Overview
This unit is an introduction to geological resources: metals, non-metals, coal, oil and gas, and construction materials. It prepares you to assess and effectively communicate the geological setting, quality and grade of geological resources. The unit balances this with consideration of infrastructure and methods of accessing and extracting the geological resources in a socially, culturally and environmentally responsible manner. You will work individually and collaboratively to consider resource geology issues. You will investigate resource geology in a defined context and carry out standard sampling strategies and apply techniques for locating resources, grade control and resource estimation by undertaking sustainable practices.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisite: ENAR12016 Earth Science OR PHYG12003 Geological Science
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2024
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student feedback
Field trips to mine-sites and mining industry service industries provided insights into the industry and application of learnt theoretical knowledge.
Continue to offer authentic learning experiences during Residential Schools via continuing industry and mine site visits to demonstrate how theory learned is applied in "real world" mining practice.
Feedback from Lecturer reflections
Additional material and information on conducting resource estimations.
To source and add additional examples of resource estimations into teaching material.
- Critically discuss Australia's energy resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals and their role in the economy
- Characterise the major energy resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals, and their formation processes
- Create prospecting and exploration plans to identify energy resources and mineral deposits
- Evaluate and quantify mineral reserves
- Reflect upon Indigenous cultures and sustainable mining exploration practices
- Demonstrate effective and professional level communication and teamwork.
The Learning Outcomes for this unit are linked with the Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competency Standards for Professional Engineers in the areas of 1. Knowledge and Skill Base, 2. Engineering Application Ability and 3. Professional and Personal Attributes at the following levels:
Intermediate
Advanced
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 25% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||
| 3 - Presentation - 20% | ||||||
| 4 - Report - 30% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Practical Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 25% | ||||||||||
| 3 - Presentation - 20% | ||||||||||
| 4 - Report - 30% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Zoom (both microphone and webcam capability)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.hammond@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Introduction to Mining Cycle and Economic Geology
Economic Minerals & Energy
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Ores & Geological Settings - 1
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Ores and Geological Settings - 2
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Introduction to Prospecting & Exploration
Socio- environmental, community and indigenous engagement during the exploration phase
Introduction to Australian Mining Legislation
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Prospecting & Exploration - 1
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Prospecting & Exploration - 2
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Written Assessment Due: Week 6 Friday (19 Apr 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Geological Sampling - 1
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Geological Sampling - 2
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Geological Sampling & Grade Control
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Geological Modelling
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Practical Due: Week 10 Friday (17 May 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Resource Estimation
JORC & VALMIN Codes in the resource industry
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Module/Topic
Unit Summary and Review
Chapter
Readings provided in Moodle.
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly Zoom Tutorial
Presentation - Group Work Due: Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
1 Written Assessment
- Australia's natural resources
- Economic Geology
- Prospecting and exploration legislation in Australian mining
- Working and engaging with indigenous communities and
- Operating in sensitive ecological environments
Week 6 Friday (19 Apr 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit electronically via Moodle with your name, unit code and assignment number i.e. NAME_ENAR13001_Assignment Name
Assignments will be returned within a fortnight once all have been submitted for assessment
Criteria that will be assessed for this assessment task will include:
- Critical Thinking
- Evidence to research appropriate material from the geological and mining literature, besides supplied reference material
- Ability to organize and structure work into a legible, professional looking document
- Effective written communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of technical content
- Effective use of tables and figures, where deemed appropriate
- Well annotated and referenced maps, tables and figures
- Adequate review of peer-reviewed and published work
- Appropriate use of CQUniversity's Harvard Referencing system to correctly cite all sources of externally acquired material in-text and provide a consistent style for the assignment's reference list.
An assessment rubric is available in the unit's Moodle site along with technical exemplars. Weekly Zoom tutorials and forums will provide further assessment support
- Create prospecting and exploration plans to identify energy resources and mineral deposits
- Evaluate and quantify mineral reserves
- Reflect upon Indigenous cultures and sustainable mining exploration practices
- Communication
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Practical Assessment
During your Residential School you will undertake a variety of assessable tasks that include:
- Exercises in the identification and description of some major ore minerals
- Exercises in economic geology and in the interpretation of geological maps, geophysical and geochemical data
- Utilizing some of the geological tools and software used in exploration and economic geology
- Exercises in core logging and evaluation.
Some changes to tasks may need to be made on the day/s of the Residential School due to conditions beyond our control e.g. access to mine site/s where exercises are to be undertaken and use of equipment and resources from external parties.
Week 10 Friday (17 May 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit electronically via Moodle with your name, unit code and assignment number i.e. NAME_ENAR13001_Assignment Name
Assignments will be returned within a fortnight once all have been submitted for assessment
You will be assessed on your ability to:
- Identify common ore minerals
- Conduct prospecting and exploration programs
- Effectively utilize a range of geological equipment and software used in Exploration and Economic Geology
- Analyze drill cores, input drill core data into geodatabases
- Interpret geological databases (digital maps, geochemical and geophysical databases).
Further details and training will be provided during the weekly Zoom Tutorials, in Moodle Forums and whilst attending the Residential School.
- Critically discuss Australia's energy resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals and their role in the economy
- Characterise the major energy resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals, and their formation processes
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
3 Presentation
Your exploration team (Group Work) has been asked to prepare a program for finding a Greenfield Prospect and to geologically evaluate the deposit. You can choose any (one only) of the bulk mineral commodities, base metals, gems, precious metals, specialty metals, industrial minerals, industrial rocks or energy commodities as your focus.
The presentation (Group Work) should include:
1. a description of the geological setting/s
2. the type of background information you will need to acquire
3. a knowledge of environmental and cultural issues and constraints. Show how you would work towards obtaining culturally and environmentally sensitive outcomes
4. the geophysical method/s you will apply and the geochemical survey/s you will undertake.
5. the type of samples you would take and your QA/QC for the sampling
6. the type of geological model you have developed for the commodity being evaluated.
Class members will be assigned to groups during the first two weeks of undertaking this unit in Term 1. As group members you need to be able to allocate tasks within your group, to share/pool information and for the group to submit a cohesive, professional presentation to your peers. Decide amongst your group an equitable division of project tasks. It is recommended that you start to gather the preparatory information and communicate this to fellow group members at an early stage during the term via Zoom, Skype, group forums and email.
This assessment item will take the form of a Presentation. You will be required to present a live PowerPoint presentation to your client (your lecturer and other unit participants) via a Zoom session during week 12. The presentation will be ½ hour duration with 10 minutes of question time allocated. The mark awarded (for the group), besides being based on factual content and presentation skills, will also include how well you verbally answered the questions posed by the client and other participants. Note, you are required to submit your PowerPoint file to your lecturer A DAY PRIOR to your group's presentation.
Further support and information to assist you will be provided during the weekly Zoom tutorial sessions.
Week 12 Friday (31 May 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit electronically via Moodle with your name, unit code and assignment number i.e. NAME_ENAR13001_Assignment Name
Assignments will be returned within a fortnight once all have been submitted for assessment
The assessment criteria for each group's presentation will be based on:
- Presentation and layout i.e. the general appearance and style of the PowerPoint presentation to provide a professional talk.
- Effective written and oral communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of content
- Content. This includes the accuracy and relevance of answers, application of knowledge, language and grammar used in answering questions
- Evidence of sourcing and referencing relevant, peer reviewed material beyond that provided in the lecture material
Further support and information to assist you will be provided during the weekly Zoom tutorial sessions.
- Critically discuss Australia's energy resources, metallic and non-metallic minerals and their role in the economy
- Reflect upon Indigenous cultures and sustainable mining exploration practices
- Demonstrate effective and professional level communication and teamwork.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
4 Report
During the Residential School you will visit mine site/s that includes a mine tour and be shown the tasks that geological and mining professionals undertake onsite. A tour of a commercial laboratory will also be undertaken. Whilst on these tours you will make comprehensive notes of the topics presented by mine site and laboratory professionals. An individual geological report needs to be submitted that summarizes the activities you were shown. Your report needs to include:
- A brief history and overview of the mine
- The geological setting and style of mineralization
- Descriptions of the major rock types present (lithologies), the stratigraphy and the minerals mined
- The geological techniques used in economic geology to explore, locate and sample minerals for later mining at the mine.
- The Grade and Value of the ore
- Quantification of current mineral reserves
- Details about sustainable mineral exploration practices and
- Details of engagement with local indigenous communities during the exploration and mining phases.
- An overview of the activities undertaken at the commercial laboratory and their relevance to mine operations.
Further support and information to assist you will be provided during the Residential School by the mine site and laboratory professionals. These will be discussed further during weekly Zoom tutorial sessions and in Moodle Forums.
Review/Exam Week Friday (7 June 2024) 11:59 pm AEST
Submit electronically via Moodle with your name, unit code and assignment number i.e. NAME_ENAR13001_Assignment Name
Assignments will be returned within a fortnight once all have been submitted for assessment
Criteria that will be assessed for this task will include:
- Critical Thinking
- Evidence to research appropriate material from the literature, besides supplied reference material
- Ability to organize and structure work into a legible, professional looking document
- Effective written communication skills i.e. are clear, coherent and succinct that demonstrate an understanding of technical content
- Effective use of tables and figures, where deemed appropriate
- Well annotated and referenced maps, tables and figures
- Adequate review of peer-reviewed and published work, annual reports, company web site/s etc.
- Appropriate use of CQUniversity's Harvard Referencing system to correctly cite all sources of externally acquired material in-text and provide a consistent style for the assignment's reference list.
An assessment rubric is available in the unit's Moodle site. Weekly Zoom tutorials and forums will provide further assessment support
Some changes to tasks may need to be made on the day/s of the Residential School due to conditions beyond our control e.g. access to mine site/s and operational areas.
- Reflect upon Indigenous cultures and sustainable mining exploration practices
- Demonstrate effective and professional level communication and teamwork.
- Communication
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
