Course Information 2012

Click on the course name below to see the details of each course.

As an MTEC student you will be asked to participate in two (2) of the eight (8) courses offered.

Geology from Geophysics

Program: Part of the BSc (Hons) Monash University and MTEC Minerals Geoscience Honours Program

Course Provider: Monash University, School of Geosciences

Dates: February 20-24 and June 4-8, 2012

Location: Monash University, School of Geosciences

Delivery: 5 day, computer-based course involving processing and interpreting regional geophysical data.

About the Course: The course is designed to provide practical experience in the processing of regional geophysical datasets or the purpose of undertaking geological interpretation. The course is designed to allow the student to go through step-by-step methodologies of processing data, interpretation techniques, and modelling of geophysical data.

The Course is for: Eligible honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals industry. Exploration geologists who wish to expand their ability to interpret geophysical data.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills to:

• Process regional geophysical datasets.
• Develop strategies to interpret geology from regional aeromagnetic and gravity data.
• Integrate geological data into the geophysical interpretation.
• Practical experience in geophysical interpretation.
• Develop skills in modelling geophysical data.

Course Content:

• Gridding of geophysical datasets.
• Processing of geophysical datasets
• Image enhancement techniques
• Interpretation strategies
• Practical interpretation
• Forward modelling of geophysical data
• Understanding the third dimension

Course Presenter: Dr Peter Betts (Senior Lecturer and coordinator) has 15 years experience in regional interpretation and processing of geophysical data for the purposes of geological interpretation. Dr Laurent Ailleres (Senior Research Fellow) has 15 years experience in geophysical processing, and is Australia’s foremost authority in 3D modelling. Both Dr Betts and Dr Ailleres are structural geologists and have developed techniques to integrate geophysics and geology to solve tectonic problems and three dimensional analysis.

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course only.

Participants Should Bring: Themselves and their thinking cap

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Dr Peter Betts (Ph: 03 99054150)

Advanced Hydrogeology

Program: Part of the BSc (Hons) and MSc University of Melbourne, and MTEC Minerals Geoscience Hons Programs.

Course Provider: University of Melbourne, School of Earth Sciences

Dates: May 28-June 1, 2012

Location: The University of Melbourne, School of Earth Sciences

Delivery: Intensive lectures and practical exercises in workshop mode, and a one day field component.

About the Course: The course comprises four days of lectures and practical exercises and a one-day field excursion that together cover topics in hydrogeology at an advanced level. It is suitable for students who have taken HYG (Introduction to Hydrogeology) or have completed introductory hydrogeology units in their BSc.

The Course is For: Eligible Honours and Masters students looking to take specialist courses relevant to the minerals and/or water resources industry, and/or those holding a BSc (or equivalent) with a major in Geology wishing to extend their knowledge of hydrogeology.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills to:

• Determine the distribution, movement and quality of groundwater using conventional and emerging approaches/technologies.
• Evaluate groundwater flow, storage, recharge and discharge, in the context of resource management, by applying appropriate tests.
• Assess chemical and biogeochemical factors affecting the composition and evolution of groundwater chemistry.
• Apply knowledge obtained from the course to addressing problems of importance to the minerals and/or water resources industry (e.g. mine tailings dams, contaminant plume mitigation, etc.).

Course Content Includes:

• Physical Hydrogeology (Days 1-2). Groundwater flow (derivation of flow equations, flow nets), recharge/discharge, aquifer storage properties, topographic/geologic influences, groundwater/surface water interactions, modelling.
• Chemical Hydrogeology (Days 2-3). Solute (contaminant) transport, sorption and redox transformations, groundwater microbiology and biogeochemical influences on water quality, isotopic characterization, multiphase liquids, modelling.
• Field Study/Methods (Day 4). Selected field methods (presented during day-long field trip) for investigating concepts in physical and chemical hydrogeology.
• Management and Assessment (Day 5). Groundwater resource management, minerals industry applications, impacts of climate change, modelling. Open book/open notes student examination and course/lecturer evaluations.

Course Presenters: Dr John Moreau, Lecturer; Dr. Charles Lawrence, Senior Lecturer

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course, or taken for 6.25 points credit towards a Masters award qualification offered by the University of Melbourne. For award credit (including future credit) an assessment is required. This will require submission of practical exercises for marking, and completion of a written examination.

Fee: $50 participation fee towards the cost of the field trip. This is payable at the beginning of the course.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Dr John Moreau (Ph: 03 83446518).

Exploration Field Skills

Program: Part of the BSc (Hons) University of Tasmania and MTEC Minerals Geoscience Hons Program.

Course provider: University of Tasmania (CODES)

Dates: February 12-19 and March 11-18, 2012

Location: Field area near Rosebery, western Tasmania

Delivery: Field course, field mapping and core logging exercises.

About the Course: Geological mapping, core logging and the recognition of ore-related hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages are essential skills for all mining industry geologists. This field-based course will examine core and surface exposures of a mixed volcano-sedimentary succession in the highly mineralised Cambrian Mount Read Volcanics and Dundas Group of western Tasmania.

The Course is for: The course is aimed at Honours-level students interested in either a career in the minerals industry or in sharpening their field skills prior to undertaking mapping- or drill core-based projects.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills in:

• Field mapping techniques
• Recognition of volcanic textures and their use in field mapping of mineralised sequences
• Recognition of alteration in volcanic sequences
• Structural analysis of slate belt rocks
• Graphic logging of core
• Analysis of structural geology data

Course Content: Subjects covered include graphic and structural core logging techniques, basic structural, lithological and alteration mapping, distinguishing primary and hydrothermal alteration-related features in rocks, interpreting geochemical data, working with stereonets and cross-section construction. Staff and students stay in back-packer style accommodation in Queenstown.

Course Presenter: Ass Prof Andrew McNeill

Assessment and Credit: Assessment is based on field maps, core logs and cross-sections and a short written report (4 page max.) to be handed in at the completion of the camp.
10 % Performance and aptitude in the field (i.e. assessment based on attitude and approach to mapping, basic field skills (e.g. structural measurements, rock and mineral identification, representation of data on maps, etc), level of independence, approach to problem solving, response to questions, etc).

Participants Should Bring: Students are expected to supply all field gear, but compasses and mapping boards can be provided by prior arrangement. Weather conditions on the west coast of Tasmania can be extreme and unpredictable at any time of the year. Students should come prepared for both hot and sunny, and cold and wet weather. Much of the mapping is conducted along a Hydro canal and gumboots, wet-boots or waders are recommended.

Participants will be provided with a checklist of recommended items prior to the course. Please pay particular attention to the recommended footwear and clothing.

Students supply own meals.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Ass. Prof Andrew McNeill (Ph: 03 6226 2487)

Ore Textures and Breccias in Mineralised Systems

Program: Part of the BSc(Hons) at James Cook University and a component of the MTEC Minerals Geoscience Honours Program

Course Provider: James Cook University

Dates: June 18-22, 2012

Location: James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland

Delivery: Lectures and Practical Exercises.

About the Course: The course is designed to provide practical tools for exploration field professionals to identify and describe ore textures and breccias in mineralised systems.

The Course is For: Eligible honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals industry; industry geologists working in gold and base metals sectors; metallurgists seeking to further their understanding of ore textures.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills to:

• Characterize ore textures
• Identify different breccia textures
• Distinguish between infill and alteration textures
• Determine paragenetic sequences
• Recognize these textures in drill core
• Recognize vein and alteration styles in porphryry and related magmatic hydrothermal ore deposits
• Understand the physical and chemical factors that affect the formation of porphyry and related magmatic hydrothermal deposits.

Course Content: This course aims to develop field-relevant recognition skills. It covers:

• Recognition criteria for infill, alteration, overprinting and breccias
• Breccia components, types and systems
• Paragenetic sequencing in drill core and hand specimens
• Description and interpretation of alteration products and metamorphosed alteration in thin sections
• Recognition of relevant textures in porphry copper-gold, skarn, epithermal, lode gold and iron oxide-copper-gold deposits
• Special focus on porphyry copper-style mineralization
• Case studies and examples from Grasberg, Oyu Tolgoi, Butte, Olympic Dam and Ernest Henry

Course Presenter: Dr Roger Taylor and Dr Brian Rusk

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a 5 day short course only. Assessment is based on laboratory assignments and a final report on mineralization and alteration textures and vein relationships in drill core.

Additional information: Students need to be in Townsville ready for a 9am start on Monday, 18th of June. The course will be completed just after lunch on Friday, June 22nd. Contact JCU (see below) for accommodation options.

Participants Should Bring: Hand lens, hardness tester, magnetic pencil, notepad, pens, pencils, and a desire to learn some genuinely useful practical skills.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Course Enquiries: Anne Stanley (ph: 07 4781 5943, fax: 07 4781 5390)

Applied Structural Geology in Mining and Exploration

Course Provider: University of Western Australia

Dates: March 19-23, 2012

Lock in date: Feb 20th 2012

Time:  9.00am – 5.00pm

Location: University of Western Australia, Perth, WA

Travel information for external students: On the last day of the course you will be allowed to leave from 3pm providing that you have completed and submitted the assessment.

Delivery: Classroom based with ca. 50% lecture and case studies, 50% practical exercises.

About the course: There is a large step between learning structural geology and effectively applying it to problems facing the mineral industry. This course aims to bridge that gap. The course is very practical and highly interactive. The main focus is on marrying the understanding of structures, fluid flow and alteration in PRACTICAL geometrical analysis of mineral systems from drill core and outcrop to the regional scale with the intent of improved resource delineation and targeting. Participants will leave with an increased confidence in mineral systems. The course comprises alternating sessions of brief lectures and practical exercises / case studies from world class mineralization systems around the world such as lode gold in the Birimian of West Africa, copper skarn mineralization in the Andes, giant lode gold and intrusive related systems of Australia, deformed Archean gold and nickel systems, Porphyry Cu/epithermal Au systems in Papua New Guinea, coal in the Sydney Basin, amongst others. Moreover, the course gives participants a snapshot of the future, how advanced process modelling and computer vision are shaping the way structural geology is effectively applied to exploration and mining problems. The course notes are extensive and will serve as an ongoing reference manual for participants.

The course is for: Eligible honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals industry. Exploration geologists who wish to expand their ability to understand and effectively and rapidly apply structural geology in their work flow.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills to:

• Recognise the importance and role of structure in the formation and modification of ore deposits
• Understand the tools available and the workflow required to apply structural geology in the mineral exploration industry
• Rapidly apply these structural geology techniques with confidence in your work flow

Course Content: Key themes covered include:

• Introduction to structural geology applied to mining and mineral exploration
• Fluids, Magmas, Structures and Metal - a simple conceptual framework for why mineral deposits are structurally controlled
• Tools and approaches for undertaking structural mapping aimed at practical exploration outcomes
• Practical fault analysis and integration with fluid flow, alteration and mineralization
• Practical fold analysis and mineralisation
• Structure and the mine environment - grade control and links to geotechnical engineering
• Using structure for reducing risk on target definition and testing
• How to build better road maps for mineral exploration through integration of multiple geoscience datasets
• Regional Structural and Tectonic Frameworks - the templates for ground selection in project generation and acquisition strategies
• Understanding structural and tectonic settings and application in exploration targeting
• Understanding deformed mineralization
• Seeing through later deformation to determine earlier structural architecture and control on mineral systems
• Outcomes from applied process modelling of structures, fluids and mineralisation and their application to mineral exploration
• How to undertake advanced structural analysis of mineral systems in the computer environment with modern software packages (Leapfrog, Geomodeller, etc).

Course Presenters: Professor T. Campbell McCuaig is the Director for the Centre for Exploration Targeting (CET) at UWA, and has over 20 years experience in applying structural geology in mining and mineral exploration from regional targeting to resource delineation, grade control, geotechnical engineering and project evaluations. Research Professor  John Miller is a Senior Research Fellow at CET, and a structural specialist in mineral deposits. John will be the primary lecturer for this course with assistance from staff of the CET.

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course only, or taken as part of an honours program at any of the MTEC geoscience honours institutions. For award credit (including future credit) an assessment will be carried out during the course. UWA enrolled honours students will be required to complete additional assessment tasks as part of the course to comply with the UWA system.  Additional assessment will be equivalent to a short report and presentation on a topic which can be determined closer to the course commencement. It will be assessed on the UWA campus by School of Earth and Environment staff.

Participants Should Bring: calculator, notebook.

Fee: normal UWA U/G enrolment fee for UWA students and additional costs for meals and accommodation (for interstate travellers)

Additonal Information: The course will be held at the UWA Boat Shed on Hackett Dve, Crawley, UWA. The Boast Shed is located on the shoreline of the river on the east side of Hackett Dve. Car Park 23 is available for paid parking if required.
During the week there will be an evening networking event organised by UWA. This is an opportunity to meet industry representatives and is a very important part of the course, attendance is not required but is strongly advised.

Directions: If you are coming from the city, drive west along Stirling Highway. Turn left (South) onto Hackett Drive before the main entry of the campus. First left will find you in Carpark 23. The Boatshed is behind (closer to the shoreline) of the Watersports Complex. http://www.uwa.edu.au/campus_map

Public Transport: Visit the Transperth website for bus and train timetables in Perth. In the left panel of this web page, you can use the journey planner by inserting Crawley as the suburb and Stirling Highway (street name). This will help you get around. This site also shows train timetables which is helpful.

Swan Taxi phone number: 131330

If all else fails, please don’t hesitate to contact us (Susie, Cam, Cindi or Heath) at the CET: (08) 6488 2667/2640

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Prof John Miller (Ph: 6488-5803).

Regolith Geoscience and Mineral Exploration

Program: Part of the BSc (Hons) at the Australian National University and MTEC Minerals Geoscience Honours Program.

Course Provider: Australian National University

Dates: April 16-20, 2012

Location: Canberra, ACT

Delivery: Lectures, practicals and field excursions

About the Course: This course is focussed on regolith, a vital part of Australian landscapes that is becoming increasingly important in mineral exploration and land management. We begin by presenting basic and advanced concepts in the formation and evolution of regolith, including its physical and chemical characteristics, the physical and biogeochemical processes that affect its structure and composition, and the dispersion and concentration of elements. We follow with concepts and applications focussed specifically on geochemical and geophysical exploration methods that are used to assess mineralisation potential within and underneath the regolith. Field excursions will help to consolidate knowledge and understanding developed in lectures and practical exercises.

The Course is for: Eligible Honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals, environmental and other industries, and professional exploration geoscientists wishing to extend their knowledge of and ability to explore in regolith-covered terrains.

Learning Outcomes: You will gain understanding of:

• Key concepts of regolith characteristics and evolution;
• Biophysical processes that affect the regolith, e.g., weathering, erosion and transport;
• Regolith materials, including mineralogy and geochemistry;
• Element dispersion and/or concentration in the regolith;
• Exploration methods using geochemistry and geophysics for mineralisation within and below the regolith; and
• Sampling and analytical methods for regolith, water and biota.

Course Content:

• Basic and advanced concepts in regolith geoscience;
• Regolith characteristics, materials and evolution (in situ and transported);
• Weathering and transport processes;
• Methods for exploration geochemistry and geophysics in the regolith; and
• Field excursions (day trips)

Course Presenters: Dr D.C. “Bear” McPhail, Prof Brad Pillans and others

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course only, or taken for credit towards an Honours qualification in any participating MTEC university. For award credit (including future credit) assessment is required. The assessment will be based on short practical exercises submitted during the first 4 days, plus an exercise and report prepared and submitted on the final afternoon of the course.

Participants Should Bring: normal clothing and material for field excursions, including appropriate safety items such as sunscreen, hats and water bottles.

Course times: the course starts at 9am on April 16th and finishes at 5pm on Friday April 20th and all travel needs to be booked to accommodate this.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Dr D.C. “Bear” McPhail (Ph: 02 6125 2776)

Mineral Exploration Under Cover

Program: Part of the BSc (Hons) in Geology at the University of Adelaide and a component of the MTEC Minerals Geoscience Honours Program

Course provider: University of Adelaide, Discipline of Geology and Geophysics

Dates: May 5-11, 2012 - Please note date change

Location: Arkaroola, SA

Delivery: Predominantly field based with related exercises and lecture material delivered in the evenings

About the Course: As exposed mineral deposits are being depleted mineral exploration is increasingly being driven under cover. This course is designed to provide participants with the practical tools required for mineral exploration in areas where prospective rocks are buried by younger cover sequences. The course will focus on uranium systems in the northern Flinders Ranges however the techniques presented have relevance to a range of deposit styles and settings.

The Course is For: Eligible honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals industry. Professional exploration geologists, geophysicists and geochemists who wish to expand their ability to interpret geological, geophysical and geochemical data in the field.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop skills to:

• Synthesise geological, geophysical and geochemical data to remotely map buried basement rocks
• Establish a regolith and landscape evolution framework for mineral exploration
• Assess and implement appropriate exploration tools (geochemical, biogeochemical, geophysical) within the context of the basement and cover geology and the nature of the target
• Interpret exploration datasets in an active exploration environment

Course Content: The course will be located at Arkaroola in the northern Flinders Ranges. This area is ideal because it features known uranium mineralisation of a number of deposit types (within basement and cover rocks) and is prospective for a range of other commodities. The distribution of uranium in the region is a complex function of 1600 million years of geology including primary U-enrichment within early Mesoproterozoic basement and multiple periods of reworking and redistribution up to the present day. Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits within Tertiary sediments of the Frome Embayment are active mineralising systems within an environment characterised by Neotectonic faulting, sedimentation and fluid flow. As such the northern Flinders Ranges offers the opportunity to study the relationships between basement geology (exposed and buried), landscape evolution (uplift, faulting, denudation, sedimentation), hydrogeology and biological systems with respect to a range of mineralisation types. The course will cover techniques (geological, geophysical and geochemical) appropriate for mapping basement geology from exposed to covered areas, determining the landscape evolution framework and targeting mineralisation beneath and within the cover. This will include recent advances in EM and shallow seismic techniques, geochemistry and biogeochemistry, and neo-tectonics. A unifying theme will be the importance of increasing the effective target size of buried deposits by recognising the cryptic signatures of mineral systems at a scale greater than the deposit itself.

A provisional fieldcourse program includes:
Day 1: Visit to Beverley Uranium Mine and Four Mile uranium prospect
Day 2: Bedrock geology along the Ridgetop Track including the Mt Painter - Mt Gee area
Day 3: NE Flinders Ranges range-front
Day 4: Lake Frome Embayment and plains
Day 5: Paralana training exercise and biogeochemical sampling

Course Presenters: Prof David Giles (University of Adelaide), Stephen Hore (PIRSA)

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course only, or taken for credit towards an honours qualification in any participating MTEC university. For award credit (including future credit) an assessment is required. Assessment will be based on a series of short written reports, due during the week of the field course.

Fee: $100 fee towards the cost of travel and accommodation to the field site payable at the beginning of the course. Please note, students are required to self-cater, by using the camp kitchen facilities as well as the Arkaroola Wilderness Resort.

Additional Information: Students will travel via car or bus from Adelaide University to Arkaroola leaving at 8am on Saturday 5th May. Interstate students will be required to arrive in Adelaide the evening before, on the 4th of May. For the return journey, interstate students can be dropped off at the airport on the evening of Friday the 11th of May. It is safe to book flights with a departure time after 7pm. Please do not book flights before this time.

Participants Should Bring:
Boots and field clothing suitable for heat, a sleeping bag and mattress or a swag. A checklist of recommended gear will be provided to participants prior to the course.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Prof David Giles, david.giles@adelaide.edu.au , Ph: 08 8303 7361

Mining Geology and Resource Estimation

Program: Offered as part of the BSc (Hons) Applied Geology and BSc (Hons) Mineral Exploration and Mining Geology courses at the WA School of Mines, Curtin University and as a component of the MTEC Minerals Geoscience Honours Program.

Course Provider: Curtin University of Technology

Dates: June 4-8, 2012

Location: WA School of Mines, Kalgoorlie

Delivery: Lectures, computer-based exercises and mine-site activities.

About the Course: Many Australian Geoscience graduates find employment on mine sites with responsibility for grade control, ore deposit modelling, and resource estimation, but few undergraduate degrees provide students with specific training for these duties. This course provides first-hand experience of the mining environment and a practical introduction to the roles and responsibilities of the mine geologist.

The course is for: Eligible honours students looking to take specialist courses to prepare them for work in the minerals industry and professional geologists, geophysicists and geochemists with limited knowledge of mining geology.

Learning Outcomes: This course will develop the skills needed to:

• Plan a drilling program for use in exploration, resource development and mining;
• Collect geological data from drill samples and manipulate and visualize this data using standard mining software (Vulcan/Surpac);
• Construct a geological model of an ore body using wireframing techniques;
• Estimate a mineral resource for an ore body via classical methods and block modelling;
• Understand the mine geology tasks of drilling, sampling, assay (QA/QC), core logging, grade control, reconciliation and reporting;

Course Content: The course will use dedicated computer laboratories at the WA School of Mines coupled with visits to one or more local mine sites to provide training in the basic techniques used by geologists on a daily basis in planning and monitoring mining operations. Topics covered will include the following:

• Introduction to mining operations and activities;
• Drilling techniques and their advantages and disadvantages;
• Collection of lithological and structural data from drill core and drill chips;
• Application of mining software (Vulcan/Surpac) to mine geological data visualization and modelling;
• Conventional and geostatistical methods of resource estimation;
• Sampling, grade control and reconciliation;
• Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) for exploration and mining data;
• JORC code and mandatory reporting requirements for geological data.

Course Presenters: Dr Mehrooz Aspandiar and others.

Assessment and Credit: This course can be taken as a short course only, or taken for credit towards an honours qualification in any participating MTEC university. For award credit (including future credit) an assessment is required. Assessment will be based on practical exercises and lab tests completed during the course.

Accommodation and Travel: Free accommodation will be provided for up to 22 MTEC Honours Students in small dormitory-style rooms from the Sunday prior to the course to the Saturday morning following the course at the Goldfields Camp School (All students are required to vacate the Goldfields Camp School by 8 am on Saturday 9th June morning). All participants are responsible for the cost of travel to and from Kalgoorlie.

Additonal Information: Participants should arrive in Kalgoorlie by 8 am on 4th June 2011.  There is a daily rail service from Perth (see http://www.transwa.wa.gov.au/) but note that the travel time is around 8 hours.  There are also several flights each day serviced by QANTAS (www.qantas.com.au/) and Skywest (http://www.skywest.com.au/).  Most flights are via Perth but there is a direct Adelaide-Kalgoorlie service three days a week.  Flights should be booked well in advance to ensure the cheapest prices.  Short-term accommodation is scarce and expensive in Kalgoorlie given the current state of the mining industry. For this reason, student participants are strongly advised to take advantage of the accommodation arranged at the Goldfields Camp School. Those wishing to stay an extra night at Kalgoorlie due to flight schedule, should check with the local backpackers. Note that the course finishes on the afternoon of Friday 8th June and those participants who wish to leave by a Friday evening flight can do so.

Participants Should Bring: suitable clothing for mine site visits, including boots (steel capped safety boots if you have them), and a hat will be valuable protection against the sun for outside activities.  Students staying at the Goldfields Camp School should bring their own bed linen or sleeping bag. Please note that Kalgoorlie gets cold in winter, so please bring appropriate winter clothes.

Registration: Use the online Registration Form.

Enquiries: Dr Mehrooz Aspandiar (Ph: 08 9266 4373).