Page 15 - Introduction to Mineral Exploration

Preface to the

First Edition

It is a matter of regret how little time is devoted to teaching mineral exploration in first degree uni-
versity and college courses in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. As a result the few
available textbooks tend to be expensive because of the limited market. By supplying our publisher
with camera ready copy we have attempted to produce a cheaper book which will help to redress
this neglect of one of the most important aspects of applied geology. We hope that lecturers will
find here a structure on which to base a course syllabus and a book to recommend to their students.
In writing such a book it has to be assumed that the reader has a reasonable knowledge of the
nature of mineral deposits. Nevertheless some basic facts are discussed in the early chapters.
The book is in two parts. In the first part we discuss the principles of mineral exploration and in
the second, case histories of selected deposit types. In both of these we carry the discussions right
through to the production stage. This is because if mining projects are to progress successfully from
the exploration and evaluation phases to full scale production, then exploration geologists must
appreciate the criteria used by mining and mineral processing engineers in deciding upon appropri-
ate mining and processing methods, and also by the financial fraternity in assessing the economic
viability of a proposed mining operation. We have tried to cover these and many other related
subjects to give the reader an overall view of mineral exploration. As this is only an introductory
textbook we have given some guidance with regard to further reading rather than leaving the
student to choose at random from references given in the text.
This textbook arises largely from the courses in mineral exploration given in the Geology
Department of Leicester University during the last three decades and has benefitted from the ideas
of our past and present colleagues and to them, as well as to our students and our friends in indus-
try, we express our thanks. They are too many to name but we would like in particular to thank
Dave Rothery for his help with Chapter 6; Martin Hale for discussion of Chapter 8; Nick Laffoley,
Don Moy and Brendon Monahan for suggestions which have improved Chapter 9; and John Rickus
for a helping hand with Chapter 12. Steve Baele of US Borax gave us good advice and Sue Button and
Clive Cartwright performed many miracles of draughting in double quick time. In addition we are
grateful to the Director-General of MTA for permission to reproduce parts of the maps used to
prepare Figs 12.2 and 12.3, and to the Director-General of TKI for permission to publish the data
on Soma.