Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies unit (KEA712)

Introduction

Modern human society cannot function without minerals and the products made from them. As a major primary producer of a wide range of metals, mining plays a vital role in Australia’s economy and prosperity. However, major new ore deposits are increasingly difficult to find. Particularly in ‘mature’ extensively explored terrains, like Australia, major new discoveries are likely to be deeply buried ‘blind’ ore deposits, where even the host rocks surrounding the deposit may be buried beneath significant thicknesses of unrelated (post-mineral) cover. Future exploration success will increasingly depend on the drill testing of conceptual targets, coupled with the development and application of more robust, more sensitive discriminators of mineralogical, chemical and petrophysical zonation in ore-related, hydrothermally altered rocks. This unit will equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to drive successful mineral exploration into the future. The unit covers current thinking on (i) the genesis of a wide range of ore deposit types, with a focus on base metal and gold deposits, (ii) the tectonic settings and environments in which these deposits form, and (iii) the latest exploration strategies and techniques used detect them. Emphasis is placed on integrating a range of geological, geochronological, geochemical and geophysical data both in the development of robust ore deposit genetic models, and in mineral exploration. The unit draws on the expertise of scientists from the Centre for Ore Deposits and Earth Sciences (CODES) at UTAS, as well as invited experts from the minerals industry, government and academia. Students will gain the knowledge and skills required to recognise and interpret the mineralogy, paragenesis, geochemistry and geophysical signatures of a range of ore deposit types. Practical mineral exploration exercises reinforce the theory and exploration case studies covered in lectures. Ore deposit types covered typically include porphyry, epithermal, and skarn deposits, IOCG deposits, orogenic, Carlin and Witwatersrand gold deposits, volcanic-hosted massive sulfide and sea-floor hydrothermal deposits, sediment-hosted-Cu deposits, sedex and Broken Hill-type Zn-Pb deposits. This unit involves approximately 60 hrs of lectures and 20 hrs of practical classes delivered in two ~week-long blocks (one 6-day block and one 5-day block, with approximately 1 month in between). Project work conducted in the two weeks before the first intensive delivery block, and in the 4 weeks between the intensive blocks involves a further 80 hrs work (~16 hrs/week). Reviewing lecture content and the associated reading material may involve a further 10 hrs per week over ~8 weeks. Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies is a compulsory (CORE) unit in the Master of Economic Geology degree.

Summary

Unit name	Ore Deposit Models and Exploration Strategies
Unit code	KEA712
Credit points	25
College/School	Sciences and Engineering School of Natural Sciences
Discipline	CODES ARC
Coordinator	Professor David Cooke
Delivered By
Level	Postgraduate

Availability

Specific information on 2027 unit availability will be available in August

Learning Outcomes

• Identify ore systems using mineralogy, alteration and ore-related paragenetic sequences, geochemistry and structural and/or geophysical characteristics
• Relate exploration strategies to ore deposit characteristics and genetic models
• Recognise the importance of ore deposit models for resource definition and reporting requirements
• Select samples, analytical data and approaches to apply, test or develop an ore deposit model
• Explain ore deposit genetic models and exploration strategies to an audience of academic and industry peers.

Fee Information

2027 fee information will be available in August.

Teaching

Teaching Pattern	This unit involves approximately 60 hrs of lectures and 20 hrs of practicals delivered in two ~week-long blocks (one 6-day block and one 5-day block, with approximately 1 month in between). There is ~80 hrs of project work conducted in the two weeks before the first intensive delivery block, and in the 4 weeks between the intensive blocks (~16 hrs/week). Reviewing lecture content and the associated reading material may involve a further 10 hrs per week over ~8 weeks.
Assessment	Assessment Task 2 - Magmatic Hydrothermal Quiz (10%)|Assessment task 5 ¿ Ore Deposit Model Oral Presentation (10%)|Assessment Task 3 - Gold Exploration Strategy Assignment (15%)|Assessment Task 4 - Literature Review (25%)|Assessment Task 1 - Practicals. (40%)
Timetable	View the lecture timetable | View the full unit timetable

Textbooks

Required	There are no required reading materials for this unit.
Recommended	Other than the student-sourced material for Assessment Task 4, all recommended reading material for this unit will be distributed to students via the MyLO page.

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