Program Overview

Program Overview

The Structural Geology for Exploration and Mining (online) course is a four-week online program designed to teach the basics of structural geology and its importance in the exploration and mining industry.

Course Details

• The course is delivered in English and is designed for participants to complete in their own time and at their own pace.
• Delivery will be via a variety of online and interactive activities such as illustrated articles, short videos, and quizzes.
• The course has been developed by Professor Thomas Blenkinsop, an academic at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences with 30 years of experience in structural analysis.

Target Audience

• Geologists working on mining and exploration projects
• Undergraduates on geology and exploration-related degrees

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, delegates should be able to:

• Clearly describe why structural analysis is so important in mineral exploration
• Identify, describe, and understand the formation of the major types of structures found in deformed rocks
• Describe basic drilling procedures and the potential limitations of working with drill core
• Know about the different tools used to measure structures in drill core
• Identify and measure structural features in drill core
• Confidently record, present, and analyze the data
• Relate structures to likely controls on ore bodies

Topics Covered

• Geometry and formation of structures in deformed rocks
• Structures as seen in drill core
• An introduction to drilling and ore bodies
• Structural measurements needed in drill core
• A systematic and unified method for measuring planar and linear structures
• Recording, analyzing, and presenting structural measurements from drill core

Equipment Requirements

Participants will not require any specialist equipment and only need access to a computer with high-speed internet.

Course Structure

• The course is structured into 4 weeks of learning content.
• Each week consists of 13-15 activities that should take 10 to 20 minutes each to complete.
• There is also an end-of-course test to assess learning, and participants who achieve 50% or more will receive an e-certificate of completion.

Benefits

The knowledge covered in this course is not available comprehensively from other sources, and it teaches a unified and systematic approach to structural analysis developed by Professor Tom Blenkinsop.