GEOL337-14S1 (C) Semester One 2014

Geothermal and Ore Exploration

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 24 February 2014
End Date: Sunday, 29 June 2014
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 9 March 2014
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 25 May 2014

Description

Nature and origin of metallic ore deposits and how to find them, with emphasis on geophysical and geochemical exploration. Mining methods and mining geology.

Geothermal (or hydrothermal) processes are not only important in the extraction of heat as an energy resource, but they are responsible for the genesis and formation of economic ore bodies. Geothermal and Ore-forming systems require heat, fluids and permeability for the fluids to transport the heat and solutes (i.e. metals). Both Energy and Mineral Exploration encompasses many of those areas of geology within which many university graduates find employment, and specialist postgraduate courses are recommended for those wishing to pursue professional careers in these disciplines. Geochemical and geophysical exploration techniques are widely used in locating and characterising geothermal reservoirs and ore bodies by identifying chemical and/or physical anomalies that justify follow-up by drilling and other sampling or testing methods. Modern exploration is typically interdisciplinary, concept-oriented and model-driven, whether the buried resource is obvious from the surface geology or hidden. In addition, these conceptual models are paramount to the management (sustainable, economical, environmental) of the resources.

Learning Outcomes

  • Students successfully completing this course will understand:
  • understand the geologic controls of geothermal systems
  • understand the concept of mass and heat transfer
  • know how to calculate reservoir temperatures from surface water geochemistry
  • know how to draw geothermal conceptual models from well data and field observations
  • understand how geothermal energy is created
  • understand how geothermal (hydrothermal) processes are related ore genesis
  • advanced knowledge of selected ore deposit types, including genesis and exploration requirements; and
  • a thorough understanding of non-seismic exploration techniques and applications; and
  • concept-oriented approaches in the analysis of geological data; and
  • geochemical exploration methods and geochemical data presentation/analysis; and

Prerequisites

GEOL242 and 15 points from GEOL243-245.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

David Nobes

Lecturers

David Bell , Darren Gravley , Jacqueline Dohaney and Paul Siratovich

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Laboratory assessment - geothermal and ore forming processes 30% Laboratory assessment - geothermal and ore forming processes
Laboratory assessment - geostatistics, geochemiclal and geophysical exploration 30% Laboratory assessment - geostatistics, geochemiclal and geophysical exploration
Final examination 40% Final examination

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Evans, Anthony M; Ore Geology and Industrial Minerals : An Introduction ; 3rd ed; John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2009.

Evans, Anthony M. , Barrett, William L; Introduction to mineral exploration ; Blackwell Science, 1995.

Kearey, P. , Brooks, M., Hill, Ian; An introduction to geophysical exploration ; 3rd ed. ; Blackwell Science, 2002.

Milsom, John; Field geophysics ; 3rd ed; J. Wiley, 2003.

Moon, Charles. et al; Introduction to mineral exploration ; 2nd ed; John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 2009.

Robb, L. J; Introduction to ore-forming processes ; Blackwell Pub, 2005.

Course links

Library portal

Notes

Goal of the Course
GEOL337 introduces students to the fundamentals of geothermal and ore-forming process and their exploration.

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

The topics coved by this course are:
Topic 1 Geothermal Systems (Darren Gravley; 8 lectures)
• Hydrothermal processes
• Geothermal systems: geologic context
• Geothermal fluids: mass and heat transfer
• Geothermal exploration
• Geothermal energy
Weeks 9-12, February

Topic 2 Ore-forming Processes (Jackie Dohaney; 4 lectures)
• Type of Ore-forming environments
•  Nature and formation of metallic ore deposits
• Ore (alteration) mineralogy
Weeks 13-14,March

Topic 3 Geophysical & Geochemical Exploration Methods (David Nobes; 12 lectures)
• Geostatistics
• Overview of an exploration programme
• Geochemical exploration, data analysis & presentation
• Non-seismic geophysical exploration methods
• Exploration case studies
Week 15 and Weeks 19-23 April-June


Marks and Grades
The Department of Geological Sciences uses the following scale to convert marks into grades:
100 – 90 A+ 74 – 70 B 54 – 50 C-
89 – 85 A 69 – 65 B- 49 – 40 D
84 – 80 A- 64 – 60 C+ Below 40 E
79 – 75 B+ 59 – 55 C

The Department of Geological Sciences reserves the right to adjust this mark/grade conversion, when deemed necessary.

Late Work
It is the policy for this course that late work is not accepted. Or, late work should be accompanied with a detailed explanation of why the work is late. The work will be marked and marks will be subtracted for each day the work is late. Days late include week-end and holidays.

Academic Liaison
Christopher Oze (room 329, HUchristopher.oze@canterbury.ac.nzUH, is in charge of liaison with students in geology courses. Each year level will appoint a student representative(s) to the liaison committee at the start of the semester. Please feel free to talk to the Academic Liaison or the student rep about any problems or concerns that you might have.

Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should speak with someone at Disability Resource Service. Their office is room 317 in the Rutherford Building. Phone: 364 2350 (or ext. 6350), email: disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz

Policy on Dishonest Practice
Plagiarism, collusion, copying and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (text, data, figures or drawings, on any medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate acknowledgement of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the names author(s).
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare all or part of an item submitted for assessment.

In cases where dishonest practice is involved in tests or other work submitted for credit, the student will be referred to the University Proctor. The instructor may choose to not mark the work.

Reconsideration of Grades
Students should, in the first instance, speak to the course co-ordinator about their marks. If they cannot reach an agreeable solution, students should then speak to the Head of the Geological Sciences Department. Students can appeal any decision made on their final grade. You can apply at the Registry to appeal the final grade within 4 weeks of the end of the semester. Be aware that there are time limits for each step of the appeals process.

Aegrotat Applications
If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances has prevented you from completing an item of assessment or affected your performance, you should complete an aegrotat application form, available from the Registry or the Student Health and Counselling Service. This should be within seven days of the due date for the required work or the date of the examination. In the case of illness or injury, medical consultation should normally have taken place shortly before or within 24 hours after the due date for the required work, or the date of the test or examination. For further details on aegrotat applications, please refer to the Enrolment Handbook. You have the right to appeal any decision made, including aegrotat decisions.

Missing of Tests
In rare cases a student will not be able to sit a test. In such cases, the student should consult with the course co-ordinator or the Head of the Department of Geological Sciences to arrange alternative procedures. This must be done well in advance of the set date for the test.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $777.00

International fee $3,563.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GEOL337 Occurrences

  • GEOL337-14S1 (C) Semester One 2014