Pitfalls in Exploration and Evaluation

presented by Louis Fourie, P.Geo.

Louis Fourie will present a short course titled “Pitfalls in Exploration and Evaluation” at the Calgary Downtown Ramada Hotel downtown Calgary (708 8 Ave SW). Please e-mail: membership@megcalgary.com if you are interested in attending.

Abstract:

After a decade or more of frenzied activity, the slowdown in commodities over the last few years has given us time to ask: What the hell just happened? A frantic pace of project development is rarely a good environment for good practice in commodity exploration and evaluation. It has become necessary to look at the common pitfalls we all face, as well as the fundamental approaches that we need to remind ourselves of in order to improve what we do, so that future booms will not be occasions for throwing money into the bottomless pit of bad judgment calls and missed opportunities. From sampling to statistics, and geophysics to geological models, we will review the perils of the chase for the next big deposit.

Some of the topics that will be covered are:

  • It is all in the imagination: Thinking geologically for better outcomes
  • What does the customer want? A mine, nice deposit or a sellable asset?
  • Drill baby drill? More is not always better! Considering uncertainty in exploration planning.
  • All models are lies, but some are bigger lies than others. The crucial place of modeling and how to approach it.
  • Numbers in space: Too little or too much – ignoring or overthinking geostatistics?
  • It’s the money, stupid! Bigger is not always better, and sometimes small is beautiful. Why project economics is often amiss.
  • NI 43-101 and all that.

The short course will not be one-sided; discussion for mutual benefit will be encouraged. Come with your questions, frustrations and visions.

Presenter’s Bio:

Since graduating from the University of Johannesburg in 1996, Louis Fourie has been working in the mining and exploration industry in various capacities – as Petrologist, Geochronology Laboratory Manager, Geological Modeller and Resource Geologist; with commodity experience mainly in diamonds and potash, but also phosphates, trona, fluorite, coal, copper and aggregates. He has a certification in geostatistics from the University of Alberta. He is a registered P.Geo in Saskatchewan, and a certified Practicing Natural Scientist, Earth Science in South Africa, as well as a member of several professional associations.

Louis currently works as an independent consultant, having set up Terra Modelling Services Inc. in June 2014. Since going independent, he has been hard at work on projects in North and South America, Europe and Africa, in several commodities (notably industrial minerals and diamonds). He has also made some small forays recently into agricultural statistics and software development. Previously he has been employed by North Rim Exploration, Shore Gold Inc. and De Beers Consolidated Mines.

More details, publications etc. available at http://www.terramodellingservices.ca/

This short course is offered at the following prices:

  • $150 (before April 8)
  • $175 (at the door)
  • $50 (Students with valid student ID)

Short course will start at 8am.

Please confirm your intention to attend by email to membership@megcalgary.com. You will be pre-registered and can pay at the door. Alternatively, a check can be mailed to Calgary MEG, PO Box 1027, Station M, Calgary, AB T2P 2K4. Sorry, we are not able to take credit cards. Cash or cheque, only.