ROLE OF GEOLOGISTS IN THE MINING LIFE CYCLE

The mining life cycle can be viewed as the steps taken by a chemical element or other mineral resource from discovery in the ground through extraction, to manufacturing into useful products, to return to the environment. The steps are not particularly cyclical, nor are they necessarily linear. A more-or-less linear progression involving (1) exploration, (2) discovery of mineralization, (3) development of a deposit, (4) mining of ore, (5) extraction of ore minerals or elements, (6) refinement of a product, (7) sale of the product, (8) manufacture of a consumer good, and (9) use of that item by the public can lead to more demand (and more exploration, etc.) or it can be interrupted by recycling and remanufacturing of new products and goods, waste disposal, and reclamation and sustainable use of land after mining or after an unsuccessful exploration or development effort. Geologists (here encompassing all categories of geoscientists and related geo-specialists) are essential in many of the steps and can be of significant help in many others. Geologists are often the first people to interact with stakeholders (including residents and businesses of local communities and regional jurisdictions where the resources are found; indigenous people from the area; governmental regulators; investors, corporate leaders, and employees; suppliers; academicians; and non-governmental organizations and other concerned individuals). Geologists’ social skills can make or break a project, and their technical skills are needed in exploration; characterization of the deposit’s physical properties, geometallurgy, and environmental concerns; and design of waste facilities, reclamation plans, and options for sustainable post-mining land use. Particularly in the industrial mineral sectors, geologists are often leaders in corporate decisions regarding product development and marketing. In the world of financing for exploration, geologists are often the qualified persons to interface with investors.