JAWAHARLAL NEHRU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD

Course Objectives

Expose the mining engineer to various aspects of prospecting and

exploration methods for search of important ore minerals using different geological, geophysical and geochemical techniques.

Course Outcomes

Students can understand the procedures for exploration of mineral

deposits, estimation of mineral resources as outcome of this course, which is highly beneficial for the mining engineers in the industry.

UNIT - I

Geological Prospecting and Exploration: Definitions and Principles; Methods of Prospecting; Methods of Exploration.

UNIT - II

Sampling: theory and methods; Geological plans and sections for orebody evaluation; Exploration drilling, drill core logging and sampling Cut-off grade concepts and applications; Resources and Reserves. Estimation of reserves – methods and practice.

UNIT - III

Geochemical Exploration: Introduction, Geochemical cycle, geochemical mobility and association of elements. Pathfinder and target elements for geochemical exploration. Principles of geophysical exploration methods.

UNIT - IV

Primary and secondary dispersions of elements; Determination of background, and geochemical anomalies; Geo-chemical methods of mineral exploration: Procedures for geochemical sampling; Interpretation of geochemical surveys. Indian case studies.

UNIT - V

Collection of data along Geological (G), Feasibility (F) and Economic (E) axes during various stages of exploration.

TEXT BOOKS:

• 1. Reedman, J H. Techniques in Mineral Exploration: 1979. Applied Science Publishers Ltd, UK
• 2. Peters, W.C. Exploration and Mining Geology (2nd Ed.); 1987. John Wiley & Sons, New York.

REFERENCE BOOKS:

• 1. Sharma, N L and Agarwal Y K. Tables for Mineral Identification.
• 2. A.M. Evans. 1997: Ore Geology and Industrial minerals- An introduction (III edn.) Geo-science, Texas.