Page 8 - Introduction to Mineral Exploration

Contents

Contributors ix
Preface to the Second Edition xi
Preface to the First Edition xii
Units, Abbreviations, and Terminology xiii

Part I – Principles 1
1 Ore, Mineral Economics, and Mineral Exploration 3
Charles J. Moon and Anthony M. Evans
1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 Mineral economics 3
1.3 Important factors in the economic recovery of minerals 11
1.4 Structure of the mining industry 12
1.5 Some factors governing the choice of exploration areas 13
1.6 Rationale of mineral exploration 14
1.7 Further reading 18

2 The Mineralogy of Economic Deposits 19
Anthony M. Evans
2.1 Introduction 19
2.2 Mineralogical investigations 25
2.3 Further reading 32
3 Mineral Deposit Geology and Models 33
Anthony M. Evans and Charles J. Moon
3.1 Nature and morphology of orebodies 33
3.2 Wall rock alteration 39
3.3 Geological models of mineral deposits 40
3.4 Further reading 45
3.5 Summary of Chapters 1, 2, and 3 46
3.6 Appendix: mineral deposit model classification of Cox and Singer (1986) 46

4 Reconnaissance Exploration 52
Charles J. Moon and Michael K.G. Whateley
4.1 Exploration planning 53
4.2 Desk studies and reconnaissance 57