Cognitive Biases and Fallacies in Decision-Making During Mineral Exploration

Written by Richard A. Leveille (SEG Member) | Printed in the January 2020, No. 120 issue of SEG Discovery.

Richard grew up following a Kennecott father around the copper camps of the western U.S. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in geology from the University of Utah and University of Alaska, respectively. He worked on five continents for a succession of companies, before retiring from Freeport as senior V.P. exploration in 2017. He and his wife, Janice, live in Phoenix, Arizona, and he now pursues hiking, fishing, and writing, in addition to geological consulting.

Making the Case for More, and More Practical, Economic Geology Education: The Point of View of an Exploration Geologist

Written by Antonio Arribas R. (SEG 1994 F) | Printed in the April 2018, No. 113 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Antonio Arribas R. obtained his B.A. and M.Sc. degrees in geology from the University of Salamanca, Spain, and conducted his Ph.D. research at the University of Michigan. Antonio’s career has been dedicated to the geology of and exploration for base and precious metal deposits. He has held a variety of positions in industry, ending with Vice President Geosciences BHP, and is currently a geoscience professor at Akita University, Japan. An active Fellow of SEG, Antonio served as SEG President in 2013, Vice President for Regional Affairs from 2006 to 2009, SEG Councilor from 2002 to 2004, and Thayer Lindsley Lecturer in 2001.

Industry-Academic Research Projects: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Written by Richard Lilly | Printed in the July 2017, No. 110 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Richard is currently the Mount Isa Mines embedded research fellow at the University of Adelaide. The role involves leading a range of exploration and ore deposit-related research projects, undergraduate teaching, and coordinating the National Exploration Undercover School (NExUS). Richard completed his Ph.D. on the geochemistry of the northern Oman ophiolite at Cardiff University (UK) and worked with Rio Tinto and Chevron before joining Mount Isa Mines (formally Xstrata Copper) exploration in 2007 based in Mount Isa, Queensland. In his role as senior exploration geologist, he instigated and co-supervised a wide range of applied research projects with the aim of improving exploration targeting, before returning to an industry-funded academic role in 2015.

SEG Programs Need More Practical Content

Written by Frederick T. Graybeal (SEG 1974 SF) | Printed in the July 2016, No. 106 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Fred's career focused on metal exploration worldwide, largely with ASARCO Incorporated, from which he retired as chief geologist in 2003. He still consults, is a past vice-president of the SEG, has served on committees of the National Research Council and geoscience advisory boards of several universities and junior exploration companies, and is a recipient of the SME Dickerson and the SEG Ralph W. Marsden awards. He holds degrees from Dartmouth College (AB, 1960) and the University of Arizona (MS, 1962 and Ph.D., 1972).

Geological Mapping in Exploration: A View from the Trenches

Written by Nick J. Callan (SEG 2015 F) | Printed in the April 2016, No. 105 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Written by Nick J. Callan (SEG 2015 F) | Printed in the April 2016, No. 105 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Nick graduated with a B.Sc. in geology from Oxford University in 1985 and afterward undertook an M.Sc. at the University of Toronto, researching Archean shear zone-hosted gold deposits. His broad industry experience includes project and senior geologist positions with Cominco and AngloGold, as well as senior technical positions with several prominent junior companies. Since 2001 he has been based in Santiago, Chile, providing largely field oriented geological consulting services throughout Latin America, as well as in E. Europe, Asia, and Australasia.

We Must Change Exploration Thinking in Order to Discover Future Orebodies

Written by Dan Wood (SEG 2010 F) | Printed in the April 2016, No. 105 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Dan's career includes 24 years with BHP and 18 years with Newcrest Mining.

Educational Materials for Schools to Promote Geosciences and Mining

Written by Rogelio Monreal | Printed in the January 2016, No. 104 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Rogelio Monreal is a professor of geology at the University of Sonora, Mexico. He obtained B.S. and M.S. degrees in geology from the University of Arizona, then a Ph.D. degree in geosciences from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1989. Rogelio was formerly Geology Graduate Program Coordinator and Dean of the Exact and Natural Sciences, and has been involved with the design of several bachelor and graduate programs while teaching and publishing his research. He was also president of the Sonora district and education vice president of the Mexican Mining, Metallurgical and Geological Engineers Association.

Uraniferous Conglomerates: Thoughts on Their Origins

Written by Ronald E. Seavoy (SEG 2001 HF) | Printed in the October 2015, No. 103 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Ronald is Professor Emeritus in history at Bowling Green State University, Ohio. He was originally trained in geology, and is most familiar with Archean rocks. Ron worked many summers on the Canadian Shield, centered on the Abitibi greenstone belt and the Slave craton, north of Yellowknife. He did all of the initial sampling on the Lupin gold mine in the Northwest Territories in 1961, after its discovery in 1960. He is the author of 10 books and numerous scholarly articles.

Grade is King

Written by Peter K.M. Megaw (SEG 1982 F) and Daniel T. MacInnis | Printed in the October 2014, No. 99 issue of the SEG Newsletter

Peter is a Consulting Exploration Geologist and President of IMDEX/Cascabel. His primary exploration focus is silver in veins and carbonate replacement deposits in Mexico. Peter was awarded the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration 2012 Robert M. Dreyer Award for excellence in Applied Economic Geology and the Carnegie Mineralogical Award in 2009. He is also Past President of the SEG Foundation. Peter is co-founder/Chief Exploration Officer of MAG Silver, where he works with co-author Daniel T. MacInnis, a Registered Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo) and Director of MAG Silver.

A Looming Crisis for the Mineral Exploration Industry: A Geological Perspective

Written by David I. Groves (SEG 1973 SF) and Allan Trench | Printed in the July 2014, No. 98 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

David is currently Emeritus Professor of the Centre for Exploration Targeting at the University of Western Australia (UWA). He was formerly director of its predecessors at UWA, the Centres for Strategic Mineral Deposits and Global Metallogeny. David has served as SEG President and SEG International Exchange Lecturer and has been awarded the SEG Silver Medal and R.A.F. Penrose Gold Medal for his contributions to research and mentorship.

Allan is currently a Research Professor with the Centre for Exploration Targeting, University of Western Australia, and also with the Department of Mineral & Energy Economics at Curtin University of Technology, Perth. He serves as an independent director to a number of listed exploration and development companies. Allan has over 25 years of experience spanning exploration, operations, and corporate roles, including with WMC, at the Barrick-Newmont Kalgoorlie gold operations, and also with Woodside Energy. He is a former McKinsey & Company consultant.

The Ore Finders

Written by Siegfried Muessig | Printed in the April 2014, No. 97 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Siegfried joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951, and published the seminal bulletin on the Republic gold district, as well as papers on borate mineralogy and geology. He organized and managed the U.S. Borax exploration department from 1959. In 1966 he joined Getty Oil, where he organized, staffed, and managed the new minerals division until it was sold and disbanded in 1984 by Texaco. He actively participated in or discovered the Escondida and Zaldivar Cu deposits, Chile (50%); Jabiluka U deposit, Australia (35%); Mercur Au deposit, Utah (100%); and Casa Grande Cu deposit, Arizona (50%). He also revitalized the Petrotomics U mine, Wyoming (100%) and tripled production; initiated Tidal Diamonds marine mine, Namibia (33%); and discovered other substantial uranium, and Cu, Zn, and Pb deposits (100%). Siegfried organized and operated Crystal Exploration diamond program in a J.V. with Ashton Mining and Dow Chemical, and consulted internationally until 2007.

Not For the Faint-Hearted

Written by Dan Wood (SEG 2009) | Printed in the April 2014, No. 97 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Dan's career includes 24 years with BHP and 18 years with Newcrest Mining.

Attention Mining HR Managers: You are Losing the Best!

Written by Murray W. Hitzman | Printed in the January 2014, No. 96 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Murray has been the Charles Fogarty Professor of Economic Geology at the Colorado School of Mines since 1996. He served as President of the Society of Economic Geologists in 2005.

Sustainable Exploration—A Major's Perspective

Written by Graham Brown | Printed in the October 2012, No. 91 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Graham is Group Head of Geosciences for Anglo American.

Some Elements of Exploration Success or How to Shave the Odds

Written by Siegfried Muessig | Printed in the October 2011, No. 87 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Siegfried joined the U.S. Geological Survey in 1951, and published the seminal bulletin on the Republic gold district, as well as papers on borate mineralogy and geology. He organized and managed the U.S. Borax exploration department from 1959. In 1966 he joined Getty Oil, where he organized, staffed, and managed the new minerals division until it was sold and disbanded in 1984 by Texaco. He actively participated in or discovered the Escondida and Zaldivar Cu deposits, Chile (50%); Jabiluka U deposit, Australia (35%); Mercur Au deposit, Utah (100%); and Casa Grande Cu deposit, Arizona (50%). He also revitalized the Petrotomics U mine, Wyoming (100%) and tripled production; initiated Tidal Diamonds marine mine, Namibia (33%); and discovered other substantial uranium, and Cu, Zn, and Pb deposits (100%). Siegfried organized and operated Crystal Exploration diamond program in a J.V. with Ashton Mining and Dow Chemical, and consulted internationally until 2007.

Innovation in Mineral Exploration: Successes and Challenges

Written by Michel Jébrak | Printed in the July 2011, No. 86 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Michel is a professor in the Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Department at the Université du Québec à Montréal. His focus is on mineral resource exploration.

Exploration—It's All About Turning Rocks into Money

Written by Brent Cook | Printed in the April 2011, No. 85 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Brent is a geologist (BSc Geology, Utah State University 1978) who has been involved in the minerals exploration and mining business for 32 years.

Exploration Approaches: Comparison of the Former Soviet Union with the Rest of the World

Written by Alexander Yakubchuk | Printed in the April 2011, No. 85 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Alexander is COO and Director of Exploration for Orsu Metals Corporation, based in London.

Self-Organized Critical Systems and Ore Formation: The Key to Spatial Targeting?

Written by Jon M.A. Hronsky | Printed in the January 2011, No. 84 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Jon is currently a principal of Western Mining Services (WMS), a consultancy group that specializes in the strategic management of mineral exploration and the exploration targeting process.

They Who See the Most Rocks Win

Written by Murray W. Hitzman | Printed in the January 2011, No. 84 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Murray has been the Charles Fogarty Professor of Economic Geology at the Colorado School of Mines since 1996. He served as President of the Society of Economic Geologists in 2005.

A Path Forward

Written by Lawrence M. Cathles | Printed in the October 2010, No. 83 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Lawrence has been at Cornell University since 1987. During that time, he has been engaged in research on fluid flow in the earth's crust, especially as it relates to hydrocarbon and mineral deposits.

The Practical Limits of Technology: The Imperative for Geoscience Collaboration

Written by Ken Witherly | Printed in the October 2010, No. 83 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Ken has been involved in mineral exploration for over 35 years and has contributed directly to the discovery of a number of economic deposits.

Grassroots Exploration: Between a Major Rock and a Junior Hard Place

Written by Richard H. Sillitoe | Printed in the October 2010, No. 83 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Richard graduated from the University of London, England, where he went on to obtain a Ph.D. degree in 1968.

Is Mineral Depletion a Threat to Sustainable Mining?

Written by John E. Tilton | Printed in the July 2010, No. 82 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

John divides his time between Chile, where he is holds the chair in Mineral Economics in the Engineering School of Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and the United States, where he is a research professor at the Colorado School of Mines.

Exploration and Discovery: Paradigm Shift Required

Written by David J. Hall (SEG 1999 F) | Printed in the July 2010, No. 82 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

David obtained his B.A. degree from Trinity College, Dublin, then spent 2 years in Zimbabwe before completing an M.Sc. degree in MinEx at Queen’s University, Ontario.

The World is Changing

Written by Jonathan G. Price (SEG 1985 F) | Printed in the July 2010, No. 82 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Jonathan is the State Geologist and Director of the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, a research and public service unit of the University of Nevada, Reno.

Exploration—People and Discovery

Written by John F.H. Thompson (SEG 1983 F) and Douglas J. Kirwin (SEG 1997 F) | Printed in the April 2010, No. 81 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

John obtained his BA from Oxford University and moved to Canada where he completed his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Toronto.

Douglas obtained his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Australia and has been involved in mineral exploration for 38 years.

The Declining Discovery Trend: People, Science or Scarcity?

Written by Ross Beaty (SEG 2010) | Printed in the April 2010, No. 81 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Ross has more than 37 years of experience as a geologist in the international minerals industry.

Mineral Resource Discovery—Science, Art & Business

Written by Dan Wood (SEG 2009) | Printed in the January 2010, No. 80 issue of the SEG Newsletter.

Dan's career includes 24 years with BHP and 18 years with Newcrest Mining.