new research
and the establishment of new Student
Chapters. The 2016 meeting in Turkey
followed by the 2017 Beijing conference
should prove to be excellent spring-
boards for this initiative.
However, there is also a need to
take a separate but parallel approach
by identifying countries where there
are no established economic geology
footprints in institutions but where
development of new chapters might be
encouraged. This is a particularly chal-
lenging objective but James Macdonald,
Vice President for Regional Affairs, and
I have sought the advice of the Society’s
network of Regional Vice Presidents to
identify countries and institutions that
might be targeted for this initiative
and how the educational, language,
and even cultural factors impacting
on young geoscientists could best be
addressed. We have received valuable
responses from all seven vice presidents
and, working with the Student Affairs
Committee and the recently established
Young Professionals Group, we will be
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 7

prioritizing the actions that need to be exposure to a wide range of learning

taken and that are most appropriate to
the various regions.
Of course, establishing footprints
via Student Chapters is only a first
step—thereafter it is essential to ensure
sustainability of the chapters in an
environment where the membership
is by its very nature fluid as students
complete their training and move on.
Continuity depends in part on the
input of the individual academic and
industry sponsors of the chapters but
the Society (and this should reflect com-
mitment from all of us!) needs to deliver
broader and longer-term support to
ensure these footprints become growth
points. This support can be underpinned
by a spectrum of activities ranging from
lectures by the SEG’s Traveling and Hon-
orary Lecturers (as well as any member
of the Society with experiences to share)
to support by industry via co-sponsored
workshops and field trips and much
more. Students will benefit from the
AEMA’S 2016
ANNUAL MEETING,
EXPOSITION & SHORT COURSES
REGISTER TODAY
DECEMBER 5-9, 2016
opportunities at reduced registration
fees but ultimately, the transition from
footprint to growth point will ensure all
stakeholders can benefit—students, fac-
ulty, research groups, companies active Contributions
in the country or region, and ultimately, 5/1/2016–7/31/2016
the mining sector in that country.
This is a significant global strategy
Thank you for your generous
for the Society and it requires a truly contributions to the Society
integrated plan of action that should and the SEG Foundation.
involve all of us in one way or another.
And, bear in mind that the end-ob- SEG General Fund
jective is not just extending the reach
and membership numbers of the SEG, Up to $99
it’s much more about providing the Amazon Smile, USA
nurturing and incentivization of young
geoscientists that should be a priority SEG Foundation
for all of us. It’s only in this way that we General Fund
can ensure that our industry is sustain-
Corporate Contribution
able and supported by well-trained and
committed young people who have the $25,000
drive and determination to succeed. Votorantim, Brazil
That is the global vision! 1
Student Field Trip Fund
$10,000
Anonymous, USA
$1,000
Seavoy, Ronald, USA
$100
Janecky, David, USA
Kelly, Michael, USA
Up to $99
Cook, Nicholas, Australia
Graduate Student
Fellowship Fund

 Field Trips Corporate Contribution

 Short Courses $30,000

 Technical Sessions Anglo American plc, United Kingdom
 Exposition $20,000
 Networking Opportunities Barrick Gold Corporation, Canada

NUGGET CASINO RESORT $10,000

SPARKS, NEVADA Anonymous, USA
$1,000
Seavoy, Ronald, USA
miningamerica.org ~ @MiningAmerica
SPARKS, NEVADA
NUGGET CASINO RESORT
8 SEG NEWSLETTER
       F O U N D AT I O N P R E S I D E N T I A L P E R S P E C T I V E
The “Fun” Part of Fund Raising –
Giving Away the Money
One of the remarkable aspects of the
SEG is its ability to award money to
support SEG programs, and particularly
students—their education, research, and
career development­—through participa-
tion in field trips and workshops. Due
to a generous donation from Stewart
Wallace, who set up the SEG with a
permanent headquarters, the SEG is
able to award the greater part of funds
raised directly to several of its programs,
such as the Graduate Student Fellow-
ships and Student Research Grants, and
provide generous assistance to students
to attend conferences, field trips, and
short courses.
I know of no other professional
organization that is so efficient with
the funds that are raised. Want proof?
Just look at the 3 full pages in the July
Newsletter listing all of the awards
given in 2016. A total of approxi-
mately US$360,000 was awarded to
students thus far in 2016 between SEG
Foundation (SEGF) and SEG Canada
Foundation (SEGCF); this amount is
just below the level awarded for the
entirety of 2015. Awards went to a
wide range of international students,
those studying in the USA, Canada, UK,
Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Chile,
Germany, Japan, Spain, and China. As
Bob Foster discusses in his SEG Pres-
idential Perspective in this issue, we
are truly a global organization. These
funds came from our corporate donors,
plus individuals—including some very
significant anonymous contributions. It
is gratifying to know that these contrib-
utors are receiving maximum benefit
from their donations, and the awards
are being given to develop the careers
of aspiring economic geologists and
future leaders in the mining industry. I
would like to thank James Macdonald
and Patrick Mercier-Langevin for their
efforts in leading the grant and fellow-
ship committees, and the SEGCF awards
committee, for their time in evaluat-
ing hundreds of applications. Another
significant SEGF program is the Student
Field Trip Program. This year’s trip was
just completed to southern and central
British Columbia, where 18 students
studied the geology of porphyry depos-
its. Borden Putnam, who so passionately
started this fund with an individual
donation back in 2006, continues to
lead the committee that organizes the
trips and the student participation. This
fund has raised and dispersed well over
US$500,000 since its inception. Borden
has noted that there is a high rate of
membership retention with students
who attend these field trips.
Unfortunately, the “fun” part of fund
raising can be short-lived in times like
these. Even though our fund-raising
committees, headed by Don Birak for
SEGF and Gerry Carlson for SEGCF,
continue to work tirelessly, it is difficult
to raise funds when commodity prices
are down and corporate revenues are
impacted. It is also difficult for individ-
uals to give when there is uncertainty in
the job markets. Even so, that does not
diminish their enthusiasm for trying
as they truly believe that the effort is
worth it. Both Don and Gerry report
that we are lagging behind our 2016
goals, not surprising in the current
market. On a positive note, Votorantim
Metais has just joined as a corporate do-
nor. Their contribution will help sustain
the SEG programs mentioned above. As
always, membership renewal is a great
time to make individual donations.
There are many other volunteers who
make SEGF run smoothly. Each year 3
Trustees retire, requiring an additional 3
Trustees to be nominated and approved.
Brad Margeson has looked after the
nominating committee for the past 2
years and continues to find excellent
candidates (Fellows) to succeed those
departing. Brad, along with John Black
and Richard Bedell, are finishing their
terms as Trustees this year. Ruth Carra-
her continues to serve as SEGF Secretary,
ensuring that our Trustee meetings are
accurately documented. Foundation
would not run smoothly without the
professional permanent staff at SEG
headquarters. I would specifically like
to thank Brian Hoal, Nikki Morrison,
Alison Cronk, and Christine Brandt for
the support they have provided me over
the past year. The Society’s finances
are looked after by Harry Noyes, who
keeps track of our revenues and dis-
bursements, and generates the annual
budget. Chris Herald and the invest-
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
ment committee
keep a close watch
on the Society’s
investment funds.
Thank you all for David L. Kelley
your hard work and SEG Foundation
continued support. President 2016
It has truly been
a pleasure for me to
serve the Society as President of SEGF,
and I look forward to working with
our incoming SEGF President, Stuart
McCracken, as he takes the program
forward in 2017. Stuart will advance the
current initiatives underway, like the ef-
fort to align and optimize our fund-rais-
ing strategies between SEGF, SEGCF, and
SEG. Stuart also has his own new ideas
that will no doubt make an impact on
Foundation going forward. I will also
continue with the initiative of helping
to establish a scholarship fund honoring
Dick Hutchinson. Please consider what
you can give, even if small, so that the
fun can continue! In spite of 2016 being
a challenging year in the mining indus-
try, SEG continues to deliver exception-
al value to its members and the broader
geoscience community. 1
For more information on
Student Chapter funding,
go to p. 25 of this Newsletter.
Also, visit the student section
of the SEG website at
www.segweb.org/students
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 9

VIEWS
This issue of the Newsletter continues the dialogue begun in the last issue (July 2016, p. 11–13) with the Views article
by Fred Graybeal (SEG 1974 SF), “SEG Programs Need More Practical Content.” Fred’s suggestions are new and provoc-
ative, and we used them to solicit immediate feedback from both seasoned and young professionals. The comments are
printed below, and you can read the full article plus commentary on the SEG website (www.segweb.org/views).
John Thompson, Jeffrey Hedenquist, Editors of Views

Views columns are the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the SEG.

Commentary on "SEG Programs Need More Practical Content"

Fewer, Larger,
Research Grants?
Murray Hitzman, Dept. of Geology
and Geological Engineering,
Colorado School of Mines,
Golden, CO 80401 USA
(SEG President 2005; SEG 1978 F)
Fredrick Graybeal makes a number of
important points in his proposal for
the Society to reconsider its support
of student research grants. It is always
time to reflect on how the Society’s
programs work or do not and to adapt
to changing conditions. The past several
years have been particularly tough for
employment in the mining industry.
Though I believe it more likely than
does Fred that the current downturn
will begin to end soon, there is no
doubt that this down cycle has been
disastrous for many in the industry,
particularly young people.
Before moving to the specifics of
Fred’s suggestions, I would like to take
a step back. I am one of those Fred
mentions who started with excellent
mentoring in a company (Anaconda)
and received on the job training in
both mine geology and exploration.
That training served me well as I moved
through the mining industry and later
in both government and academia.
Fred is absolutely correct that the way
to learn exploration or mine geology is
to do it, not through university courses
or short courses conducted by SEG or
others. However, the days of compa-
nies investing in long-term training of
young geoscientists appears to be largely
over (though there are exceptions and
I try and steer my students to those
companies.)
However, it is critical to note that an
advanced degree in economic geology
can be a gateway to a wide variety of
fields. Over my academic career proba-
bly almost a third of my graduate stu-
dents have not gone on to be employed
in the mining industry. For some
students this was because they gradu-
ated at a time with poor employment
opportunities in the industry. For most,
however, it was because they found
another field, which they found more
attractive for some reason, that utilized
their economic geology skill set. A large
number of my students are (still) hap-
pily employed in the petroleum sector,
others work in government, primarily in
the “regulatory” sphere—land agencies
such as U.S. Forest Service, BLM, etc.
or in MSHA - but also in the USGS or
national or state geological surveys in
other countries.
One of the reasons I have found that
employers beyond the mining industry
like our students (and I suspect it would
be the same for economic geology stu-
dents at other institutions) is that they
(1) have a sound foundation in basic
mathematics, physics, chemistry, and
computing; (2) tend to be geoscience
generalists rather than specialists but
have a firm grasp of mineralogy/petrol-
ogy, stratigraphy, structure, and geo-
chemistry; and (3) have significant field
experience demonstrating that they
actually can work through complex
geological problems in 3- and 4-D, can
take care of themselves in unpredictable
situations, and are at least somewhat
self-sufficient. The pragmatic, gener-
alist skill sets required for a career in
economic geology give students the
toolkit they need to successfully enter a
number of geoscience-related fields such
as petroleum geology, environmental
geology, and entry-level hydrology.
They are also generally well prepared for
careers in the IT field, particularly in GIS
areas. Finally, a number of my students
have entered the financial field, both as
analysts in the minerals sector, but also
more broadly in finance. I suspect that
many young economic geologists are
entrepreneurs at heart!
I share Fred’s desire to re-examine the
subject of SEG student research grants
and concur with him that it would be
highly advantageous to have a program
that would help young graduates obtain
internships. I worry, however, how the
Society could pick which companies to
support with the funded internships. I
strongly believe the Society should work
with industry to encourage them to
develop more internships for students.
The SEG could perhaps have training
courses directed at cadres of students
who would be undertaking company
internships—though I believe a number
of the current SEG short courses, partic-
ularly those by individuals such as Bill
Chavez, accomplish what is needed.
One thing the Society might con-
sider is to award fewer research grants
but make individual grants larger in
amount. The majority of SEG research
grants cover a very small proportion
of the costs of a research degree by a
student. Larger grants would ensure
students graduated with less debt and
would allow research to be conducted
on projects companies may be unwill-
ing (or unable, as is currently the com-
mon case) to fund. It might also help
students from one part of the world to
attend a university in another part of
the world.
I look forward to comments from
the Society membership on this
important issue—particularly from
student members and
recent graduates. to page 10 . . .
10
. . . from page 9 VIEWS­—Commentary on "SEG Programs Need More Practical Content" (continued)
Leave Employment
to Industry
M. Stephen Enders, Dept. of Min-
ing Engineering, Colorado School of
Mines, Golden, CO. 80401 USA
(SEG President 2011; SEG 1981 F)
Members of SEG owe Fred Graybeal a
thank you for having the courage to
speak up about how the Society uses its
funds, how it handles student support,
and how it might be able to address a
major employment challenge for grad-
uating students in economic geology.
Although I don’t agree that SEG should
use its funds to pay for student intern-
ships in industry, I’m delighted we can
have this debate.
Over my 40-year career as an explora-
tion and mining geologist, I have found
it very difficult to change how industry
thinks. Even at the executive level, I
have lost many battles to change how
a company approaches employment
practices for geologists in a dramatically
cyclical industry. So any solution to the
student and young professional employ-
ment challenge is unlikely to change
as a result of SEG efforts. The Society’s
role is better focused on how to better
handle its own business.
The exploration business and
mining industry are not going away.
The simple long-term demographics of
an expanding world population and
demand for better lives, created to a
great extent by the developing world,
will continue to drive demand for min-
eral resources. Mines are non-renew-
able resources that will continue to be
depleted and will need to be replaced
by new discoveries and renewed by
new technologies. Economic geologists
will still be required as a result, even if
we work differently in the future than
we have in the past.
As a former SEG International
Exchange Lecturer and current Hon-
orary Lecturer, past President of SEG
Foundation and the Society, I have
had the great pleasure to meet many
students around the world. What I tell
them is that a job is not a career, and
that a career as an economic geologist
will likely involve many jobs working
for different companies, breaks for
education and the inevitable layoff and
SEG NEWSLETTER
dismissal. It is a dramatically cyclical
business, and students need to man-
age their lives, careers, and personal
finances with this in mind.
Development of SEG’s Student Pro-
grams and the creation of the Educa-
tion & Training Program was driven
by demand from industry for more
employees and for training of new
professionals that was not obtainable
at universities nor, sadly, provided at
most of the companies. It makes sense
to me to support more students at lower
funding per student during upswings
in the employment market. It also
makes sense for SEG to support fewer
students and provide more funding per
student during the downtimes. Just like
greenfield exploration funding, it makes
sense to provide funding for SEG stu-
dent programs consistently at modest
levels over the long run.
The business of SEG should be to
advance science and discovery in the
field of mineral resources. Let’s leave the
business of employment for economic
geologists to industry.
SEG’s Job: Transfer
of Knowledge
Dan Wood (SEG 2010 F)
I agree with the sentiment of Fred
Graybeal’s proposal, but observe that
SEG lacks the financial resources to
have any real and lasting impact on
the plight of graduating economic
geologists by the mechanism proposed,
irrespective of source of SEG funding.
However, I would endorse SEG provid-
ing seed-funding through the university
sector to better prepare economic geol-
ogy graduates for future mining indus-
try employment, by making use of the
extensive practical knowledge acquired
by members over the past 50 years of
discovering orebodies.
Strange as it may seem when so
many economic geologists are pres-
ently unemployed, the mining indus-
try will face a major challenge in the
not too distant future because of age
demographics. It will be a challenge
the industry previously has never had
to seriously address, on a scale that it
is ill-prepared to handle, and will be
caused by massive loss of knowledge
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
and experience as industry’s older
cohort of economic geologist departs.
This is already underway and,
whereas in the past there was a much
broader demographic spread to ame-
liorate the effect when experienced
geologists left industry, this time the
experience buffer that previously pro-
tected industry from its habitual folly
won’t be there and mining will suffer
significant wealth-destroying conse-
quences as a result. In my experience,
the mining industry has never excelled
at mentoring young geologists and most
of us learned our trade by making mis-
takes, if we were fortunate enough to
work for companies that tolerated this
form of apprenticeship.
This cohort of departing economic
geologists has priceless and irreplaceable
knowledge and experience that can
never be regained once lost, because of
the “golden age” of exploration during
which these geologists served their
apprenticeships, learned by doing, and
practiced the art that some eventually
mastered, with the latter discovering ore
bodies. This learning came at enormous
price to industry, although the cost is
probably impossible to accurately quan-
tify, but is reflected in the average cost
of orebody discovery.
The loss of so many experienced
economic geologists over a very short
period, without backup, is unprece-
dented and robs new graduates of the
opportunity to learn how to become an
ore finder, except by repeating the mis-
takes made by the old cohort in learn-
ing the skill of discovery. However, the
demand on new economic geologists is
not to make the types of discoveries the
older cohort made. History will show
these orebodies were much easier to
discover than those the new generation
will have to make.
Underpinning the new discoveries
will be the old cohort’s knowledge
and, as a learned society, SEG has the
responsibility to ensure that as much as
possible of this knowledge is transferred
to future economic geology graduates.
The issue is how to use this knowledge
in university undergraduate courses in
economic geology and prepare indus-
try-ready graduates with discovery skills.
A starting point would be for SEG to
support a number of universities with
an economic geology focus to work
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
with industry-experienced members to
develop programs for transferring this
knowledge.
Student Funding
Bridges the Gap
Honza Catchpole, Sumitomo
Metal Mining, Vancouver, Canada
(SEG 2012)
The contribution of Dr. Graybeal
touches on a sensitive issue: What can
the SEG do to mitigate increasing unem-
ployment in the economic geology
community? I agree with Dr. Graybeal
that discussion about fund use is appro-
priate and that new and more practical
funding strategies could be considered
by the SEG and its members in order to
help graduate students start a career in
the industry.
While the SEG plays a strong part
in bringing academia and industry
together, it probably is not the mis-
sion of the Society to fund salaries for
industry jobs. The Society could rather
try to find ways of convincing compa-
nies about the need and benefit of a
long-term and sustainable investment
in geologic staff. This is probably quite
the challenge.
The idea for a Graduate Intern-
ship Program could be one way to get
students access to practical experience.
Rather than long internships paid by
SEG funds, the program could organize
a number of placements (e.g., 3-month)
with specific goals (e.g., sampling
programs, core logging, GIS), similar
to summer internships. Participating
companies could receive certain recog-
nition by the SEG, but financially the
placement would be largely supported
by industry. Again, this might be a chal-
lenging undertaking.
I also feel that is necessary to empha-
size here that the current funding
provided by the SEG for various student
support programs does have practical
ends and indirectly supports employ-
ment. As a geology student until I
completed my PhD degree in 2011, I
had the chance to take advantage of
generous SEG-funded programs and
grants that were initiated or expanded
by the Society about 10 years ago. The
technical knowledge gained and indus-
try insight and contacts made on field
programs and SEG conferences have
SEG NEWSLETTER
made a strong impact on my career and
on those of other young geologists that
I know. Some of my more notable expe-
riences were made while interacting
with geologists working in the mining
and exploration industry.
Now is a critical time to continue
student support. As pointed out by Dr.
Graybeal, there will be a considerable
number of people leaving the industry,
many for good. Student numbers can be
expected to decrease in the next years
following the deteriorating prospects of
employment in the resource and energy
sectors. As President Foster pointed out
in the January 2016 issue of the SEG
Newsletter, the Society needs to continue
and attract geoscientists to careers in
economic geology.
A certain number of unemployed
geologists are returning to universities,
starting degrees in geology, manage-
ment, or other related areas. This pro-
vides a buffer of a couple of years and
these geologists are later available for
industry openings. By funding research
the SEG indirectly helps retain this
experienced workforce.
SEG Events Promote
Networking
Libby Sharman, Sharpman Consult-
ing, Vancouver, Canada (SEG 2012)
Dr. Graybeal’s comments on the current
struggles facing our industry are timely
and much appreciated. It is true that
new graduates and early career geolo-
gists are some of the worst affected by
the current downturn, and there are
already many who have departed indus-
try completely or moved sideways into
associated careers with more stability.
Graduating students are entering the
work force with less experience as it is
becoming harder to find summer field
jobs. They are also competing with geol-
ogists with many years of experience for
entry-level jobs. Those geologists who
are still working are accepting lower
pay, with longer rotations, and are
having to become creative and utilize
diverse skill sets to do more as compa-
nies have limited resources. I am one
of those who have, since completion of
my PhD in 2011, gone from a Project
Geologist, to core-logging geologist, to
sidestepping into communications and
community engagement, before starting
11
a consulting business that utilizes all of
this experience.
How to rectify this drain of talent
from our industry is a question that is
raised in every downturn and I applaud
Dr. Graybeal for proposing some solu-
tions. I do not, however, agree that it is
the SEG’s role to facilitate and support
employment for geologists beyond
advertising jobs and providing net-
working opportunities. In this specific
space, it may be worthwhile for the SEG
to host industry think-tank sessions
on how to encourage companies to
adapt their business models to preserve
their geological staff. It is important for
companies to recognize the value of the
geologists that they have employed and
trained and find ways to extend their
employment rather than geologists
being the first to go when money is
scarce.
I would like, as an alternative, to pro-
pose the SEG focus rather on providing
subsidized access to on-going training
and networking opportunities to new
graduates and early career geologists,
such as now occurs with the yearly
SEG-SGA-UNESCO training courses in
Latin America. Invariably (especially
in the current economic climate) these
geologists are the last to be allocated
company funding to attend confer-
ences and short courses for on-going
professional development, if they are
employed at all. There are, of course,
many companies that do offer support
for this but also many that don’t.
This support could be administered
through similar merit-based processes
as are used to fund students to attend
these events, but perhaps not to such
a large degree. This would assist the
least-supported sector of our industry in
enhancing their skill set, gaining expo-
sure to networking opportunities where
job opportunities may be identified, and
keeping them engaged in the industry.
I know from personal experience that
some of my most invaluable experi-
ences and opportunities have come
from attending SEG events, and I doubt
my career path would be what it has
been without these occasions. I have
been fortunate that my participation
in these conferences and short courses
has been supported by a company or
through volunteering. If the SEG were
able to provide support to less lucky
recent graduates, they
too would be able to reap to page 12 . . .
12
. . . from page 11 VIEWS­—Commentary on "SEG Programs Need More Practical Content" (continued)
the benefits of opportunities the SEG
already provides.
Funded Field Trips
Lead to Employment
Tivadar Hunor Kun (SEG 2015)
I was born in Hunedoara, Romania,
and in 2010 I graduated with a B.Sc. in
geology from Babeş-Bolyai University
in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. In 2012 I
received an M.Sc. degree in geology
with an ore deposits focus from Eövtös
Loránd University in Budapest, Hun-
gary. I would like to thank my academic
supervisors, István Márton and Ferenc
Molnár, for their patience and end-
less support toward my professional
formation.
As a student member of SEG, I
received a grant to join the 8th SEG
Foundation Student Field Trip in 2011,
visiting some IOCG and Cu-Ag deposits
in northern Chile. I have to acknowl-
edge the field-course coordinators,
William Chavez and Erich Petersen, for
their efforts to make this field course
an experience of a lifetime for me. I
also thank the professional members of
the SEG for their financial and moral
support, which made my attendance at
this field course possible. Because of this
opportunity, I was able learn firsthand
about these types of deposits, as well as
have the opportunity to make connec-
tions with local professionals in Chile,
which led directly to the job that I have
today.
When I finished my M.Sc. in Buda-
pest in mid 2012, I was contacted by
SCM Carola, a medium-scale Chilean
company mining an IOCG-type deposit
in the Punta del Cobre-Candelaria ore
district. They offered me a position
to work as geologist, starting in 2013.
I must thank SCM Carola and staff
for their belief in a young geologist,
giving me the opportunity to prove
my capabilities at their company. I
am proud to be part of a very profes-
sional team, where my duties include
development of short- and long-term
plans for mining exploration, working
with mining engineers to ensure that
production targets are met, and pro-
ducing monthly and yearly production
reports.
After more than three years of
working as geologist in Chile, I thank
SEG NEWSLETTER
the SEG for providing the opportu-
nity for students to make connections
with professionals. I have also just
attended the SEG-SGA-UNESCO course
in Copiapó, a rare chance for students
and young professionals to interact
with and learn from experts, in both the
classroom and the field. In ending, I ask
SEG members to continue the support
of student participation in field courses
and other training opportunities, which
help students to start their professional
career in a positive manner. The course
that I attended, visiting world-class ore
districts, was certainly instrumental in
starting my career.
Student Chapters/
Lecturers Inspire
Juanita Rodriguez (Student
2010, Recent graduate 2015,
Member 2016)
I am a geologist from Bogotá, Colom-
bia. For me the SEG, together with the
Student Chapters that I have been part
of, have had a great impact on my life,
both professionally and personally.
When I was an undergraduate stu-
dent I found out about the SEG, and
with some classmates, we began the
unknown experience of founding a Stu-
dent Chapter in Bogota. At the begin-
ning it was a little difficult because not
many people were interested, but soon
we were so many students that we did
not know how to organize ourselves.
Over time, we could organize better and
developed some internal and external
lectures. One of them was in 2010,
when we invited SEG Regional Lecturer
Dr. Alvaro Crosta (SEG 2008 F), from
the University of Campinas, to Bogotá
to give a lecture about remote sensing
and spectral geology applied to min-
eral exploration. From that moment I
became very interested in continuing in
this field of study and in 2012, I moved
Brazil, in order to undertake M.Sc. study
at the University of Campinas with Dr.
Crosta as my advisor. He helped me to
find a very interesting project for my
thesis, on a Gold Fields epithermal gold
discovery in Chile, supported by our
SEG Sponsor Francisco Azevedo (SEG
1996 F).
At the University of Campinas I was
part of the SEG Student Chapter and,
fortunately, I obtained an SEG Student
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
Research Grant; this helped me to
develop my research with all the sup-
port that I needed. After I graduated, I
worked for one year in Mexico and now
I am working with Gold Fields in Chile,
the same company that supported me
during my M.Sc. research.
If I have not known the SEG and all
the opportunities it gives for students, I
do not know in which field of geology I
would be in this moment. This Society
has not only given me academic sup-
port, it has also provided me the oppor-
tunity to know amazing geologists, and
above all, incredible friends.
And finally,
A Comment on
Frederick T. Graybeal’s
Article and
Subsequent
Commentaries
David J. Hall Erris Resources Limited,
London
The points raised by Fred Graybeal are
very relevant as we continue with a
disruptive phase in our industry.
The SEG can play a more practical
role in the development of economic
geologists, and the combined views of
Fred and the subsequent commentaries
offer ways of addressing this. Fred men-
tioned that “career development is best
accomplished with a career.” How true! I
support the idea of more practical, two-
week training and development pro-
grams covering both the business and
technical aspects of our industry. I think
that some of us, as the “old codgers”
with our links to Student Chapters, can
help to address this training task in a
practical way. Each Student Chapter has
an industry advisor and the role of that
person must be enlarged such that they
can introduce practical training pro-
grams to the students. In addition, if
the SEG prepares a thorough “in-house”
business and technical course, many
experienced members could present
this to students to help them more fully
understand the profession and possible
career options. This could be done cost
effectively, as the industry advisor is
typically on hand locally. This would
allow the Society to support universi-
ties in the manner that Dan Wood has
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
proposed. This involvement can include
field trips led by the industry supervisor
for chapters and individual students at a
relatively low cost to students, allowing
them to study ore deposits in both the
field and mine setting.
The idea of student-industry intern-
ships is good but as Murray Hitzman
noted, there would issues to pick eligi-
ble companies. The industry is small—
companies that want to become “SEG
Affiliated” can be proposed and listed
for approval in same way we currently
accept Fellows. These companies must
show that they recruit “interns,” per-
haps on expenses-only but at least offer-
ing a step up the ladder of experience.
The notion of a specific fund is probably
SEG NEWSLETTER
beyond the financial capability of the
Society, as $0.5M of grants would only
support 20 interns at $24K/y ($2000/m).
I disagree with Steve Enders’ state-
ment that the business of SEG should be
to advance science and discovery in the
field of mineral resources, and that we
should leave the business of employment
for economic geologists to industry. The
exploration business is about discovery,
and by assisting young geologists to gain
relevant experience, the SEG can help to
develop the next generation of ore find-
ers. A better understanding of mineral
resources will also assist the industry, as
too many companies promote resources
that will only ever be that—resources but
never reserves.
13
Finally, Fred points out that he
anticipates recurring, unpredictable,
and even more sharply defined cycles of
high and low metal prices in the future.
Good geologists, like good projects,
survive the ups and downs. I have been
involved in employing many young
geologists but the attrition rate has been
high, more leaving than staying, either
back to academia, into oil and gas or an-
other sector completely. I have kept the
good ones, supported them and they
have gone on to lead companies either
for me or other people. The ultimate
aim of us old codgers is to support the
Society of ECONOMIC geologists in any
way possible to develop these new ore
finders and leaders. 1
14
. . . from page 1 An Inexpensive Way to Maximize and Preserve the Value of Oriented Core: The Orientation Log (continued)
consistently on the bottom of the hole,
and the data quality has been seriously
compromised. If this is the case, the bad
data either have to be discarded or the
core has to be reconstructed to see if the
errors can be corrected.
The object of this paper is to illustrate
one method for systematically captur-
ing information on the orientation line
quality so that the reliability of structural
readings made using the line can be
established and their value protected. The
concept is somewhat similar to a scoring
system proposed by Holcombe (2015),
but this workflow is more focused on
identification and correction of errors.
Key innovations are the formalized
recording of orientation line information
and the use of the “Bamboo Diagram”
to identify and correct errors. The cost of
implementing this method is minimal
since the data can be collected as part of
the normal process of orientation line
construction. Importantly, if the core still
exists, this methodology can be applied
years after the hole has been drilled to
validate or correct historical data.
ORIENTATION CONCEPTS
Most core orientation methods use the
vertical force of gravity as the basis for
establishing the orientation of the core
and can be used reliably in angle holes
with inclinations up to 85°. There are
three fundamental elements of core
orientation (Figure 1). The first is the
orientation mark, which is how the
information about the orientation of
the gravitational field relative to the
position of the core in the ground is
transferred to the core. Common prac-
tice is for the orientation mark to indi-
cate the bottom of the core. The second
element is the orientation line, which is
drawn from the orientation mark along
the length of the core to indicate where
the gravity vector passes through the
bottom of each piece of core. Before the
orientation line can be drawn, all the
pieces of core have to be carefully fitted
back together, recreating their original
configuration in the ground. The third
element is the lock angle, or angle of
misfit, which measures the angular
difference between the positions of ori-
entation lines drawn from two different
orientation marks.
SEG NEWSLETTER
QUALITY CONUNDRUM:
PROVEN VERSUS PROBABLE
Unfortunately, in the absence of a
ubiquitous consistent planar fabric,
there is only one way to establish the
absolute reliability of an orientation
line segment: the line drawn from one
orientation mark must match with the
location of a line drawn from a second
orientation mark. This is the equivalent
of a 0° lock angle. This test is based on
the following logic:
1. Each orientation mark reflects the
gravitational pull of the earth and is
made independently.
2. Given the variety of possible errors,
the probability that orientation
lines from consecutive drill runs will
coincide by chance is vanishingly
small.
3. Therefore, if an orientation line
drawn from one mark matches
perfectly with the location of a line
drawn from a second mark, then the
validity of both marks and the line
between them is established.
In contrast, if the line drawn from
one mark does not match the location
of the second mark, then it is possible
that one or both marks have errors or
that the line has been drawn incor-
rectly. If the core is broken and it is not
possible to draw a continuous line from
one mark to another mark, then, in
the absence of a pervasive consistently
oriented fabric, there is no way to deter-
mine independently whether the mark
is correct or if the core has been fitted
together properly.
This highlights the fundamental
problem with structural measurements
made on oriented core. How do we
handle the sections of orientation lines
that do not have proven validity? In
reality, if the mark is well made, then
the line drawn from it is probably
valid, but it cannot be proven. If all
the lines that are not validated are
ignored, then a lot of potentially good
data are either not collected or would
be discarded unnecessarily. However,
if the quality of a mark and its corre-
sponding orientation line segment is
documented, then a confidence level
can be assigned to the structural data
derived from it.
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
ORIENTATION MARK
ERRORS RELATED TO
ORIENTATION DEVICE
OPERATION
At this point, it is important to say that,
at present, common industry practice
is to leave the process of orientation
entirely to the drilling contractor with
little or no instruction or oversight.
Depending on the method being used,
the responsibilities of the drillers may
range from just making the orientation
mark to actually drawing the orien-
tation line when triple-tube coring is
used. In most cases, the drillers are not
asked to produce any documentation
of their work, so when a bad lock angle
occurs, it is virtually impossible to
isolate the source(s) of the error. It is our
contention that with better documenta-
tion a significant amount of data can be
salvaged.
In two recent papers, Davis (2014)
and Bright et al. (2014) provide excel-
lent reviews of the many methods of
core orientation and the errors associ-
ated with each. They also discuss best
practices for making structural mea-
surements, and the reader is referred to
these papers for more comprehensive
coverage of these topics. What these
papers do not discuss is the idea of doc-
umentation of orientation quality and
dealing systematically with errors.
Bright et al. (2014) conveniently
divide core orientation methods into
two fundamental classes. “Front-end
methods” mark or make an impression
of the core stub in the bottom of the
hole prior to the core being drilled.
“Back-end methods” either orient the
core barrel or the core at the moment
of the core break. Each of these meth-
ods comes with specific types of errors
related to the operation of the tool
itself, and to the condition of the core
that is being marked.
Historically, most orientation meth-
ods do not preserve any information
about the functioning of the tool and
have relied exclusively on supervi-
sion and training to control quality.
Some modern methods do preserve
information to demonstrate that the
tool operated properly, e.g., alignment
of multiple balls to confirm that the
instrument was stable at the time of
the reading; however, frequently this
information is not formally recorded
and it is simply used to decide if a mark
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
should be made or not. In the best-case
scenario, incorrect tool operation will
lead to distinctive or ambiguous marks.
In the worst-case scenario, the tool
failure will go undetected. At present,
the best real control on tool operation is
supervision.
Front-end methods rely on making
a mark and/or an impression of the
core stub in the bottom of the hole.
The confidence in the orientation mark
will depend on how clear the mark is
and/or how well the impression can
be matched to the core. Based on the
diameter and location of the orientation
mark or how tight the impression fits
with the core face, it is relatively easy to
estimate the angular uncertainty associ-
ated with transferring the mark location
to the bottom of the core. Fortunately,
some modern front-end methods now
create a core block that records how the
tool functioned and, at the same time,
preserves the impression of the core
face. This means that the mark quality
can be evaluated in the core shack after
the core has been drilled. A specific dan-
ger with the front-end methods is the
presence of loose core in the bottom of
the hole that has rotated before the ori-
entation mark is made; this occurs most
commonly when core from the previous
run slips from the core spring and falls
back into the hole. In that case, the tool
may make a good impression, but the
core is not correctly oriented. This type
of error is virtually undetectable unless
multiple lines connect.
With back-end methods, the orien-
tation mark is made on the core in the
core lifter spring when the run is pulled
from the ground. The most common
problem is that the core is not firmly
locked in the core lifter, which means
that it could easily have rotated from
its original orientation before the core
made it to the surface. This does not
mean that it has rotated—only that
it could have. Therefore, it is essen-
tial with these methods to first mark
the core and then test to see if the
core is loose. This observation must
be recorded, or this possible error will
not be detectable later. Other common
problems are that the core may be
recessed up inside the lifter spring or
the core might disintegrate during or
after the time that the mark was made,
particularly when the shoe is unscrewed
from the core tube. It is possible to
estimate the angular uncertainty associ-
ated with making the mark on the face
of the core, taking into consideration
SEG NEWSLETTER
the position of the core in the lifter
and how the core breaks up when it is
removed from the core tube. Unfortu-
nately, these are not observations that
drillers would typically record.
ORIENTATION LINE ERRORS
RELATED TO CORE QUALITY
Apart from errors that propagate from
the orientation mark, errors in the
orientation line result when the orien-
tation line is drawn across pieces of core
that are not correctly fitted together.
Triple-tube coring is frequently used in
order to get the orientation line onto
the core before it is broken up and put
in boxes. When triple-tube coring is
used, the drillers are frequently asked
to draw the line on the core. In our
experience, this is an exercise fraught
with problems because the drillers do
not have the time or the training to
carefully evaluate how the core fits
together or notice where spin may have
occurred. Once the line is drawn and
the core is in the core box, it is often
impossible to reconstruct what was
done and the errors cannot be eval-
uated or corrected. Our experience is
that, if triple-tube coring is used, then
a geologist or geotechnician whose sole
responsibility is core orientation should
work on the core at the drill site so that
the line can be drawn correctly before
the core is transferred to the box. These
FIGURE 2. Examples of spun core where the orientation line must be broken. A. Orienta-
tion mark drawn on spun core surface must have mark quality of 9 (Table 1). B. Evidence
of spin can be quite subtle, as indicated by faint concentric rings on the right end of this
broken core. C. With triple-tube coring, it is common to see lines drawn across thin clay
seams where spin, as seen in D, has occurred.
15
technicians should monitor and doc-
ument the orientation process but can
also measure RQD and recovery before
the core is boxed and transported.
It is important to note that, if there is
any sign of core spinning, the orienta-
tion line is effectively broken (Figure
2a, b). This is the single most common
source of errors in the line and, once a
lock angle error has been identified, it is
not uncommon to find hidden evidence
of spin in clay intervals that appeared to
fit together perfectly in the triple-tube
split (Figure 2c, d). In some instances,
features such as veins or fabrics can be
matched across a spun contact, which
may allow the line to be continued
rather than broken.
If triple-tube coring is not used, the
orientation line is generally drawn in
the core shack by fitting the pieces of
core back together on angle iron and
then drawing the line from the mark.
This work requires a diligent puzzle
master, but even the best can some-
times make mistakes. This is why it is
so important to validate the orientation
lines by connecting two marks.
CLASSIFICATION OF
QUALITY
Holcombe (2015) is the only author that
we know of who has proposed applying
“orientation confidence
scores” to individual to page 16 . . .
16
. . . from page 15 An Inexpensive Way to Maximize and Preserve the Value of Oriented Core: The Orientation Log (continued)
segments of orientation lines. Holcombe
(2015) focuses exclusively on the lock
angle errors in a series of locked core
runs. The lock angle errors are dealt with
in a statistical way and orientation lines
are redrawn through intervals where the
original line deviates significantly from
the mean location of the line in other
intervals. An “ORI score” (5 is good; 1 is
bad) is then assigned to all the runs in
the reconstructed interval.
Our approach is similar to that of
Holcombe (2015), but in our log we
independently capture quality infor-
mation on both the original orienta-
tion mark and the orientation line as
reflected by lock angles (Table 1). By
assigning these quality parameters to
each line segment, the reliability of each
structural reading made using the line
segment can be assessed. Even more
importantly, as illustrated below, our
method helps identify and isolate errors
which can, in many cases, be corrected.
TABLE 1. Quality/Confidence Classification for
Orientation Marks and Orientation Lines
Mark
quality Interpretation
5 Excellent—angular error too small to
 estimate
4 Good—angular uncertainty ±5°
3 OK—angular uncertainty ±10°
1 Bad—angular uncertainty >10°
  (actual uncertainty in comments)
0 No mark
9 Potentially bad mark; e.g., core loose
  in shoe, ori-balls not aligned, driller
  pulled off bottom, etc.
Line
quality Interpretation
5 Run locks with <10° error
5.1 Line tail drawn from a lock-validated
  mark but not continuous to second
 mark
4 Run locks with 10° to 20° error
3 Run does not lock with another run, so
  it is not independently validated
1 Run locks with angle greater than 20°
0 No line
9 Other known problem with line
TABLE 2. Orientation Log with the Minimum Data That Should Be Collected to Document the Orientation Line
Hole ID Mark depth From_m
DDH-106 123.36 122.48
DDH-106 124.00 123.36
DDH-106 125.53 124.00
DDH-106 127.05 125.53
DDH-106 128.57 127.05
Note: Until the line from 122.48 to 125.53 m has been thoroughly checked for errors, it is possible that three line segments could be invalidated by the bad lock
angles at 124.0 and 123.36 m
SEG NEWSLETTER
The “mark quality,” missing from the
Holcombe (2015) method, reflects the
angular uncertainty of the orientation
mark and is a semiquantitative visual
estimate. It is most important for front-
end methods when trying to match
the imprint and mark to the face of the
core. With back-end methods, this most
commonly captures the fact that the
core is loose in the core spring, but may
also reflect the difficulty of getting the
mark onto the core if it is not protrud-
ing from the core tube. If using a tool
where the alignment of balls records the
correct operation of the tools, this can
be recorded as a separate parameter.
ORIENTATION LOG
The quality of the orientation marks
and lines should be recorded in a con-
tinuous log down the hole so that every
run of core is accounted for (Table 2).
This orientation log documents where
orientation marks are made, and which
orientation line segments are derived
from those marks. Our convention is
that the lock angle is measured from
the uphole line to the downhole line as
an angle between 0° and 360°, mea-
sured in a clockwise direction looking
down the hole (Figure 3).
Because this log is continuous, the
information about the orientation
quality can be easily transferred to the
structural readings made at any specific
depth. The added cost of creating the
orientation log is minimal, as it only
requires recording observations while
the core is pieced together to draw the
orientation line.
OPERATIONAL
CONVENTIONS HELP
MAXIMIZE THE VALUE OF
THE ORIENTATION LOG
By adopting the operational procedures
outlined below, it may be possible to
correct errors in the orientation line
To_m Orientation method Mark quality
123.36 ACT 4   30
124.00 ACT 9 330
125.53 ACT 5   3
127.05 ACT 4   0
128.57 ACT 4   2
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
FIGURE 3. Measuring the “lock angle.” The
lock angle is the angle between the uphole and
downhole lines measured in a clockwise direction
looking down the hole. In this example, the lock
angle is 42°.
once they have been identified. Using
these conventions, it is not necessary
to have 10 or 30 m of core laid out to
develop an orientation line, as sug-
gested by Bright et al. (2014) or Hol-
combe (2015). Instead, it is possible to
work with one run of core at a time.
Ideally, the task of drawing the orien-
tation line and creating the orientation
log should be separated from the task of
geological logging:
1. Draw orientation lines only from
mark to mark and never across a
mark, even if a mark is known to be
of poor quality.
2. Draw the orientation line even if an
orientation mark is known to be bad,
e.g., loose in shoe. It might be possi-
ble to correct it later if it locks with
other runs. The fact that the mark is
unreliable is already recorded in the
log.
3. Record lock angles to describe the
relationship between line segments
drawn from different marks.
4. Mark the orientation line at run
blocks using symbols that will allow
a person reviewing errors to under-
stand how the lines on opposing
sides of the run blocks were drawn
(Figure 4).
Lock angle (°) Line quality Comments
1
1 Core loose in shoe
1
5
5
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 17

FIGURE 5. Bamboo diagram of the orientation log shown in Table 2. It is import-

FIGURE 4. Conventions used to mark orientation lines at run
blocks so that their origin can be readily understood. Note
that, in order to measure the lock angle in the left-hand figure,
the uphole line is extended downward past the run block.
Also note that an arrow should be put on every piece of core
with an orientation line to indicate the downhole direction.
This is essential to prevent confusion when the core is being
handled during logging.
ant to understand which mark the line was drawn from to see which marks the lock
angle relates to. In this example, the mark is at the bottom of the run because a
back-end tool was used. However, if a front-end tool were used, the marks would
be at the top of the run and the line drawn down. In this example, the 0° lock angle
at 127.05 m validates the line between 127.05 and 128.57 m. By visualizing the
orientation line in this way, it is immediately obvious that the lock angle errors
at 123.36 and 124.0 m are symmetrical. This is consistent with the fact that the
core was loose in the shoe when the mark at 124.0 m was made (mark quality 9,
Table 2). If the line drawn from 124.0 m is rotated –30°, then the line will match
perfectly with the mark at 123.36 and the line from 125.53 m, validating the mark
at 123.36 m.

5. Make structural measurements bamboo diagram also makes it easier shack, not the drill rig. Our convention
using the alpha-beta conventions to isolate areas where the line has been is to retain the final bamboo diagrams
described by Holcombe (2015), so incorrectly drawn across a discontinuity of the hole for later reference if ques-
that they can be corrected for orien- in the core where it should have been tions about corrections arise.
tation line errors and the downhole broken (Figure 6a). In the majority of
survey. cases, once the bamboo diagram high-
lights a line error, it is relatively easy to LINE ROTATION AND
Once the orientation log is created and
locate the actual problem and the orien- RECOVERY OF ERRORS
the lock angles are measured for a series
tation log can be modified to produce a One option to correct the errors
of core runs, it is possible to identify
new bamboo diagram (Figure 6b). identified in Figures 5 and 6 would be
problem areas and start the process of
It should be emphasized that, ideally, to redraw the orientation lines, as sug-
error checking.
the construction of the bamboo dia- gested by Holcombe (2015). However,
gram should be done as soon as possible this can easily create confusion and
THE BAMBOO DIAGRAM— after the line is drawn so that errors can is not necessary if the orientation log
be detected and resolved immediately.
VISUALIZATION OF ORIEN- is used. Any structural
to page 18 . . .
However, this is a task for the core reading made using
TATION LINE PROBLEMS
As the orientation line is being
constructed and lock angles
are measured, it is important
to visualize the orientation
line so that the relationships
between line segments can be
analyzed. This can be done by
thinking of each orientation
line segment as a section along
a bamboo stalk looking down
the hole (Figure 5). In this way,
it is possible to rapidly identify
simple problems, like an error
caused by core that was loose
in the shoe at 124 m in Table
2 (Figure 5). In this instance,
the symmetrical errors indi-
cate that the loose-in-shoe FIGURE 6. Using bamboo diagrams, the source of errors can be logically narrowed down so there is a better
chance of finding and ultimately fixing them. A. All of the orientation marks are validated by the two good lock
core had rotated 30° before it angles, so the one bad lock angle can only originate in the drawing of the line. B. Review of the core found a subtle
was marked and the error can indication of core spinning at 132 m, so the line was broken there. Consequently, only the line from 132 to 131.5 m
be recovered (Figure 5). The is bad. Since the bad line segment locks to a validated line segment, it can be corrected by a simple rotation of –65°.
18 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

. . . from page 17 An Inexpensive Way to Maximize and Preserve the Value of Oriented Core: The Orientation Log (continued)

the line segments with errors can be
corrected by rotating the beta angle
by the necessary amount. This can be
done by including the rotation angle
in the orientation log (Table 3). For
examples like the one shown in Figure
6, it is necessary to make adjustments
to the orientation log to allow the
line segments to be correctly charac-
terized (cf. Tables 4 and 5). Once the
orientation log has been corrected, it
is then a simple operation to join the
structural readings with the orienta-
tion log and apply the correction rota-
tion to get a “corrected beta” (Table 6).

TABLE 3. Orientation Log from Example in Figure 5, Carrying Rotation Angles Required to Correct Structural Readings

Mark Orientation Mark Lock Rotation OM used Corrected Line

Hole ID depth From_m To_m method quality angle (°) angle (°) to correct lock quality Comments

DDH-106 123.36 122.48 123.36 ACT 4   30    0 0 5.1 Line not checked

DDH-106 124.00 123.36 124.00 ACT 9 330 –30 125.53 0 5 Core loose in shoe
DDH-106 125.53 124.00 125.53 ACT 5   3   0 3 5
DDH-106 127.05 125.53 127.05 ACT 4   0   0 0 5
DDH-106 128.57 127.05 128.57 ACT 4   2   0 2 5

Notes: “OM Used to Correct” records the reference orientation mark that the line has been rotated to match; “Corrected Lock” shows the error after the correction;
correcting the loose-in-shoe error validates the entire line from 122.48 to 128.57 m

TABLE 4. Orientation Log for Interval Shown in Figure 6A

Mark Orientation Mark Lock Rotation OM used Corrected Line

Hole ID depth From_m To_m method quality angle (°) angle (°) to correct lock quality Comments

DDH-106 130.00 128.57 130.00 ACT 5   0 5

DDH-106 131.50 130.00 131.50 ACT 3 65 5 Validated by 0 lock
DDH-106 133.00 131.50 133.00 ACT 5   0 1 Invalidated by 65 lock
DDH-106 134.50 133.00 134.50 ACT 4 5 Validated by 0 lock

Notes: The bamboo diagram quickly isolates the problem interval, as indicated in the Comments; “OM Used to Correct” records the reference orientation mark
that the line has been rotated to match; “Corrected Lock” shows the error after the correction

TABLE 5. Corrected Orientation Log for Interval Shown in Figure 6A After the Analysis Shown in Figure 6B

Mark Orientation Mark Lock Rotation OM used Corrected Line

Hole ID depth From_m To_m method quality angle (°) angle (°) to correct lock quality Comments

DDH-106 130.00 128.57 130.00 ACT 5  0   0 0 5

DDH-106 131.50 130.00 131.50 ACT 3 65   0 0 5
DDH-106 133.00 131.50 132.00 ACT 5 –65 131.50 0 5 Misdrawn due to spin
DDH-106 133.00 132.00 132.01 ACT 0 0 Spun core at 132
DDH-106 133.00 132.01 133.00 ACT 5  0   0 0 5
DDH-106 134.50 133.00 134.50 ACT 4   0 5

Notes: Entries in bold indicate the modifications required to correct the erroneously drawn line; a 1-cm-wide record has been created for the interval 132.0 to
132.01 m to identify the location of the spun surface; a new record has also been created for the interval 131.5 to 132.0 m to isolate the interval above the spun
core; the interval below the spun core has been stopped at the spin; now that the error has been identified, it can be corrected by a –65° rotation of the interval
between 131.5 and 132.0 m; “OM Used to Correct” records the reference orientation mark that the line has been rotated to match; “Corrected Lock” shows the
error after the correction

TABLE 6. Structure Log Illustrating How Measured Structures Are Joined to the Orientation Log to Apply Corrections and Assign Confidence

Beta rotation Beta

Hole ID Depth (m) Struc1 Alpha Beta angle (°) corrected Mark quality Line quality Orientation comments

DDH-106 122.53 Vein 51 262   0 262 4 5

DDH-106 123.29 Vein 49 257   0 257 4 5
DDH-106 123.65 Vein 66 353 –30 323 9 5 Core loose in shoe
DDH-106 123.82 Vein 55 292 –30 262 9 5 Core loose in shoe
DDH-106 125.20 Vein 61 319   0 319 5 5
DDH-106 130.76 Vein 54 255   0 255 3 5
DDH-106 131.57 Vein 49 323 –65 258 5 5 Misdrawn due to spin
DDH-106 131.72 Vein 73 25 –65 320 5 5 Misdrawn due to spin
DDH-106 131.92 Fault 48 329 –65 264 5 5 Misdrawn due to spin
DDH-106 132.73 Vein 49 258   0 258 5 5
DDH-106 133.75 Vein 67 324   0 324 4 5
DDH-106 134.39 Breccia 54 258   0 258 4 5

Note: In this 12-m interval, five structures have been significantly affected by the corrections made in Tables 3 and 5
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
DISCUSSION AND
CONCLUSIONS
There are many potential errors asso-
ciated with creating an orientation
mark on core. Current industry practice
allows this task to fall almost exclu-
sively to the drilling contractor and, as
a result, there is little or no documen-
tation associated with the process of cre-
ating the orientation mark. The task of
drawing the orientation line is generally
done by geologists or geotechnicians,
but, once again, only rarely is there any
documentation of either the orientation
mark quality or the errors in the orien-
tation line. This lack of documentation
makes it difficult to evaluate or isolate
the sources of errors, and it is this level
of uncertainty that has led Bright et al.
(2014) to suggest that an orientation
line is really only validated if three ori-
entation marks line up.
Our contention is that, with rea-
sonable documentation and analysis,
many errors that would historically
have led to rejection of data can be
corrected and the data recovered. At the
very least, information on orientation
errors is captured to qualify structural
measurements.
Our simplified workflow consists of
the following steps:
1. Make and record observations on
the quality of the orientation mark
itself, trying to quantify the angular
uncertainty as you transfer the mark
to the bottom of the core.
2. Carefully piece the core together on
an angle iron and extend the orien-
tation line as far as possible.
3. If the line can be confidently drawn
across locked core to the end of
the core run, carefully measure and
record the lock angle. Remember, if
the uncertainty on an orientation
mark is 10°, then that alone can
explain a lock error.
4. If multiple lines connect and any
lock angle errors are greater than
10°, then construct a bamboo dia-
gram to try to isolate the problem(s)
by determining if a mark is wrong
or if the problem is in the line.
5. If the problem is a mark, deter-
mine if it can be solved by simple
rotation.
6. If the problem is in the line, reex-
amine the core to locate the misfit
pieces, breaking the line if necessary.
7. Make adjustments and notes in the
orientation log as required to docu-
ment corrections.
SEG NEWSLETTER
8. Make structural measurements
using the standard alpha and beta
conventions.
9. Join the point structural measure-
ments with the orientation log,
using depth to transfer the informa-
tion on quality and rotational cor-
rections to the structural readings.
10. Reduce the structural readings to
true dip and dip directions using
available software.
Using the methodology outlined here,
especially the bamboo diagram visual-
ization, it is possible, at little additional
cost, to document the orientation line
quality and to correct many common
errors. This approach can be used no
matter what method is used to orient
the core or when the line is drawn. In
fact, if the core has not been sampled,
this method can be used retroactively to
evaluate the quality of the orientation
lines and correct previous structural
measurements years after the hole is
initially drilled and logged.
Because the “lock angle” is the only
way to absolutely prove the validity of
an orientation line, it is important to
think about how to increase the odds of
getting continuous lines. Consider these
few simple things:
1. The shorter the core run, the more
likely you are to get two marks to
lock—e.g., a 5-ft core barrel is better
than a 10-ft core barrel.
2. Triple-tube coring is the most reliable
way to get continuous core through
broken ground and, consequently, to
get continuous orientation lines.
3. If using triple-tube coring, consider
putting a geotechnician on the drill
rig with the sole purpose of supervis-
ing the orientation process, drawing
the orientation line, and keeping the
orientation log. If this task is left to
the normal drill helpers, the lines
will frequently be drawn incorrectly,
and it will be hard to isolate errors
once the core is in the box.
4. Use the orientation log and bam-
boo diagram as a basis to review the
orientation line, especially in areas of
critical importance. If the line cannot
be validated by lock angles but the
mark is good, then review the line for
possible errors and record that review
in the orientation log so it can be
taken into account when assigning
confidence to structural readings in
that interval.
Each of these considerations comes
with a measureable cost that must be
19
weighed against the potential impor-
tance and nature of the structural data
that will be collected. If measuring
bedding or fabrics that are pervasively
developed, the additional effort to
quantify the reliability of orientations
may not be warranted. If the objective
is to collect data on specific structural
zones intersected once in each drill
hole, a more rigorous approach is defi-
nitely needed. One must assess the cost
of improved orientation against that of
incorrect structural interpretations. How
many holes might be drilled unnec-
essarily because the strike and dip are
incorrectly interpreted? Could a deposit
be missed? What if a highwall fails
because of an incorrect characterization
of discontinuities?
Drilling oriented core is an invest-
ment which can yield priceless struc-
tural insights on many projects.
Creating an orientation log is a simple
way to maximize and preserve the value
of that investment.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to acknowledge
the contributions of many geologists
and geotechnicians on the Interna-
tional Tower Hill Mines Ltd. and Corvus
Gold Inc. projects who participated in
the development of this methodology.
Their observations were a critical part
of the process. Special thanks to Sam
Dashevsky of Northern Associates,
who took the Reflex controller away
from the drillers and gave it to the rig
geotechs. Thanks also to Brett Davis and
to the SEG reviewers, whose comments
improved the clarity of the text.
REFERENCES
Bright, S., Conner, G., Turner, A., and Vearncombe,
J., 2014, Drill core, structure and digital technol-
ogies: Applied Earth Science (Trans. Inst. Min.
Metall. B), v. 123, p. 47–68.
Davis, B.K., 2014, Use and abuse of oriented drill
core: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metal-
lurgy, Monograph 30, p. 121–136.
Holcombe, R., 2015, Oriented drill core: Mea-
surement, conversion and QA/QC procedures
for structural and exploration geologists. Free
downloads: Oriented core measurement and cal-
culation procedures, available at www.hcovglobal.
com. 1
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NEWSLETTER
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ABSTRACT s
INTRODUCTION

The leading journal in our field includes access to an

Exploration for porphyry
copper
deposits beneath barren Lithocaps are large rock
mineralized, advanced
or poorly volumes—
argillic originally 1 to 2 km thick
lithocaps is becoming and
common- up to tens of square kilometer
place; however, there in areal extent—that s
have been few normally
discoveries except in
cases where the constitute the upper
parts of one

archive of 9,000 articles from 1905.

copper ± gold ± molybdenu
m min- or more porphyry copper
eralization has been
partly exposed, systems
typically as a result of (Sillitoe, 1995). Typically,
partial lithocap they
erosion. At Valeriano, are wholly or partially
in the high composed
Andes of northern Chile, of advanced argillic alteration
completely
concealed Miocene porphyry and can host high-sulfi
cop- dation
per-gold mineralization epithermal gold-silve
was recently r ± copper
discovered beneath a mineralization. The advanced
lithocap. Here,
the results of the staged argillic alteration, commonl
drilling y
program that led to the
discovery structurally and stratigraph both
are summarized, with ically

m SEG Newsletter
emphasis on controlled, is typified
the key geologic, alteration, by vuggy
and residual quartz and quartz-alu
mineralization features nite
that provided at shallower
guidance. The final deep
drill holes levels, with to page 15 . . .
of the 16-hole program
cut well-de-
fined advanced argillic
and sericitic FIGURE 1. Location of
alteration zones before the Valeriano cop-
entering chal- per-gold prospect with
copyrite ± bornite–be respect to other
aring, potas- latest Oligocene-Miocene
sic-altered porphyry, porphyry and
with grades of high-sulfidation (HS) epithermal
deposits

Industry favorite packed with articles, news, and

0.7 to 1.2% Cu equiv, and principal prospects
at depths of in
~1,000 to >1,800 m. and Maricunga metallogenic the El Indio
ern Chile. belts, north-
E-mail, aucu@compuserve.com
, burgoa@esfera.cl, and
david.hopper@fqml.co
m

activities.

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embership 2017
For over 40 years as a Fellow, SEG, through its publications, conferences, and field trips, has been an integral
part of my being an economic geologist. The Society has not only grown numerically during these four decades
but has also become progressively more international, to the point where it now truly represents economic
geologists globally. During my consulting activities I inevitably work with SEG Members worldwide, many
of whom have played active roles in the Society and contributed to its prestigious publications. Whether as a
Student Member, Member, or Fellow, and irrespective of the state of the exploration and mining business, I urge
you to take advantage of SEG’s many benefits as well as help to determine its future directions.
—Richard Sillitoe (SEG 1976 FL), Consultant
 22
THE DYSLEXIC MENTOR=================================================================
Ken Witherly (SEG 2008),† Condor Consulting, and John Gingerich
Opinions expressed in this column are the authors' and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the SEG.
SEG NEWS
The Dyslexic Mentor is the brainchild of Ken
Witherly, a geophysicist known to many
in our industry as someone with a creative
approach to exploration and a nice turn of
phrase in making techniques and concepts
accessible to even the most pedestrian geo-
scientist. This inaugural column, written with
John Gingerich, calls for us to organize
ourselves better to enhance our use of the
technology we already possess. It will strike
a chord with many an explorationist and
the Dyslexic Mentor will endeavor to keep
providing similar pieces about exploration
and technology in future issues of the SEG
Newsletter. Ken describes himself as "mildly
dyslexic."
Exploration Technology:
Quest for the Missing Pieces
What new technological innovations
are required to address the challenges
facing the mineral resource sector?
Global exploration investment1 peaked
at $21.5B in 2012, and plummeted to
$9.2B (57% decline) by 2015 in response
to the collapse in commodity prices.
The flight of capital from the mineral
resource industry decimated the junior
mining sector, with the TSX venture
dropping from a high of 1,750 points to
under 500 points by the spring of 2016.
The majority of junior mining compa-
nies found their stock trading at 1/10th
of previous highs, leaving investors
fatigued, frustrated, and disillusioned.
Unfortunately, the major metals compa-
nies did not fare much better, with the
global stock market valuation dropping
from $2,415B in April 2011 to under
$800B (67% decrease) by the end of
January 2016. Add to this a continuing
decline in the discovery record, and it is
apparent the metals industry is in crisis.
The industry’s initial response was to
cut back on development expenditures
and engage in corporate restructur-
ing—including a shutdown of marginal
operations, major staff reductions, and
massive cuts to exploration and strate-
gic planning. Technology and innova-
tion inevitably became an important
†
Corresponding author: e-mail,
ken@condorconsult.com
SEG NEWSLETTER
plank of the strategy in order to reas-
sure boards and investors that despite
the cutbacks, reversing the discovery
trend is possible and sustainability
and growth remain achievable. Conse-
quently, there has been renewed interest
in technological innovation. This was
the focus of the PDAC: DMEC Work-
shop held March 9, 2016.2
What needs to change? Are we look-
ing for a “disruptive technological solu-
tion” or are we satisfied with enhanced
resolution in defining an anomaly
or drill target? Aren’t these questions
familiar and did we not do this once
before? Between 1997 and 2002 global
exploration expenditures similarly fell
56% ($4.5B to $2.0B). At that time, the
industry also saw massive lay-offs and
consolidations, with devastating effects
on exploration groups around the
world. Technology was expected to play
a very important role, as each company
pursued the ultimate “silver bullet.”
In response to this crisis, industry
initiatives resulted in an impressive
array of technological advancements
(SPECTREM, MegaTEM, airborne gravity
gradiometry (AGG)-Falcon, distributed
array–Titan 24, hyperspectral imaging,
3D seismic, partial extraction geochem-
istry, etc.), significantly improving the
depth of search and enhanced target
resolution. Each advancement initiated
new rounds of explo-
ration in search of
the target missed by
the previous surveys.
In the intervening
years, we witnessed
orders of magnitude
of improvement as
we enhanced our
ability to measure,
acquire, and analyze
these datasets with
ever increasing reso-
lution, moving from
PPM to PPB and now
PPT. Concurrent with
the developments in
new measurement
systems, there were FIGURE 1. A graph
enormous advances exploration business.
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
in how data are processed and visu-
alized. Still, despite this onslaught of
technological innovation, the discov-
ery record did not change and many
authors (e.g., R. Schodde, R. Beaty,
A. Koch) argue that it has actually
declined.
Mining and mineral processing
improvements along with commodity
price increases have done more to create
ore reserves than exploration discovery.
This is evident as the average grade of
mined gold dropped from 4.6 gpt in
1998 to only 1.1 gpt in 2015.3 Similar
trends are seen in copper. Do we really
need more exploration technology?
Perhaps it is better to acquire already
defined marginal assets and wait for the
depletion of the high quality resources
to ultimately make these projects via-
ble? The downside to this is that given
the typical lognormal distribution of
global resources, when price changes
significantly, there is a dramatic impact
on converting resources to reserves.
This leads to expanded production
and development of marginal projects,
ultimately feeding oversupply, followed
most commonly by a price collapse.
This is what happened in this last met-
als cycle. Therefore, a successful explo-
ration group providing quality assets
with lower quartile cost (higher grades,
open pit) and longevity (large deposits)
dramatically illustrates the cyclical nature of the
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
is essential to avoid being caught nav-
igating the tight line of metals pricing
as a growth strategy. But, unfortunately,
with the arsenal of tools at our disposal
and an industry flush with cash, these
technological improvements did not
lead to improved rates of discovery.
Back in 2001–2002, it was recog-
nized that despite all the advances
being made in exploration technology,
perhaps the problem lay in the business
decision process. The petroleum indus-
try went through similar cycles in the
1970s and 1980s. Exploration budget
increases did not yield reserve increases
and overall there was a decline in
discovery rates. Risk management strate-
gies emerged that aimed at developing a
better “quantitative” understanding of
project risk and portfolio management.
This led to substantial improvements in
exploration performance.4 The idea of
developing a mineral industry analog
led to a joint presentation with Peter
Rose and Jim Gouveia of Rose & Asso-
ciates at the 2003 PDAC convention.5
At that time, Peter Rose stated that risk
management tools would be resisted by
senior exploration management as an
intrusion to their earned right to decide
how dollars were allocated. Until the
risk management story was being pre-
sented to boards and investors, uptake
was unlikely. His analysis was correct.
After the 1997–2001 crisis the cycle
began again when, from 2002 to 2008,
worldwide exploration expenditures
grew by an astounding 677% to $13.75B
and to $21.5B by 2013 or more than
10 times the low of 2002. Times were
never better as price increases converted
waste to ore and every project was
potentially a mine. Access to funding
was unbounded as industry generally
believed that spending more increased
the chance of discovery. Consequently,
approximately $90B was spent between
2006 and the peak year of 2012.
Although armed with improved tools,
there was a decline in discovery rates of
world-class deposits and destruction of
shareholder value.
In the 15 years since 2001, the track
record indicates mineral explorationists
made poor choices in the deployment
of exploration capital. Our industry
continues to confuse technological per-
formance with the effective exploration
decision process, which is a team-based
risk management decision. There are
only two logical outcomes from testing
a target: (1) the target lacks the char-
acteristics of a mineral deposit—this is
SEG NEWSLETTER
failure and technical success is mean-
ingless; or (2) a deposit is intersected
and the probability of it being economic
is driven by nature—the distribution of
deposits (size, grade) is lognormal and
through effective probabilistic analysis,
we can estimate the possibility of such a
deposit being economic.
In reviewing the technology suite
available to exploration today, if an
orebody exists within 300 m of surface
(well beyond the economic limits in a
greenfields environment), unequivo-
cally best practice geoscience will find
it. This also means best practice geo-
science can determine not to drill as
well. Unfortunately, once the explora-
tion team is called into action, drilling
(aka applying the truth machine) is
unleashed since you can never tell if it
is that next hole that will succeed!
All geologists know that grassroots
exploration is inherently more risky, but
also recognize that the next “big discov-
ery” will likely emerge from less known
geologic terrains. The challenge for
exploration managers is to “objectively
quantify” this risk as best possible in
order to make more reliable allocations
of capital. One method to help quantify
risk is to plot the deposit characteris-
tics (tons, grade) on cumulative log
probability plots5 whereby they form a
straight line from which estimates to the
probability of certain deposit size and
grade can be estimated. These estimates
provide guidelines as to whether the dis-
covery has potential to be economic and
whether definition drilling and detailed
engineering studies are justified.
FIGURE 2. A quantitative process of assessing project risk can help determine when to drill and when
to walk away.
23
There are no missing technological
pieces! Whereas incremental improve-
ments will continue to push the depths
and resolution of mapping the earth’s
subsurface to enhance targeting, the
path to improved performance is better
exploration practices, not a technology
“silver bullet.” A quantitative process of
SEG NEWS
assessing project risk can be augmented
by predictive modelling to enhance the
business decision of when to drill and
when to walk away. A more rigorous
quantitative risk assessment can also be
used to assess what gaps in the knowl-
edge base provide the greatest risk and,
accordingly, what surveys have the
greatest impact to reduce risk. Imple-
menting post mortem project reviews
will provide the critical assessment.
We have gone full circle and it is
2002 all over again. Are we willing to
repeat the same process or is the min-
eral industry finally ready to take a hard
look at the exploration track record
and seriously examine why we fail? The
industry does not need a “silver bullet,”
simply a better aim.
Notes
1
SNL Metals & Mining, “World Exploration Trends
2016,” Special Report for PDAC convention.
2
J. Gingerich, Geotechnical Business Solutions Inc.,
“Exploration Technology, The missing Pieces,”
Presentation, PDAC 2016 DMEC Workshop, March
9, 2016, (http://www.dmec.ca/Resources.aspx).
3
Andrew Dashkov, Casey Research, “Peak Gold,”
August 19, 2014.
4
P. Rose, G. Citron, M. Mclean. Rose & Associates
LLP, “The Realization of Corporate Organizational
and Cultural Patterns to E&P Performance,” AAPG
Annual Meeting, Presentation, June 2001.
5
J. Gouveia, P. Rose, J. Gingerich, “The prospector
myth—coming to terms with risk management in
mineral exploration,” Presentation, PDAC March
9–12, 2003. 1
 24 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

Report on the 35th International Geological Congress

August 27–September 4, 2016, Cape Town, South Africa
Mike Venter (SEG 2008 F), SEG VP Africa
SEG NEWS

The 35th IGC, SEG Economic

also known as the Geology 101
“World Cup” of Course, as well as
geology, was held in accommodation
Cape Town recent- and transport. All
ly, with over 4,000 recipients were
delegates represent- able to meet Tim’s
ing more than 100 daughter Jenny
countries. The SEG Nutt, who took
was there to sponsor some time out to
and support this greet the recipi-
important conference, which included sponsor up-and-coming young Zimba- ents of the funding during the IGC.
manning an exhibition stand (ably man- bwean and southern African economic As I’m sure the recipients (and all who
aged by Brian Hoal), as well as hosting geology students to attend the IGC and attended) agree—the IGC is a unique
two short courses (Economic Geology present their work. Three post-graduate event, not only with respect to the expo-
101 and Gold Deposits) and co-sponsor- students, Godfrey Chagondah (Zim- sure to various geological disciplines, but
ing the Gold Session with SGA. babwean), Josia Shilunga (Namibian), to have the opportunity to meet like-
An important part of the 35 IGC and Felix Cumbane (Mozambique) minded scientists from all over the
was the opportunity it provided for the were selected, with the Tim Nutt Fund world. Looking forward to the next,
SEG’s Tim Nutt Fund to support and covering costs of attending the IGC, 36 IGC, to be held in Delhi, 2020! 1

Attendees visited the bustling exhibitors’ hall: (left to right) Godrey Cha- Tim Nutt Fund award recipients at the SEG booth: (left to right): Brian
gondah, Mike Venter (SEG VP Africa), Brian Hoal (SEG), Josia Shilunga, Hoal (SEG), awardees Felix Cumbane, Josia Shilunga, and Godfrey Cha-
Jenny Nutt (Tim’s daughter) and Felix Cumbane. gondah, and Mike Venter (SEG VP Africa).

JOSEPH R. ANZMAN
Exploration Geophysicist
• consulting
• interpretation PAUL W. KUHN
• project management President
• geophysical surveys
• domestic & foreign paulk@avrupaminerals.com
www.avrupaminerals.com
P.O. Box 370526 303-519-0658
Denver, Colorado 80237 geophjoe@gmail.com Direct: +351-253274070 Portugal mobile: +351-925972240
Fax: +351-253615041 U.S. mobile: +1-509-990-6786

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No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 25

SEG STUDENT CHAPTER NEWS

Round II 2016 Student Chapter Funding Proposal

Submission Deadline is October 31, 2016!
The application can be found at www.segweb.org/pdf/students/
Student-Chapter-Funding-Guidelines-Application.pdf.

Please note that in order for your application to be eligible, SEG Student Chapters
must:
n be active Welcome, New
n have submitted an Annual Report (AR) by the September 30, 2016, deadline 2016 SEG

STUDENT NEWS
n have submitted an updated Student Chapter Membership Information Form
STUDENT CHAPTERS

(SCMIF) with the AR
n meet ALL other eligibility requirements as outlined in the Student Chapter
Guidelines.
n Colorado State University, USA
Since 2012, the SEG Stewart R. Wallace Fund has supported the student chapter n Hefei University of Technology,
funding program; proposals for funding should focus on field-based educational
China
activities.
n Pontificia Universidad Catol-
Well-constructed and thoughtful applications may be successful in receiving as much ica del Peru and Universidad
as US$1,500.00 (possibly more, for exceptional applications). The 2015 budget brings Nacional San Antonio Abad
US$70,000 for those student chapters submitting successful applications, with approx- del Cuzco: PUCP-UNSAAC
imately US$35,000 allocated for each round. We encourage all chapters to seriously Combined Chapter, Peru
consider the assessment criteria used by the Student Affairs Committee in planning
your activities to ensure the best chance of receiving the highest level of funding.
This brings the total number of
The assessment criteria are clearly stated on the Student Chapter Funding Form. It is
chapters to 100 in 31 countries.
encouraged to have your academic and industry advisors review your proposal. Please
note that chapters awarded funding in Round I 2016 are not eligible to receive funding
in Round II 2016.
Visit www.segweb.org/StudentChapterGuidelines for more details.
Please direct chapter revisions, updates, or questions to studentprograms@segweb.org. 1

PAID ADVERTISEMENT
 26 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki SEG Student Chapter Activities

First Aid Training from the RESCUE GR
The AUTh SEG Student Chapter co-organized a free first aid train-
ing session for its members with the RESCUE GR, a volunteer rescue
and humanitarian organization based in Thessaloniki, N. Greece.
The training, which focused on first aid for outdoor accidents, was
conducted on Saturday, April 16, 2016, at the National Stadium of
Thessaloniki. Participants received instruction in providing first aid
for common injuries that may occur in the field.
The seminar was successful, with the participants learning im-
portant first aid skills. We would like to thank RESCUE GR and the
National Kaftatzoglio Stadium for making this training possible.
Ourania Toumanidou, Vice President of the AUTh SEG Student Chapter

Vathi Field Trip Members of the AUTh SEG Student Chapter and RESCUE GR team.
STUDENT NEWS

On Saturday, April 9, 2016, the members of the SEG Aristotle University of

Thessaloniki Student Chapter visited the Vathi Cu-Au ± U ± Mo porphyry
system in northern Greece. The Vathi porphyry belongs to the Serbo-Macedo-
nian metallogenic belt and extends around two hills, Ragian 1 and 2, in Kilkis
Province. The leader of the field trip was Christos Stergiou, M.Sc. student at
the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, whose master’s thesis on the Vathi
porphyry system was partly funded by SEG programs. This one-day field trip
was organized by Janja Michailovich and Eftychia Petika (2015–2016 presi-
dent and secretary of the chapter, respectively) and supervised and by Vasilios
Melfos, academic advisor of the AUTh SEG Student Chapter.
Eftychia Petika, Secretary of the AUTh SEG Student Chapter 1

The 31 chapter
members who
participated in
the field trip at
the top of the
Vathi porphyry Chapter members gather around a vein with malachite
system. encrustation in the porphyry.

Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences SEG Student Chapter

Field trip participants and leaders pause for a photo near Bizigou
copper deposit.
Zhongtiaoshan Copper Belt Field Trip
The Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences (CAGS) SEG Student
Chapter held its first field trip from July 16 to 19, 2016. Eight
students visited three major copper deposits of the Zhongtiaoshan
copper belt: Bizigou, Henglingguan, and Tongkuangyu. During the
trip, we studied the stratigraphic framework, intrusive history, and
ore-forming processes of the copper belt, which formed in a Precam-
brian setting. Additionally, participation by local mining company
employees gave us new insights into the field of mineral exploration.
The Student Chapter would like to acknowledge the Stewart R.
Wallace Fund for financial support of our field trip. We would also
like to thank Professor Jingwen Mao (Chinese Academy of Geolog-
ical Sciences), Professor Jeremy Richards (SEG 1985 FL, Universi-
ty of Alberta), Professor Huishou Ye (Chinese Academy of Geolog-
ical Sciences), and Dr. Hongying Li for their guidance throughout
this trip. We are grateful to the Geophysical and Geochemical
Exploration Institute of Shanxi Province and the Zhongtiaoshan
Non-ferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd. for providing the access to
these copper deposits. 1
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
Field Trip to the Taupo Volcanic
Zone, New Zealand
In March 2016, 21 members of the
Colorado School of Mines SEG Stu-
dent Chapter left the snow-covered
Rockies for a nine-day field trip to the
North Island of New Zealand. Thomas
Monecke (SEG 2003 F), Jeff Hedenquist
(SEG 1986 F), and Murray Hitzman (SEG
1978 F) led the group of students from
Auckland to the Tongariro National
Park to learn about active volcanic arcs,
ore-forming processes, and geothermal
systems.
The Taupo volcanic zone consists of
a typical andesitic arc to the east and a
zone of bimodal volcanism in the back
arc to the west. The andesitic arc con-
stitutes a favorable environment for the
formation of high- to intermediate-sulfi-
dation epithermal deposits, whereas the
back arc is famous for its many active
geothermal systems, considered to be
representative of the low-sulfidation
epithermal environment. The compar-
ison of these two contrasting environ-
ments was the focus of the trip, along
with visits to epithermal deposits and
an active volcano.
The first two days were spent in the
Coromandel Peninsula, a relic volcanic
arc that was active during the Miocene
and Pliocene. We visited the Martha and
Karangahake low-sulfidation Au-Ag de-
posits. At the Martha mine, operated by
OceanaGold, the group viewed the open
pit before examining drill core showing
outstanding epithermal ore textures.
Outcrops at the Karangahake deposit
illustrated zoning of the alteration halo
to the quartz veins of this epithermal
deposit.
The group embarked the following
day on a boat cruise to White Island.
The visit provided the opportunity to
Donald J. Birak – Geologist
Fellow - SEG
Registered Member – SME
Fellow – AusIMM
Consulting to the Minerals Exploration and Mining Industry
Experience Integrity
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
SEG NEWSLETTER
Colorado School of Mines SEG Student Chapter
Field trip participants at the famous Champagne Pool in the Waiotapu geothermal area. Photograph
by T. Monecke.
study the environment of formation
of advanced argillic lithocap alteration
that may host high-sulfidation epi-
thermal ores. In a fun coincidence, we
met students as well as David Cooke
and Jocelyn McPhie from the University
of Tasmania on the crater rim.
We then visited the Waimangu and
Waiotapu geothermal systems, south
of Rotorua, to examine surface features
and discuss fluid evolution in the active
analogue to the low-sulfidation epi-
thermal environment. During the fol-
lowing days, geologists and geochemists
from Contact Energy and Mighty River
Power led the group to their geothermal
energy operations, including Ngatam-
ariki, Ohaaki, Rotokawa, and Wairakei.
This was a fantastic opportunity to
learn about the dynamics of a geother-
mal reservoir from both geological and
engineering perspectives. Julie Rowland
from the University of Auckland then
joined the group to give an overview of
the structural controls governing hydro-
www.birakconsulng.com
Email: djbirak1@outlook.com
Mobile: +1.208.699.4015
Reliability Innovation
27
STUDENT NEWS
thermal fluid flow in the main rift axis
of the Taupo volcanic zone.
We spent the last two days of the
field trip in the Tongariro National
Park, hiking the Tongariro crossing and
climbing to the top of Mount Ruapehu.
The group left New Zealand with many
photographs and memories of this
adventure.
This trip would not have been pos-
sible without the patience, knowledge,
and generosity of our guides Thomas
Monecke, Jeff Hedenquist, and Murray
Hitzman. We would also like to thank
the staff from OceanaGold, Contact
Energy, and Mighty River Power, as well
as Julie Rowland. The Colorado School
of Mines SEG Student Chapter grate-
fully acknowledges Goldcorp, Apache,
the SEG Student Chapter Stewart R.
Wallace Fund, and the Denver Region
Exploration Geologists’ Society for their
generous contributions.
Samuel Pierre, Colorado School of Mines
SEG Student Chapter 1
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
 28 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

McGill SEG Student Chapter: Field Trip to Minas Gerais and Goiás, Brazil
In May 2016, a group of 12
graduate students from the
McGill SEG student chapter
(Montreal), accompanied
by Raphael Hunger from
Campinas University (Bra-
zil), ventured on a two-week
trip to explore the economic
geology of Brazil. Despite
publicized warnings about
general safety, we received
a very warm welcome, in
particular from the nu-
merous local geologists at
STUDENT NEWS

Group photo at the Pilar underground gold mine.

the mines we visited and
at the pousadas (bed and
breakfasts) we stayed at. Starting in Rio
de Janeiro, we drove to Belo Horizonte
to explore the Quadrilátero Ferrífero
(Iron Quadrangle), one of the world’s
most prolific mining districts. Here, we
visited the Paleoproterozoic BIF-hosted
Casa de Pedra, Pau Branco, Varzea do
Lopes, and Fazenda Liberdade open-pit
iron ore mines. The Pilar and Cuiabá
underground gold mines provided
insights into the deformed Archean
BIF-replacement high-grade orebodies.
Our tour of the Quadrilátero Ferrífero
was concluded by a visit in the Belmont
emerald mine, an open-pit and under-
ground operation that exploits an un-
usual deposit, which formed in response
to the reaction of Be-enriched fluids
exsolved from granites and pegmatites
with ultramafic greenstones. The oper-
ation is equipped with a state-of-the-art
automated gemstone sorting facility.
In the state of Goiás, we visited
the Catalão I phosphate mine, a giant
supergene-upgraded Cretaceous ap-
atite-phoscorite, and the Catalão II
niobium mine, hosted in a cogenetic
carbonatite. Our next stop, in the state
of Minas Gerais, was the giant Paraca-
tu open-pit gold mine, located in the
Brasilia Belt. Following this, we visited
the Vazante zinc mine and, finally,
the Araxá niobium mine—the world’s
largest niobium producer. The trip was
rounded off by a spectacular hike at
Pico do Itacolomi near Ouro Preto and
a visit to the Gruta da Lapa Nova cave
system near Vazante.
We would like to thank Carlos
Rosière (Universidade Federal de Minas
Gerais), José Affonso Brod (Universi-
dade Federal de Goiás), Monica Mendes
(Vale), and the geologists from Val-
lourec, Gerdau, CSN, Belmont, Jaguar
Mining, AngloGold Ashanti, Anglo
American, Kinross, Votorantim Metais,
and CBMM for volunteering their time
and sharing their expertise. This trip
was funded by the SEG, EPS McGill, and
by the proceeds from two short courses
organized by the McGill SEG Student
Chapter.
Volker Möller, Nicolas Gaillard, and
Karin Siegel 1

University of Orléans SEG Student Chapter Field Trip

During the spring of 2016, the SEG Student Chapter of
Orléans University organized a two-week field trip in the Basin
and Range Province (USA) with the support of several academ-
ic and industry sponsors.
The main scientific objective of this trip was to study and
better characterize the links between ore-forming processes,
University of Orléans field trip participants and University of Nevada-Reno Student Chapter
members at the Carlin trend open pit.
post-orogenic extension (e.g., emplacement of a metamorphic
core complex), and fluid circulation (e.g., active and inactive
hydrothermal systems). Thanks to input from our American
correspondents, we were able to choose several strategic places
to visit. We began in Utah (Salt Lake City) with the Alta stock
contact aureole, the Wasatch fault zone, and the Tintic min-
ing district. Then, we moved to Nevada to study
a Carlin-type gold deposit, characterized by
hidden gold. In addition, we made a geological
cross section in the Ruby Mountains metamor-
phic core complex. We concluded our field trip
with a visit to Yellowstone National Park.
This field trip gave us the opportunity to
establish relationships with the University
of Utah and University of Nevada-Reno SEG
Student Chapters. We shared some of our work
and research in order to lay the foundation
for future scientific collaboration. In addition,
the trip was a great opportunity for the grad-
uate students to apply theoretical concepts to
real-world operations.
Julie Michaud, Sylvain Delchini, Vincent Roche,
and Eloise Bessière 1
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016
Notice: Views expressed in the Exploration Reviews do not necessarily reflect those of the Society of Economic
Geologists, Inc., and columnists are solely responsible for ascertaining that information in this section is correct.
To read additional Exploration Reviews for individual countries, please log in at www.segweb.org/newsletter.
ALASKA
Regional Correspondent:
Curtis J. Freeman (SEG 1996)
Avalon Development Corp.
P.O. Box 80268
Fairbanks, AK 99708
Phone: 907-457-5159, Fax: 907-455-8069
E-mail: avalon@avalonalaska.com
Website: www.avalonalaska.com
If you have ever played or followed
sporting events, you are probably
familiar with that game-changing and
often inexplicable event known as the
“change of momentum.” This is when
the team that was on the ropes sud-
denly comes to life and often roars to
victory, putting smiles on the faces of
coaches, fans, and bookies alike. Well,
unless I am mistaken, the Alaska min-
ing industry has been the beneficiary
of just such a change of momentum.
After taking head shots for the last four
years, the industry suddenly came to life
over the last three months, with new
budgets, new players, and new targets
invigorating Alaska’s mining scene. For
whatever reason, everyone wants to get
back to business, and, in keeping with
past turnarounds, they want to do it
immediately! Hindsight being 20/20, we
will no doubt hear from pundits in the
months ahead just why this happened,
but I am not aware of anyone who actu-
ally predicted this sea change would
take place when it did. If such a person
does exist, come this fall, I know who I
am voting for as our next U.S. president.
Perhaps it was in part because Gold-
corp recently presented some arresting
statistics at the Bank of America Merrill
Lynch Global Metals, Mining and Steel
Conference. Their presentation indi-
cated that peak gold discovery occurred
in 1995—this despite three periods
between 1995 and 2015 when explora-
tion funding skyrocketed. Perhaps more
important to Alaska as elephant country
for gold deposits is the fact that global
gold reserves declined 15% between
2013 and 2015, while peak gold pro-
duction took place in 2015. Part of the
resource decline is clearly caused by
revisions to resources required by lower
SEG NEWSLETTER
EXPLORATION REVIEWS
gold prices, but gold production fore-
casts for the next decade show a steady
decline in anticipated production,
from the 2015 peak of about 95 million
ounces per year to a projected produc-
tion rate in 2024 of less than 80 million
ounces. Adding fuel to the fire was
equally arresting information from Nat-
ural Resource Holdings in their most
recent ranking of global gold deposits
greater than 1 million ounces. Their
information indicates that average mine
production grades as recently as 2013
were 1.18 grams of gold per tonne while
the remaining undeveloped +1 million
ounce deposits had an average grade
of 0.89 grams of gold per tonne—33%
lower than the producing mines. Hard
to keep production up when grades fall
33%. Regardless of the reasons, there
is a tangible buoyancy to the mining
industry in general and to Alaska spe-
cifically that has been missing for half a
decade. If you were waiting to get in at
the bottom of the market, I recommend
you get moving: it’s about to become a
seller’s market for the first time in five
years.
AUSTRALASIA
Regional Correspondent:
Russell Meares (SEG 1996)
Malachite Resources Limited
Sydney, Australia
E-mail: rmeares@malachite.com.au
Website: www.malachite.com.au
With contributions from:
Roger Thomson (SEG 1983) –
Western Australia
Lucy Chapman (SEG 2000) – Queensland
Meg Weatherman (SEG 2014) – Victoria
Andrew McNeill (SEG 2007) – Tasmania
Tony Christie (SEG 1992) – New Zealand
Andrew Rowett – South Australia
Steve Russell (SEG 2009) – NT
Brigitte Crowe – NSW
SUMMARY
Luck can play an important role in
many prospecting/exploration success
stories—none more so than when a
company acquires a package of gold
tenements and then finds that buried
29
under the old shallow gold workings is a
whole previously unknown high-grade
lithium pegmatite district, and at a time
when lithium is “flavor of the month”!
This is what happened to Kidman
Resources recently when it acquired the
Mt Holland gold tenements (in the For-
restania greenstone belt near Southern
Cross in Western Australia) with the aim
of developing the project as a second
gold mine, adding to production from
its flagship Burbanks gold operation
near Kalgoorlie. A total of ~44,000 drill
holes had been drilled on the tenements
over the years, and Kidman’s review of
old data and relogging of diamond drill
core stored on site showed that ~3,000
EXPLORATION REVIEWS
of these holes had intersected spodu-
mene-bearing pegmatites, delineating
a whole new lithium pegmatite district
with a strike length of at least 25 km.
The company initially confirmed the
lithium grade of the pegmatites by
assaying old stored drill samples from
holes drilled around and beneath the
old Earl Grey open pit, some of which
had ended in up to 50 m of spodu-
mene-bearing pegmatite. Kidman’s
first round of drilling has been very
successful, including an intersection of
93 m at 1.53% Li2O, demonstrating the
potential of this significant new lithium
district. So among the lessons here are,
firstly, the importance of safely storing
old drill core and, secondly, not assum-
ing that an area/prospect has been
exhaustively explored for all commodi-
ties and all deposit types.
At the other end of the scale, recently
a weekend prospector in Victoria, using
a metal detector, found a 145-oz gold
nugget 30 cm below ground level, worth
A$250,000. It was located between Bal-
larat and Bendigo, in the same region
which hosted Australia’s first gold rush
in the early 1850s. The nugget was
named “Friday’s Joy” to commemorate
the day on which it was discovered.
With a strong price outlook, gold
continues to drive the Australian explo-
ration sector 160 years later. This has
been confirmed in the Australian Bureau
of Statistics report of
the total exploration to page 30 . . .
 30 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

. . . from page 29 Exploration Reviews (continued)

expenditure for all minerals for the June
2016 quarter, which was A$354M—an
increase of 42% on the same quarter
in 2015. Increases were reported in all
states except Tasmania, and reflect a
growing optimism among local explor-
ers. Expenditure on gold exploration
constituted 44% of this total, which
includes coal and iron ore. Not surpris-
ingly, based on their gold output for the
year to 30 June 2016, four of Australia’s
six largest gold mines are located in
Western Australia—however, the largest
producer was Cadia (NSW: 800 Koz pa),
followed by Boddington (WA: 750 Koz
pa), the Kalgoorlie Superpit (WA: 750
Koz pa), Tanami (NT: 450 Koz pa), Kun-
dana (WA: 380 Koz pa), and Telfer (WA:
360 Koz pa).
Also see the online version for more
exciting exploration news from Down
Under, which includes reports on gold
discoveries under salt lakes in WA.
These dry lakes are common features of
EXPLORATION REVIEWS
greenstone belts and providing serious
drill rig access issues for explorers. Two
companies meeting these challenges
are Breaker Resources at its Bombora
North project at Lake Roe (100 km east
of Kalgoorlie), and S2 Resources at its
Monsoon project at Lake Cowan near
Norseman, where a recent drill hole
intersected 66 m at 11.4 g/t Au.
NORTHERN
EURASIA
Regional Correspondent:
Alexander Yakubchuk (SEG 1999 F)
Orsu Metals Corp, London, UK
E-mail: ayakubchuk@orsumetals.com
Detailed information can be found at
http://gold.prime-tass.ru
NORTHERN EURASIA
GENERAL
September 2016 the date of the auction
for the Sukhoi Log gold deposit in the
Irkutsk region. The deposit contains
1,953 t of gold and 1,541 t of silver in
B + C1 + C2 categories. The off-balance
resources of gold are 799 t.
VneshEconoBank is planning to
acquire 10.878% in Baikal Mining
Company, operator of the Udokan
copper project (controlled by Metallo-
invest) in Transbaikalia, Russia, for 11.4
billion rubles, which the bank received
from the Fund of National Prosperity.
Alrosa announced its intention to
spend 1.526 billion rubles for explora-
tion work to increase resources at the
Zarya deposit, and additionl explo-
ration at the Aikhal and Verkhne-
munskoye deposits.
Kazakhstan is planning to adopt a
new Mining Code in 2017, which will
simplify the licensing process.
Polymetal and AO Kazgeologia
signed a memorandum on joint explo-

the landscapes in central and southern The Russian Ministry for Natural ration for gold, silver, and copper in
WA, in part masking the underlying Resources is planning to announce in Kazakhstan.

Joint Ventures available

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No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 31

is a mine originally developed by to advance the Eastside (Nye County,

CONTIGUOUS
UNITED STATES
Regional Correspondent:
Roger C. Steininger (SEG 1978)
CGO & Director, NuLegacy Gold Corp.
4790 Caughlin Parkway, #765
Reno, NV 89519-0907
(775) 742-6333
E-mail: audoctor@aol.com
Rearranging the deck chairs on the
Titanic might be a bit of a harsh compar-
ison, or maybe not, but there has been
a flurry of asset movements recently.
Assets that are not part of one company’s
“core holdings” have become an excel-
lent opportunity for the purchaser. A few
examples are as follows:
• Klondex Mines bought the Hollister
mine/Esmeralda mine-mill (Elko
and Mineral counties, NV) from the
Waterton group of companies;
• Barrick acquired Coral Gold
Resources to gain access to the Rob-
ertson property, just north of the
Pegasus Gold) in southern Idaho;
• Rye Patch Gold purchased the Florida
Canyon mine (Pershing County, NV);
• Hecla is buying Mines Management
to take over the Rock Creek Cu-Ag
deposit in western Montana;
• As noted in my recent article,
Kinross acquired Bald Mountain
(White Pine County, NV) from Bar-
rick, and is now claiming that it can
expand the resources in the Bald
Mountain-Vantage-Saga-Duke areas.
Lithium is a hot topic, particularly
in and around every dry lake bed in
western Nevada. Maybe a drill rig in the
Black Rock playa during Burning Man
would add to the adventure. I hope
the “Giga Factory” being built outside
of Reno doesn’t become a mini factory
and the need for lithium dries up, as the
lake beds did.
With the increased optimism that the
gold bear market has bottomed and that
increasing metal prices and investments
are here to stay, or at least until the next
NV) and Iceberg (Eureka County, NV)
deposits, respectively. Pilot Gold has
released several groups of encouraging
drill results from the Goldstrike area
in southwestern Utah. Corvus Gold
announced newly discovered extensions
of the Yellowjacket and Northwest
Sierra Blanca deposits at North Bull-
frog in Nye County, NV. Premier Gold,
drilling between the Helen zone and the
Cove pit (Lander County, NV), discov-
ered additional gold-silver mineralization
in what is called the CSO Gap. Some of
the most impressive recently announced
drilling results are from Gold Ventures’
North Dark Star area in the Railroad
mining district of Elko County, NV. This
increased activity has also been noted by
the region’s drilling companies, as their
increased business is coming mostly
from the junior explorers.
Quaterra continues to explore the
Bear copper deposit in the Yerington
district (Lyon County, NV). Its news
releases claim to have expanded the

Pipeline mine in Lander County, NV;
• Pilot Gold acquired Mineral Gulch
from Western Pacific Resources (this
EXPLORATION REVIEWS
footprint of the deposit, but the inter-
downturn, a number of explorers are
cepts are modest grade and somewhat
reporting positive results. Columbus
deep. 1
Gold and NuLegacy Gold continue

Innovating now for our future

19-21 April 2017 | Uniclub, University of Western Australia

Do you work in geoscience in the mining industry?

Learn about new exploration strategies and
shape the future sustainability of our industry.

For full program and to register, go to www.target2017.org.au

twitter.com/geoconfWA linkedin.com/company/geoconferences-wa

Sponsors Organiser

PAID ADVERTISEMENT
 32 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

SEG COURSE CENTER EVENTS | segweb.org/events

Senior Exploration Management Course

SEG Course Center | Littleton, CO, USA
November 29–December 2, 2016, 8:30am – 5pm

Organizer: Society of Economic Geologists (SEG)

Presenter: Western Mining Services (WMS)

SCOPE
This four-day training course concerns the principles and
practices of effective mineral exploration management.
The curriculum covers the broad spectrum of technical and
business issues that senior exploration managers typically
face.
Mineral exploration at the strategic scale – the roles of
greenfields and brownfields exploration in development
and implementation of corporate growth strategies
The design and management of exploration programs
and portfolios
The importance of group structure, program design,
process discipline, and effective people management in
achieving exploration group objectives
Opportunity generation including the exploration search
space concept, targeting science and the application of
targeting models
How to negotiate land and minerals access deals,
identify and manage nontechnical project risks,
engage in early stage evaluation of project economics,
and maintain the important social license to operate
exploration projects in varied risk environments
The course format utilizes lecture and workshop and stresses interactive thinking and problem solving. Participants
EDUCATION & TRAINING

work in teams to design solutions for exploration management challenges and present their results to the larger group.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? This course is fundamental to the understanding of

This course is ideal for regional and country exploration
managers, for senior project managers who are on track
to move into positions of senior responsibility, and for
geoscientists who aspire to senior exploration management
roles. The course is also recommended for commercial
managers who participate in mineral exploration programs
as well as government and academic professionals who
interact with the mineral exploration industry.
complexities in managing and leading exploration
programs in the modern minerals industry. The highly
trained and experienced team from WMS provides tools
to design and execute the different aspects of exploration
strategy and process. All the key topics are presented in
a methodical and systematic way, and enriched with real
case studies. I strongly recommend this course to any
professional explorer who wishes to excel in the business
of mineral exploration.
César Aguirre - VP Exploration Hochschild Mining (2011),
SEG Regional VP Lecturer (2016)

This SEG-sponsored course in November-December 2016 will be the eleventh SEM Course
presentation. WMS has also presented numerous in-house courses, each tailored to the needs
of the individual client.
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 33

SEG COURSE CENTER EVENTS | segweb.org/events

Senior Exploration Management Course

SEG Course Center | Littleton, CO, USA | Nov. 29–Dec. 2, 2016
FACULTY
Jon Hronsky (BAppSci, Ph.D., MAIG, FSEG)
With more than 30 years of experience in
mineral exploration, Jon has worked across a
diverse range of commodities, including dis-
covery of the West Musgrave nickel sulfide
province in Western Australia. Prior to joining
Western Mining Services (WMS), he served
as Manager of Strategy & Generative Services for BHP Bil-
liton Mineral Exploration and as Global Geoscience Leader
for WMC Resources Ltd. He is chairman of the board of the
Centre for Exploration Targeting in WA.

Steven Bussey (BA, M.Sc, PhD)

Jeff Welborn (BA, JD)
At WMS, Steve’s focus is on framework stud-
Jeff is a co-founder and partner at WMS and
ies, mineral exploration targeting, and project
has more than 40 years’ experience as a min-
due diligence. He has more than 35 years
ing, oil & gas and natural resources lawyer.
experience in mineral exploration. Before
His experience covers a broad range of com-
joining WMS in 2007, Steve worked in a num-
mercial, legal, and risk management matters
ber of senior exploration roles, including prin-
in mineral exploration and mining. He assists
cipal geoscientist for WMC Resources Ltd.
WMS clients globally with commercial strategy develop-
Brad Margeson (BA, M.Sc., SME, FSEG) ment, program design and planning, deal analysis and
negotiation, and minerals and land access.
Brad held several senior management roles
for WMC Resources Ltd. prior to co-founding
WMS in 2005. At WMC, he was global man- Registration (early deadline: November 10, 2016)
ager of exploration projects, leading teams Register online: segweb.org/events#16RWMSSEM
that discovered gold deposits in Canada.
With 35 years experience in the industry, Member (Early / Late) – US$3,200 / US$3,400
Brad’s focus is on exploration strategy/planning, greenfield Non-member (Early / Late) – US$3,500 / US$3,700
and brownfield exploration targeting, and due diligence.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

CURRICULUM

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4

Mineral Exploration Principles, Minerals Access and
Philosophies and Culture Deal Making
Mineral Exploration Strategy, Commercial Risk
Business Planning and Portfolio Management
Management
Mineral Exploration
People in Mineral Exploration Targeting
Introduction of Exploration Introduction of
Strategy Exercise Commercial Risk
Management Exercise
Group Discussion Commercial Risk
Management Exercise
Mineral Exploration
Presentations
Targeting (cont.)
Exploration
Mineral Exploration
Strategy Exercise
Tactics
Presentations
Group Exercise
Feedback, Awards,
and Group Discussion
Wrap-up

Please note that SEG reserves the right to cancel this event should minimum attendance numbers not be met by November 10, 2016.
For further information on cancellation policy, event photography, and dietary restrictions, visit www.segweb.org/tc.
 34 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

SEG MEMBERSHIP NEWS

CANDIDATES FOR 1 FELLOWSHIP

To All SEG Fellows:
Pursuant to the Society’s Bylaws, names of the following candidates, who have been recommended for Fellowship by the Admissions
Committee, are submitted for your consideration. Each applicant’s name and current position are followed by the names of his or
her SEG sponsors. If you have any comments, favorable or unfavorable, on any candidate, you should send them in writing prior to
November 30, 2016. If no objections are received by that date, these candidates will be presented to Council for approval.

Address Comments To
Chair, SEG Fellowship Admissions Committee
SOCIETY OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGISTS • 7811 Shaffer Parkway • Littleton, CO 80127-3732 • USA
Brockway, Humberto J. Antofagasto Plc., Penafiel, Spain: John Rodriguez Vargas, Andres I. Minerlab Limitada, Bogota, Co-
A. Clifford, Alan James Wilson; lombia: Juan Carlos Molano Mendoza, Luis Carlos Mantilla
Fairclough, Martin C. International Atomic Energy Agency, Figueroa;
Rundle Mall, Australia: Michel Cuney, Andy R. Wilde; Vargas, Johnny B. Newmont Peru SRL, Lima, Peru: William X.
Falalakis, George Mineral Exploration Geologist/Consultant, Chávez, Jr., Erich U. Petersen.
Komotini, Greece: Timothy Baker, Peter D. Lewis;
Nortje, Gustav S. Newcrest Mining Limited, Waihi, New Zea-
land: Shaun Barker, David R. Cooke;

To apply for Fellowship, visit www.segweb.org/pdf/forms/Fellowship-Application.pdf

Zsolt Tibor Kulcsar, Eldorado Gold

The Society Welcomes
The Following
NEW 1 FELLOWS:
Appold, Martin S., Columbia, Missouri;
Carriedo, Jorge, Santiago de Chile, Chile;
Fernandez de Paredes, Luis E., Lima,
Peru; Gordon, Paul R., Kilkenny, Ire-
land; Lyall, Graeme D., Santiago, Chile;
Palermo, Nely, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
Porto, Claudio G., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;
Valencia Moreno, Martin A., Hermosillo,
Mexico; Windle, Stephen J., Surco, Peru.
The Society Welcomes
The Following
NEW 1 MEMBERS:
Robin Adair, Zorayda Consulting Ltd.,
Fredericton, Canada; Reynard Dirk Bart-
man, Kansanshi Mine Plc, Middelburg,
South Africa; David J. Catsoulis, Alluvial
Gold Mines Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Gold
Coast, Australia; Randolph J. Enkin, Geo-
logical Survey of Canada, Sidney, Canada;
Oscar Ercilla Herrero, SERNAGEOMIN,
Santiago, Chile; Alexander D. Farrar,
First Quantum Minerals, Miraflores, Peru;
Peter Gleeson, SRK Consulting, Cardiff,
United Kingdom; Tong Hou, Institut für
Mineralogie, Hannover, Germany; Paul M.
Ivascanu, Deva Gold SA, Certej, Roma-
nia; Daniel E. Koning, Flagstaff, Arizona;
Corporation, Certeju de Sus, Romania;
Gerardo M. Llerena, Sr., Elite Corp, Quito,
Pichincha, Ecuador; Lucas H. Ochoa-
Landín, University of Sonora, Hermosillo,
Mexico; Huijuan Peng, Chengdu Uni-
versity of Technology, Chengdu, China;
Carlos Saban de la Portilla, Compañía
de Minas Buenaventura SAA, Lima, Peru;
Jon Stacey, Tangila Exploration, Lusaka,
Zambia; Rene Sterk, RSC Consulting Ltd,
Warrington, New Zealand;
Robert C. Tacker, NC Museum of
Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Caro-
lina; Fernand Tanwie Taminang, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates; Martin A. Valencia
Moreno, Universidad Nacional Autonoma
de Mexico, Hermosillo, Mexico; Frances
Wall, University of Exeter, Truro, United
Kingdom.

NEVADA EXPLORATION GIS DATA SETS

HIGHEST QUALITY
MINERAL OCCURRENCES
GEOCHEMISTRY
  

  
 
  


  
 
  
 

GEOLOGY
 

 
 


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MEMBERSHIP


 
  


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CULTURE Au
POLITICAL
website: www.greatbasingis.com
email: jlaravie@frontiernet.net
phone: 775-777-8223
PAID ADVERTISEMENT PAID ADVERTISEMENT
No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 35

N. Gareca, Universidad Mayor de San Bolivia; Ruben Ossandon, Universidad

The Society Welcomes
The Following
NEW 1 STUDENT MEMBERS:
Camila Aliaga, Universidad Mayor de San
Andres, La Paz, Bolivia; Paola A. Alvarez,
Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz,
Bolivia; Israel Jonathan Aviles, Universi-
dad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia;
Alfredo G. Borquez, Sr., Universidad de
Atacama, Copiapo, Chile; Maxi Campos
Cruz, Universidad Autonoma Tomas
Frias, Potosi, Bolivia; Miguel A. Castillo
Duarte, Universidad Autonoma Tomas
Frias, Potosi, Bolivia; Ivon N. Catunta,
Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz,
Bolivia; Melania C. Corina, Universidad
Mayor de San Marcos, La Paz, Bolivia;
Julian F. Cortez, Universidad Mayor de
San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia; Carmen Cruz
Escobar, Universidad Autonoma Tomas
Frias, Potosi, Bolivia; Félix A. Cumbane,
Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo,
Mozambique; Aliou Djiba, University of
Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Amilcar
Andres, La Paz, Bolivia; Elpida Eirini
Gkiouleka, National and Kapodistrian
University of Athens, Athens, Greece;
Loreto Godoy, Universidad de Atacama,
Copiapo, Chile; Sebastian Gonzalez,
Universidad de Atacama, Copiapo,
Chile; Jethro H. Hasoloan, University of
Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Peixiu
Jiang, University of Utah, Salt Lake City,
Utah; Adolfo J. Leano Ortiz, Univer-
sidad Autonoma Tomas Frias, Potosi,
Bolivia; Wilver Marco Uno, Universidad
Autonoma Tomas Frias, Potosi, Bolivia;
Andrew Marietta, University of Texas at
Dallas, Plano, Texas; Cinthya E. Morales,
Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La
Paz, Bolivia; Priscilla S. Myburgh,
Universidad Nacional de la Plata, La
Plata Argentina; Aparajita Nath, Delft
University of Technology, Delft, Nether-
lands; Mayra Nieto, Universidad Mayor
de San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia; Ariel A.
Olmedo, Universidad Autonoma Tomas
Frias, Potosi, Bolivia; Marisabel Osco,
Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz,
de Atacama, Iquique, Chile; Roger F.
Pino, Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria,
Lima, Peru; Ivan L. Quiroz, Universidad
Mayor de San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia;
Edith Y. Ramos, Universidad Mayor de
San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia; Iris R. Ramos,
Universidad Mayor de San Andres, La
Paz, Bolivia; Rodrigo Requelme, Uni-
versidad Mayor de San Andres, La Paz,
Bolivia; Vania M. Roldan, Universidad
Mayor de San Andres, La Paz, Bolivia;
Pouria Salami, Research Institute for
Earth Science, Tehran, Iran; Jesus D.
Salgado Delgado, Iguala de la Indepen-
dencia, Guerrero, Mexico; Juan Carlos
Salva, Universidad Nacional de Ingen-
ieria, Lima, Peru; Luis Seguel, Univer-
sidad de Atacama, Copiapo, Chile; Jose
L. Sejas, Universidad Autonoma Tomas
Frias, Potosi, Bolivia; Daniela Teran,
Universidad Tecnica de Oruro, Oruro,
Bolivia; Aldo M. Uno Castro, Universidad
Autonoma Tomas Frias, Potosi, Bolivia;
Jimmy Zepeda, Universidad de Atacama,
Copiapo, Chile. 1

th
11 ANNUAL WORKSHOP
ORE DEPOSITS MODELS AND
EXPLORATION
Sponsored by:
SEG; SGA
Instute of Geosciences,
Chinese Academy of Sciences

November 6-11, 2016 in Guiyang, China

Lecture and Laboratory Instructors

David Cooke, CODES, Australia – porphyries, epithermal

Richard Goldfarb, China University of Geosciences, Beijing
Dave Leach, formerly US Geological Survey, Denver, USA – MVT, SEDEX
Chusi Li, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA – magmac Ni, Cr, Pt
Noel White, Consultant, Brisbane, Australia – ore models, VMS
MEMBERSHIP

Zhaoshan Chang, James Cook University, Australia – skarns

Huayong Chen, Guangzhou Instute of Geochemistry, CAS, China–IOCG
Kaihui Yang, Consultant, Toronto, Canada – exploraon in China

For further informaon, contact Prof. Huayong Chen <huayongchen@gig.ac.cn >

36 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

An Interesting Read in
Economic Geology
Membership Recognition – 2016
The Society and SEG Foundation congratulates
the following members, who have received certificates
commemorating 50 years of SEG membership:

Joseph F. Church J. David Lowell

William D. Collins John G. Stone
Donald F. Hammer

We also extend our congratulations to those members who

received certificates in recognition of 25 years of membership:

Donald H. Adair Stephen L. Masson

Gordon J. Barnes Timothy D. Master
Fernando J. Barriga Malcolm E. McCallum
Marco Benvenuti Aroldo Misi
Maria Boni Penelope Morton
Rick G. Bonner A.Hamid Mumin
Philip D. Burt Mark L. Nebel
The paper “Discovery, Geology, L. Graham Closs Jon W. North
and Origin of the Fruta del Norte Stephen J. Cook Naomi Oreskes
Edward E. Erb David C. Peck
Epithermal Gold-Silver Deposit,
Karl V. Evans Geoffrey S. Plumlee
Southeastern Ecuador,” published
Ralph G. Fitch Kenneth C. Raabe
in the August 2016 issue of Eco-
Victoria S. Fuchs Angela Riganti
nomic Geology, is a landmark Joan L. Gabelman Sergio L. Rivera
presentation focusing on the basic Edward E. Gates François Robert
tools of the economic-exploration Adrian Gott Randall K. Ruff
geologist: geologic mapping, sam- Donald L. Gustafson John P. Schloderer
pling, and a creative analysis of the Mark D. Hannington Wolfram D. Schuh
resulting data. With an emphasis Timothy D. Harris Robert R. Seal II
on hands-on, practical exploration Jamshid Hassanzadeh Patrick R. Smith
tools, this approach will motivate Darryn C. Hedger Jon P. Thorson
other field-oriented geologists to Charles W. Jefferson Steven I. Weiss
Keenan Jennings Albert W. Workman
submit manuscripts for publication
Terry L. Klein Michael L. Zientek
in the journal.
Bruce A. Kuyper Robert A. Zierenberg
Ken Brook (SEG 2007 M) Paul O. Malan
President , Desert Ventures, Inc.

Petrographic Consultants International, Inc.

Paula Hansley, Geologist

720-890-2628
plhansley@gmail.com
545 W. Fir Way
Louisville, CO 80027

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No 107 • OCTOBER 2016 SEG NEWSLETTER 37

personal notes & news

C A R E E R - R E L A T E D C H A N G E S AWA R D S

Robert P. Foster (SEG 1978 F) has retired from the
board of directors of Stratex International. Marcus En-
gelbrecht will replace him as CEO and board member.
Bob is SEG President for 2016.
Campbell McCuaig (SEG 1999 F) has been named prin-
cipal geoscientist at the BHP Billiton Geoscience Centre
of Excellence, Perth Australia.
Elizabeth Sharman (SEG 2012) has been employed
by the Mineral Deposits Research Unit at the Univer-
sity of British Columbia to contribute to the govern-
ment-funded Targeted Geoscience Initiative project,
Cordilleran Pb Isotope Metallogeny.
D E A T H S
Robert Lee Wilson (SEG 1962 SF) died May 19, 2016.
No additional information is available.
Ross Large (SEG 1984 FL)
and his team were awarded a
prestigious Australian Museum
Eureka Prize at a gala ceremo-
ny in Sydney, Australia. They
took the prize in the category
of Excellence in Interdisci-
plinary Scientific Research for
their groundbreaking work
into plate tectonics, past ocean
chemistry (particularly the role
of the trace element seleni-
um), and the evolution and
extinction cycles of life on Earth. The team includes nine researchers
from CODES and collaborators from Flinders University, the Russian
Academy of Sciences, the University of California Riverside and the
Yukon Geological Survey. Shown in the photo are Ross and his team
member, Jacqui Halpin.

gold17@rotorua granites2017@benalla
21-23 February 2017 25-28 September 2017
Rotorua, New Zealand Benalla, Victoria, Australia

www.rotoruagold17.co.nz www.benallageology17.com.au
rotorua2017@geosymposia.com.au benalla2017@geosymposia.com.au
MEMBERSHIP

Please email us with

expressions of interest and
to receive updated notices
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
38 SEG NEWSLETTER No 107 • OCTOBER 2016

Send entries to the SEG Office

7811 Shaffer Parkway, Littleton, CO 80127 USA
Tel. +1.720.981.7882 / Fax +1.720.981.7874 /
seg@segweb.org

Date SEG Calendar of Events Date SEG Calendar of Events

Year 2016 Year 2017 (continued)

OCTOBER 16–19 XVIII Congreso Peruano de Geología – The Contribution of JUNE 4–7 FUTORES II (Future Understanding of Tectonics, Ores,
Geology to the Economic Development of Peru, Lima, Peru. Resources, Environment and Sustainability), Townsville,
www.sgp.org.pe/congresoes.inicio Australia. www.jcu.edu.au/futores

OCTOBER 18–21 Short Course on Diamonds and Their Primary and Second- AUGUST 14–18 IAVCEI 2017 Fostering Integrative Studies of Volcanism–
ary Sources, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Portland, Oregon, USA. Please visit iavcei2017.org for
more information.
NOVEMBER 6–11 11th Annual Ore Deposits Models and Exploration
Workshop – Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China. SEPTEMBER 17–20 SEG 2017: Ore Deposits of Asia: China
See p. 35. and Beyond in Beijing, China.
www.seg2017.org. See p. 5.
NOVEMBER 22– James Cook University SEG Student Chapter Field
DECEMBER 5 Trip, Argentina/Chile. For more information, contact OCTOBER 22–25 GSA 2017 Annual Meeting, Seattle, Washington, USA.
segstudentchapter@lists.jcu.edu.au www.geosociety.org/

NOVEMBER 29– SEG-WMS Senior Exploration Management DECEMBER 3–9 American Exploration and Mining Association Meeting
DECEMBER 2 Course – Littleton, Colorado, USA. See p. 32–33. 2017, Spokane, Washington, USA. www.miningamerica.org

DECEMBER 5–9 American Exploration & Mining Association’s

122nd Annual Meeting, Exposition & Short Courses – Date Other Events
Nugget Casino Resort, Sparks/Reno, Nevada, USA.
Year 2017
www.minimgamerica.org. See p. 7.
FEBRUARY 21–23 Gold17@Rotorua – Rotorua, New Zealand.
Year 2017 www.rotoruagold17.co.nz. See p. 37.

JANUARY 21–22 Pre-AME BC Roundup 2017 SEG Course, SEPTEMBER 2–9 18th Annual Conference of International Association
Vancouver, BC, Canada. for Mathematical Geosciences (IAMG2017),
Perth, Australia. www.iamg2017.com
JANUARY 23–26 AME BC Roundup – Vancouver, BC, Canada.
www.amebc.ca SEPTEMBER 25–28 granites2017@benalla – Benalla, Victoria, Australia.
www.benallageology17.com.au. See p. 37.
MARCH 5–8 PDAC – Toronto, Canada. A pre-PDAC SEG Workshop
on gold is planned. www.pdac.ca

MARCH 13–17 GSA-GSAfrica Joint International Meeting – Addis

Ababa, Ethiopia, Africa. Visit community.geosociety.
org/africa2017 for more information.

Resource Geosciences Inc.

Resource Geosciences de Mexico S.A. de C.V.
Exploration Services Throughout the Americas
Project Management; Technical, Logistical and Administrative Services
NI 43-101 Technical Reports (for long term clients)
TerraSpec Vis/NIR Spectrometer Mineral Analysis

Dr. Matthew D. Gray, C.P.G. #10688 – President

Calle 14 de Abril #68 Colonia San Benito Tel. +52 (662) 214 -2454
Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico 83200 Fax +52 (662) 214 -2455
resourcegeosciences.com mail@resourcegeosciences.com

PAID ADVERTISEMENT PAID ADVERTISEMENT

 Compilation Series
The 12 discs in the SEG Compilation Series bring together, in searchable digital format, 100 years
of exploration, research, and reporting by experts on topics that are essential reading for the field
geologist searching for the next ore deposit. Papers collected on these discs have been pulled from
Economic Geology, the SEG Special Publication series and Reviews Volumes, es, Ec
Economic Geology
Monographs and Anniversary Volumes,
and the SEG Newsletter.

Topics
1-Diamonds and Kimberlites
2-Uranium
3-Gold Ores in Metamorphic Terranes
4-Gold (-Silver) Ores in Epithermal Deposits
5-Carlin-Type Gold Deposits
6-Ore Deposits of the Andes
7-Porphyry Cu, Au, and Mo The Society of Economic Geologists

8-Ore Deposits of Mexico Gold Ores in Metamorphic Terranes

9-Metallogeny of the Alaskan and Canadian Cordillera

a SEG Compilations

10-Mineral Deposits of Nevada Volume 3

ISBN 978-1-934969-20-5

11-Mineral Deposits of the Tethyan Orogen

ISSN 1939-1439

Edited by Richard J. Goldfarb

12-Mineral Deposits of Africa - Includes orogenic gold deposits, intrustion-related gold

systems, detachment fault-related gold ores, and
the Witwatersrand gold deposits -
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Porphyry Copper, Gold Ore Deposits of Mexico

and Molybdenum Deposits A Compilation
A Compilation 1906–2013
1905–2012

SEG Compilations SEG Compilations

Volume 7 Volume 8

438
1939 -1
ISBN 978-1-629490-441

ISSN
ISSN 1939-1438
0 -0
Selections from SEG and Selections from SEG and
-4
91

Economic Geology Publications Economic Geology Publications

94
62
1-

Edited by David R. Cooke Edited by Peter K.M. Megaw

8-

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So c
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oci e ty o f E conomic Ge ologi s E con
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Metallogeny of the Alaskan of the Tethyan Orogen:
and Canadian Cordillera
NEVADA Deposits Mineral Deposits
of Nevada Spain to Indochina of Africa
00
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A Compilation
37
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1905–2013
SEG Compilations
A Compilation A Compilation
A Compilation
|

Volume 9 1915–2015 1907–2016

1906–2014
|

ISBN 978-1-629491-52-3
SEG Compilations
ISBN 978-1-629491-53-0 ISBN 978-1-629491-54-7
ISSN 1939-1438
Volume 11
ISSN 1939-1438 ISSN 1939-1438

ISBN 978-1-629491-417
SEG Compilations
ISSN 1939-1438
Volume 10
▲

Selections from SEG and Selections from SEG and Selections from SEG and Selections from SEG and
Economic Geology Publications Economic Geology Publications Economic Geology Publications Economic Geology Publications
▲

Edited by Karen D. Kelley and Edited by Tommy B. Thompson © Edited by Richard M. Tosdal © Edited by Robert (Bob) P. Foster
20 20
Richard J. Goldfarb 16
S
16
oci S oc
©2 ©2 e ty i et y
ts of E of E
0 14 S i st s 015 S
ociety of Economic Ge ologis con om c ono
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ol o g i s t s

Available
able for purchase online
line at www.segweb.org/store
Price, each: US$85 (list) • US$68 (members) + shipping
 SEG
Contact SEG
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EXECUTIVE Tel. Extension E-mail Address
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ver y
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A DV E RT IS IN G I N TH E S EG N E WS L ETTER
ETTER
N E W S Lw e b . o r g
g
w w w. s e

JANUARY 2015

Discovery Discovery Discovery Discovery

Advancing Science and Advancing Science and Advancing Science and Advancing Science and

SEG SEG
0
10100
NEWSLETTER NEW S LbNeEr T T E R
Num
UMBER

NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER w w w. s e g w e b . o r g w w w. s e g w e b . o r g
www.segweb .org www.segweb .org
00
NUMBER 97 NUMBER 99 NUMBER 101
er 1 100
bNUMBER
APRIL 2014 See SEG
OCTOBER 2014
p. Confe 201 See Call
SEGAPRIL 2015 S JANUARY 2015
See EG Num
ogies Provide orld” Economics of
the Uranium 20
ian Shield: 20
on and
Deep Exploration Technol
32 p. for P 15:
Western Arabian-NubProvince Hydrothermal Alterati
4 for p. 24 15
–4 rence
0“Real-W
Basin, Northern
5 fo The ap detFootprin ts: Copper Deposits
Discovery ion Around Porphyry John H. Dilles, Oregon State
–3
s of the Athabasca
for
the Pathway to Deep
r d ers ing Gold ails 5
Deposit
det
Always King! AetailsRapidly Emerg Geochemical Dispers
Why Grade Is Not
Technologies CRC; ails
of Adelaide, Deep Exploration Commonwealth Scientifi
c SF), Centre for Street, Rossmoyne, WA
6148, Australia,
Saskatchewan: Corvallis, OR 97331,
University Groves (SEG 1973
David Giles (SEG 1981F), CRC; and James Cleverley, Mapping Pty Ltd., 24 Webb Administrative Building,
† †
and Allan Trench and David Scott Halley, Mineral Sciences,104 CEOAS
†

Richard Hillis, Deep

Exploration Technologies CRC Toronto, Ontario, Canada, (CET), UWA, Curtin,
Western Australia Oceanic and Atmospheric North Potomac, MD 20878,
United States
Deep Exploration Technologies Exploration Corporation, Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada University, College of Earth,
Organisation (CSIRO), William Kerr, Exploits Exploration Targeting LLC, 21 Quince Mill Court,
†

and Industrial Research Wallis and Associates,

F), Roger M. Tosdal, PicachoEx
†
by higher Cu Roger Wallis (SEG 1984 United States, and Richard
†
2000, largely driven pounds U3O8 Tadesse et al., 2003),
Red Sea
with more than 100 million
0
er 10100
26 years and, by the exploita- been placed into with extremelyINTRODUCTION
Rift
been reduced to just prices, has resulted from actual discoveries have in resources and some and ancient primary a.) Hydrothermal alteration
assemblages
THE CHALLENGE OF
period of
N u mb
2012, despite a sustained grade reserves the discovery of the Rabbit Lake Egypt ARABIA NUMBER
tion of increasingly lower Since production. high grades (up to 19% to page 11The . . .eastern part of what has become gold mining was Saudi ABSTRACT
Minerals in
DEEP EXPLORATION elevated Cu prices, it
had rebounded costs, with globaluranium deposit by Gulf plans to place EAST SAHARA ADVANCED
at higher production Currently, there are no U3O8)—into production. known as the Arabian-Nubian
Shield carried out from the Arabia al analyses combined Illite-chl ARGILLIC
(USGS, head grades October 1968, more than 80 uranium CRATON Whole-rock lithogeochemic SERICITIC INTERMEDIATE
to just 39 years of production since deposits—some -relic fspar
weighted average Cu t, Pharaonic period in Sudan pyroph-alun
any of the other known (e.g., Johnson and Woldehaimano
(SWIR) spectroscopy Illite-chl-smect PHYLLIC ma t i t

e
mineral explo- to 0.7% having at least with short-wave infrared -relic fspar ±topaz spec. he
The long-term global 2013). Growth in production declining from 1.0% discoveries (defined as Arabia, has Egypt, commencing Eritrea EASTERN method for pros-
2003), particularly Saudi provide a rapid and cost-effective
104°W
by strongly EAST ARGILLIC
ration challenge is framed (SNL Metals Economics
Group, equivalent to Northwest Territories 106°W ANS musc
one drill intersection
m, Table 1) been extensively explored
since the 3000 BC, through to WEST hydrothermal systems.
increasing demand (Northey
et
2013). With regard to gold, O over 1 108°W
WESTERN GONDWANA pecting for porphyry-type
greater than 1% U3 8 discoveries of the Roman period Yemen trace metals to average
60°N Py±Cp±
GONDWANA ANS
al., 2014), reduced reserve
inven- dis-
after the bull run of gold have been located in the Athabasca U O
Rae Subprovince 1970s, with numerous Lithogeochemistry detects via Sl±Ga PROPYLITIC
rocks
Hearne Subprovince of commodities and thereafter, with Ethiopia and allows vectoring
deposits of a variety crustal abundance levels
Predominantly Archean
ly contained 14 depos- pounds 3 8 phengitic
tories (overwhelming coveries in the 1970s, Basin, totaling 2.18 billion
“reworked” by
copper, molyb- 0.5 and lithophile elements chl-fspar

0
Predominantly
silver, approximately musc-chl-

er 10100
Early Paleoproterozoicincluding gold, gradients of chalcophile
Tectonism

no
more were Some have Hudsonian rocks ±calc/epid-hem
within deposits discovered its of 20 Moz or more in all resource categories. tantalum, to 0.6 Moz of high- othermal ore and relic fspar

n
strongly affected by
denum, zinc, tin, tungsten, transported by magmatic-hydr are dispersed and

-m
N u mb
2010), 1980s, with up Beaverlodge
NUMBER
than 20 years ago; Schodde, made worldwide in the
Hudsonian Tectonism
extremely high grades,
Nisto
By contrast, the western grade gold produced

agm
Camp
rates had
the at
Map Area
uranium. circulating fluids that
fi ve in grade and CONGO PAKISTAN external
and decreasing discovery 11 in the 1990s, and to 24.6% U3O8 initial
reserve here defined as (Klemm et al., 2001). Of particular use are
alka-

atic
Arabian-Nubian Shield,
Maurice Bay Cp-Py
trapped in altered rocks.
CRATON
of huge size,
Middle
(Schodde,
ult

Stewart Island Fond-du-Lac

of greenfields deposits 2000s. Decreasing discoveryMcArthur River; some are south of the Red such as Mo, W, Se, Te,
Bi, epid-chl
Lake
Current mining
Fa

fluids
in that segment west and lis in sericite and metals

The SEG Newsletter is a quarterly

explora- (Cameco Wavelength of white -act-fspar
rates of greenfields depositsat 650 million pounds U3O8
ke

2013). Global mineral La Rocque

less explora- in the oxides that remain
La

Sea (Figure 1), has received legislation stable

As, and Sb, which form
TANZANIAN MADAGSCAR mica SWIR (2200)
ned by the
e

many are at
Lake
coun-
tion productivity, defi
on

Corporation, 2005); and

Saskatchewan

ck

relatively well explored

McClean of of
Athabasca Basin attention due to a combination region has now CRATON soils. SWIR mapping
Bla
cZ

Roughrider
in weathered rocks and 2210 nm Cp±Bn
discoveries easy- m below tion
tries reflect the fact that shallow depths (<250
Alberta

number of world-class
ni

absorption feature
Mesoproterozoic Dawn
relatively Late Paleoproterozoic to sediments Eagle
until recently, sufficient 2205 nm
to

Lake
including that, afforded INDIA 2,200-nm Al-OH
cost per dis- mines the
Tec

with shifts in
clastic
four large JEB Point
factors,
pH gradients useful for
undeformed
and the exploration to-find mineral deposits surface). However, only and mining legislation certainty to attract
Mozambique 2200 nm
rd

over the last Lake, Key Lake, Belt in sericite define paleofluid
J Zone
largely exploration Cover rocks
bi

Collins SODIC-
covery, has declined surface expression have (McArthur River, Cigar a geologic exploration to Egypt, metal-
ow

center of the buoyant

Midwest A
further clarity. From
Bay
vectoring toward the
Cluff Lake CALCIC
Between 230, 192, and ANS greenstone belts
Sn

we are required
20 years (Schodde, 2013).
Midwest
been discovered, and and Eagle Point at 650,
Camp Rabbit
Unconformity Hosted
Total Tamarack
Nubian Shield Sudan, Eritrea, othermal plume. granite plag-act±epid
the average tech- respectively)
Sue
standpoint, the western Older Precambrian crustbearing magmatic-hydr
now faced with the more 155 million pounds U3O8, 1,680 M lbs U3O8
Maybelle
the 1980s and 2000s, 1000 km porphyry
gold oppor- and Ethiopia, with
River Cigar
is a high-impact frontier
POTASSIC dikes
per dis- task Lake,
nically difficult and costly and three mining camps (Cluff
Shea
global exploration cost
Total Raven/
Creek Basement Hosted West Horseshoe
of >45 Moz discovery biot±Kspar
in real M lbs U O8 Bear
tunity, with discoveries accelerated Shield in

(January, April, July, October) publi-

Lake at 64.2, 570 McArthur
beneath 3 LATE INTERMEDIATE
covery increased by 160% of exploring at depth Rabbit Lake, and McClean last two decades. of significant gold sketch map of the Arabian-Nubian
INTRODUCTION
gold equivalent in the FIGURE 1. Regional-scale Belt, after Johnson
Mann Lake ARGILLIC
terms and, in mature
exploration
barren cover rocks. pounds U3O8, margins and Mozambique are
Zon er

41.0, and 49.9 million and out- resources in both oro- terms of adjacent cratonic epithermal Au-Ag ores
e

magmatic smect±Illite±kaol±chl
She in Riv

Historical gold occurrences

Nex-Gen
Australia, by Porphyry and related
Millennium Gryphon
as The exploration communi- developed.
jurisdictions such respectively) have been
Maverick
abound, there genic gold, including and Woldehaimanot (2003). ore deposits outside of fluids & relic feldspar
ar

the world’s most important

Centennial
cropping mineralization
Virg

2011). pounds
as much as 260% (Schodde, ty’s response to the challenge
Phoenix
While 75% of the discovered developed, to be extensive the emerging giant produce most of the
Patterson
N has been and continues iron and aluminum mines,
Lake
copper been to
Legend
Cu > 0.2wt% (±Mo±Au)
In 1975, the world had of deep exploration has Potash and
Key Lake
been of Au
either are being or have
South
Mines
(probably several Sukari deposit in companies such as Allana the largest producers
61 years giant mining of alluvial gold massive sulfide Cu and Mo, and are
reserves equivalent to . . .percentage is skewed by theRiver, Mines at Colluli
Deposits/Prospects
(1) divert explo- to page 23this in Ethiopia (e.g., Egypt, and volcanogenic known for over a cen-
100
also by South Boulder
80
at its launch during
60

globally. It has been

40
distribution
20
Moz gold), particularly
0
this had coiled tubing drilling rig Additionally, giant and Ag porphyry Cu deposit showing contours of
of production; by 2000, FIGURE 1. DET CRC’s ration effort to McArthur . . .that metals in porphyry Cu to page
kilometres

November 2013. (See

p. 24) deposits at Key Lake, (VMS) deposit styles. in Eritrea. Recently, Stra- to page 13tury cross section of a typical
the DET CRC Annual Conference, only 35% of the
110°W
together with generalized been discovered 12 . . . FIGURE 1. a.) Vertical
and sulfide minerals. Also
shown are generalized
ide.edu.au and Cigar Lake; to date, mines and some deposits, potash deposits have tex and Thani Ashanti a central of hydrothermal alteration
deposits are zoned, with

cation that features a peer-reviewed

Basin, with locations of
il.com,
†
E-mail, david.giles@adela E-mails: di_groves@hotma of Ethiopia by in SWIR instruments.
the 2,200-nm peak measured
†
FIGURE 1. Athabasca in.edu.au in the Afar Depression
ailbox.ch, allan.trench@curt e-mail, rtosdal@gmail.com S
E-mails: williamkerr@neom geology. Corresponding author: See EG
†
†
roger.wallis@sympatico.ca 20
SEG 2014 CONFERENCE for p. 29 15
y det –4
Building Exploration Capabilit ails 0

for the 21st Century Discovery to Recovery Discovery to Recovery

article of topical interest to the eco-

World-Class Ore Deposits: World-Class Ore Deposits:
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