Course Description
Mineral exploration is the foundation of the entire mining value chain — the systematic search for economically viable mineral deposits. This course provides a comprehensive grounding in mineral exploration and economic geology, from understanding how ore deposits form to planning and executing an exploration programme.
Participants learn the geological processes that create ore deposits, the main deposit types and their characteristics, exploration methods and their sequencing, and how exploration data is integrated to identify and evaluate targets. The course equips geologists, engineers, and technical professionals to understand and contribute to modern mineral exploration for base metals, precious metals, and critical minerals.
What you will achieve
By the end of this training course, participants will be able to:
- Explain how ore deposits form and the main deposit types
- Understand the principles of economic geology
- Describe the mineral exploration sequence from reconnaissance to resource
- Apply geological mapping and sampling techniques
- Integrate geological, geochemical, and geophysical data
- Understand exploration targeting and prospectivity
- Evaluate exploration results and deposit potential
- Understand the reporting of exploration results (JORC/NI 43-101 basics)
How the course is delivered
The course combines economic geology theory with practical exploration examples across deposit types and commodities. Participants work through targeting and evaluation exercises using realistic exploration scenarios.
The programme balances geological understanding with the practical workflow of a modern exploration programme.
Designed for
This training course is ideal for:
- Exploration and mine geologists
- Mining engineers needing geological grounding
- Technical professionals entering mineral exploration
- Geoscientists moving into economic geology
- Anyone involved in mineral exploration projects
Daily programme
- How ore deposits form
- Principles of economic geology
- Major ore deposit types
- Mineralogy and ore controls
- Reconnaissance to resource definition
- Exploration programme design
- Geological mapping
- Sampling techniques and QA/QC
- Geochemical exploration
- Introduction to geophysical methods
- Drilling in exploration
- Data integration
- Exploration targeting and prospectivity
- Evaluating exploration results
- Deposit potential assessment
- Introduction to resource concepts
- Reporting exploration results (JORC/NI 43-101 basics)
- Exploration case studies
- Critical minerals exploration considerations
- Workshop and review
Certification & accreditation
BII Certificate of Completion
BII Certificate of Completion Upon successful completion, participants receive a BII Development Institute Certificate of Completion with a unique reference code that is independently verifiable. Our certificates are recognised internationally and reflect successful completion of your chosen programme.
