Module Information | Study information

MODULE TITLE	Discovery	CREDIT VALUE	15
MODULE CODE	CSMM177	MODULE CONVENER	Unknown

DURATION: TERM	1	2	3
DURATION: WEEKS	0	12	0

Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated)	10

DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content

The module introduces the overall Mining Life Cycle and the sequence of activities involved in the mining business, including: mineral deposit types, mineral exploration, deposit evaluation, mining operations and mineral processing, waste management, closure and remediation, corporate social responsibility (CSR), social license to operate and environmental management.

The module will then focus on:

The mining business landscape
An overview of geology, rock properties and processes of mineral deposit formation
Forces driving the demand for minerals and exploration activity
Exploration programmes and techniques
Mineral economics; including discounted cashflows and risk analysis

AIMS - intentions of the module

The module aims to introduce the mining life cycle and allow you to gain a broad understanding of the international mining business. This will form the foundation for more detailed study of each aspect during the following units and in Modules CSMM178, CSMM179 and CSMM180.

The main focus of the module is then an understanding of mineral deposits and the reasons why companies explore for and mine them. It will give you an insight into the international mining business, describe the financial principles that control the exploration and mining process, and look at how mineral exploration is undertaken. The module will finish by demonstrating the need for a robust technical and financial evaluation of a mineral deposit before any decision to mine can be made and this process will form the basis of CSMM178.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

1. explain the stages and activities that comprise the mining life cycle; and outline the main features of the mining business.
2. summarize the economic factors driving mineral exploration, how exploration programmes are planned and some of the exploration techniques used.

3. outline geological processes that form ore deposits.

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

4. demonstrate a basic understanding of geology and mineral forming processes, to a level where the student is able to use geological concepts and terminology in both report writing and in reading and interpreting a geological report.
5. explain the factors driving mineral exploration and the fundamentals such as economics, geology, etc.

6. present an overall understanding of the mining business.

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

7. select and utilize a full range of online learning resources which includes academic papers, book chapters, discussion boards and online individual and group activities.
8. demonstrate team work in groups of various skills and experience levels, present ideas clearly and concisely, debate ideas and evaluate how one part of a value chain affects the up and down stream activities.

9. demonstrate commercial awareness and use financial principles.

SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module

The module will be delivered over a period of 12 weeks using online lectures, PowerPoint presentations, documents and reference material in pdf format, mp3 podcasts, videos, e-tivities, discussion boards; and through face to face teaching, fieldwork and group work as part of a residential course.

The first unit will describe the mining life cycle introducing geology and mineral deposits, mineral exploration, mineral extraction and processing, waste management, mine closure and CSR; and will emphasise the interconnections between each aspect. This will act as an introduction for the following units and modules where each element of the life cycle will be covered in greater depth.

Units 2- 5 will develop the topics of geology and mineral deposits formation, mineral exploration, mineral economics and the landscape of the mining business.

Unit 1: Introduction to the Mining Pipeline
Unit 2: Introduction to geology, rock properties
Unit 3: Mineral exploration
Unit 4: The Mining Business
Unit 5: Mineral economics

LEARNING AND TEACHING

LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities	50	Guided Independent Study	100	Placement / Study Abroad	0

DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning & Teaching activities	50	Residentials, group work, site visits, field trips, laboratory exercises, discussions, skills development activities, presentations and assessments.
Guided independent study	100	Using online resources with help and guidance from UoE staff. Includes e-tivities, wiki’s and discussion boards.

ASSESSMENT

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade

Form of Assessment	Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length)	ILOs Assessed	Feedback Method
Online e-tivities	3 hours (several short e-tivities)	1-9	Written
Discussion boards	Variable	1-9	Written (on discussion board)
Group presentation	15 minutes	1-9	Verbal

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)

Coursework	50	Written Exams	30	Practical Exams	20

DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Form of Assessment	% of Credit	Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length)	ILOs Assessed	Feedback Method
Short Answer Examination	30	45 minutes	1-7, 9	Written/Verbal
Report/Project	50	15 pages	1-9	Written/Verbal
Individual Presentation	20	10 minutes	1-7, 9	Written/Verbal

DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)

Original Form of Assessment	Form of Re-assessment	ILOs Re-assessed	Time Scale for Re-assessment
Short Answer Examination	Short Answer Examination	1-7, 9	2nd residential
Report/project	Report/project	1-9	One month after 2^nd residential
Presentation	Presentation (Powerpoint and Skype)	1-7, 9	Approximately 4 – 6 weeks after residential one

RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES

All referral marks are capped at 50%.

RESOURCES

INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener

Basic reading:

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

A list of web resources and academic papers are available through ELE. In addition, the course site contains comprehensive online resources including lectures, PowerPoint presentations, documents and reference material in pdf format, mp3 podcasts, videos, e-tivities, discussion boards; and links to the University of Exeter electronic library and its comprehensive resources.

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Module is largely delivered by a dedicated ELE website that also involves links to external corporate, professional, educational websites and YouTube.

Other Resources:

The site will have additional literature resources from external professional bodies, technical guides and manuals and use of company annual reports.

Reading list for this module:

Type	Author	Title	Edition	Publisher	Year
Set	Moon, C.J., Whateley, M.K.G., Evans, A.M. (eds)	Introduction to Mineral Exploration	Electronic	Blackwell Science	2006
Set	Robb, L.	Introduction to Ore-forming Processes		Blackwell	2005
Set	Wellmer	Economic Evaluations in Exploration		Springer	2008
Set	Grotzinger	Understanding Earch	5th	W H Freeman & Co	2006
Set	Marshak	Earth: Portrait of a Planet	4th Revised Edition	W W Norton & Co	2012

CREDIT VALUE	15	ECTS VALUE	7.5

PRE-REQUISITE MODULES	None
CO-REQUISITE MODULES	None

NQF LEVEL (FHEQ)	7	AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING	No
ORIGIN DATE	Thursday 6th July 2017	LAST REVISION DATE	Thursday 4th October 2018

KEY WORDS SEARCH	Mining lifecycle, exploration, mining business, mining professional, mineral economics

Discovery - 2019 entry