EA5320 - Earth Resources, Exploration and Environment

Credit points:	03
Year:	2013
Student Contribution Band:	Band 2
Administered by:	Sch of Earth & Environmental Sciences

An outline of the distribution and abundance of Earth resources in the form of metalliferous ores, industrial minerals and fossil fuels. Description of major metalliferous ore types. Elements of resource evaluation, extraction and processing in the context of national and international environmental and socio-economic considerations. Introduction to mining and exploration methods as applied to metalliferous mineral deposits including remote sensing and GIS and geophysical and geochemical techniques. Introduction to surface and environmental processes and practices in the resource industries.

Learning Outcomes

• to gain an understanding of the mechanisms by which mineral resources form;
• develop an understandign and be able to undertake basic exploration for mineral deposits;
• develop an understanding of the nature, challenges and ways of evaluating and exploiting mineral resources, and related environmental issues;
• to gain an informed perspective of global natural resources, Australia's and Queensland's resource based economics and the socio-economic impacts.

Graduate Qualities

• The ability to think critically, to analyse and evaluate claims, evidence and arguments;
• The ability to adapt knowledge to new situations;
• The ability to define and to solve problems in at least one discipline area;
• The ability to lead, manage and contribute effectively to teams;
• The ability to speak and write logically, clearly and creatively;
• The ability to calculate, produce, interpret and communicate numerical information;
• The ability to use and interpret different media;
• A coherent and disciplined body of skills, knowledge, values and professional ethics in at least one discipline area.

Assumed Knowledge:	Basic geological knowledge equivalent to first year level
Inadmissible Subject Combinations:	EA2500 EA2510 EA3910

Availabilities
Townsville, Internal, Study Period 1
Census Date 28-Mar-2013
Coordinator:	Assoc. Professor John Carranza
Lecturers:	Professor Tom Blenkinsop, Dr Zhaoshan Chang, Dr Christa Placzek, Dr James Daniell.
Contact hours:	24 hours lectures 30 hours practicals 8 hours - Fieldwork
Assessment:	end of semester exam (50%); practicals (30%); assignments (15%); practical exam (5%).

Note: Minor variations might occur due to the continuous Subject quality improvement process, and in case of minor variation(s) in assessment details, the Subject Outline represents the latest official information.