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Economic geology is concerned with earth materials that can be used for economic and industrial purposes. These materials include precious and base metals, nonmetallic minerals and construction-grade stone. Economic geology is a subdiscipline of the geosciences; according to Lindgren (1933) it is “the application of geology”. It may be called the scientific study of the Earth's sources of mineral raw materials and the practical application of the acquired knowledge.^[1]

The study is primarily focused on metallic mineral deposits and mineral resources. The techniques employed by other Earth science disciplines (such as geochemistry, mineralogy, geophysics, petrology, paleontology and structural geology) might all be used to understand, describe and exploit an ore deposit.^{[citation needed]}

Economic geology is studied and practiced by geologists. Economic geology may be of interest to other professions such as engineers, environmental scientists and conservationists because of the far-reaching impact that extractive industries have on society, the economy and the environment.

Purpose of study

The purpose of the study of economic geology is to gain understanding of the genesis and localization of ore deposits plus the minerals associated with ore deposits.^[2] Though metals, minerals and other geologic commodities are non-renewable in human time frames, the impression of a fixed or limited stock paradigm of scarcity has always led to human innovation resulting in a replacement commodity substituted for those commodities which become too expensive. Additionally the fixed stock of most mineral commodities is huge (e.g., copper within the Earth's crust given current rates of consumption would last for more than 100 million years.)^[3] Nonetheless, economic geologists continue to successfully expand and define known mineral resources.^{[citation needed]}

Mineral resources

Mineral resources are concentrations of minerals significant for current and future societal needs. Ore is classified as mineralization economically and technically feasible for extraction. Not all mineralization meets these criteria for various reasons. The specific categories of mineralization in an economic sense are:

Mineral occurrences or prospects of geological interest but not necessarily economic interest^{[citation needed]}
Mineral resources include those potentially economically and technically feasible and those that are not^{[citation needed]}
Ore reserves, which must be economically and technically feasible to extract^{[citation needed]}

Ore

Geologists are involved in the study of ore deposits, which includes the study of ore genesis and the processes within the Earth's crust that form and concentrate ore minerals into economically viable quantities.^{[citation needed]}

Study of metallic ore deposits involves the use of structural geology, geochemistry, the study of metamorphism and its processes, as well as understanding metasomatism and other processes related to ore genesis.^{[citation needed]}

Ore deposits are delineated by mineral exploration, which uses geochemical prospecting, drilling and resource estimation via geostatistics to quantify economic ore bodies. The ultimate aim of this process is mining.^{[citation needed]}

Coal and petroleum

Mud log in process, a common way to study the lithology when drilling oil wells.

See main articles Coal and Petroleum geology

The study of sedimentology is of prime importance to the delineation of economic reserves of petroleum and coal energy resources.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ Pohl W.L. (2020) Economic Geology, Principles and Practice: Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons – an Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. 2nd ed. 755 pp. 32 Colour Plates, 305 Figures, 32 Tables, 25 Boxes, 81 Equations. Schweizerbart Science Publishers, Stuttgart. www.schweizerbart.de/9783510654352 (Soft Cover)
^ J. M. Gilbert and C. F. Park, Jr., 2007, The Geology of Ore Deposits, 985 pages, Waveband Press, Long Grove, IL
^ J.E. Tilton, 2010, "Is Mineral Depletion a threat to sustainable mining?", Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter, No. 82

Lindgren, W., 1933. Mineral Deposits. 930 pp. McGraw-Hill, New York.
U.S. Geological Survey Circular 831, Principles of a Resource/Reserve Classification for Minerals (PDF format)
Dill, H.G., 2010. The “chessboard” classification scheme of mineral deposits: Mineralogy and geology from aluminum to zirconium. Earth-Science Reviews Volume 100, pp. 1–420, 2010

[1] Pohl W.L. (2020) Economic Geology, Principles and Practice: Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons – an Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. 2nd ed. 755 pp. 32 Colour Plates, 305 Figures, 32 Tables, 25 Boxes, 81 Equations. Schweizerbart Science Publishers, Stuttgart. www.schweizerbart.de/9783510654352 (Soft Cover)

[2] J. M. Gilbert and C. F. Park, Jr., 2007, The Geology of Ore Deposits, 985 pages, Waveband Press, Long Grove, IL

[3] J.E. Tilton, 2010, "Is Mineral Depletion a threat to sustainable mining?", Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter, No. 82

[1]

[2]

[3]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{redirect|Economic Geology|the journal|Economic Geology (journal)}}
 {{short description|Science concerned with earth materials of economic value}}
+{{redirect|Economic Geology|the journal|Economic Geology (journal){{!}}''Economic Geology (journal)''}}
 [[File:Arandis Mine quer.jpg|thumb|300px|An open pit uranium mine in Namibia]]
+{{Geology sidebar}}
-'''Economic geology''' is concerned with earth materials that can be used for economic and/or industrial purposes. These materials include precious and [[base metal]]s, nonmetallic minerals, [[dimension stone|construction-grade stone]] and [[coal]]. Economic geology is a subdiscipline of the geosciences; according to Lindgren (1933) it is “the application of geology”. Today, it may be called the scientific study of the Earth's sources of mineral raw materials and the practical application of the acquired knowledge.<ref>Pohl, W.L., 2011. Economic Geology, Principles and Practice: Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons – an Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. 663 Pages, Wiley-Blackwell, Oxford.</ref>  The term commonly refers to metallic mineral deposits and mineral resources. The techniques employed by other earth science disciplines (such as [[geochemistry]], [[mineralogy]], [[geophysics]], [[petrology]] and [[structural geology]]) might all be used to understand, describe, and exploit an ore deposit.
+'''Economic geology''' is concerned with earth materials that can be used for economic and industrial purposes. These materials include precious and [[base metal]]s, nonmetallic minerals and [[dimension stone|construction-grade stone]]. Economic geology is a subdiscipline of the geosciences; according to Lindgren (1933) it is “the application of geology”. It may be called the scientific study of the Earth's sources of mineral raw materials and the practical application of the acquired knowledge.<ref>Pohl W.L. (2020) Economic Geology, Principles and Practice: Metals, Minerals, Coal and Hydrocarbons – an Introduction to Formation and Sustainable Exploitation of Mineral Deposits. 2nd ed. 755 pp. 32 Colour Plates, 305 Figures, 32 Tables, 25 Boxes,  81 Equations. Schweizerbart Science Publishers, Stuttgart. www.schweizerbart.de/9783510654352 (Soft Cover)</ref>
+The study is primarily focused on metallic mineral deposits and mineral resources. The techniques employed by other Earth science disciplines (such as [[geochemistry]], [[mineralogy]], [[geophysics]], [[petrology]], [[paleontology]] and [[structural geology]]) might all be used to understand, describe and exploit an ore deposit.{{cn|date=March 2024}}
-Economic geology is studied and practiced by geologists. Economic geology may be of interest to other professions such as engineers, environmental scientists, and conservationists because of the far-reaching impact that extractive industries have on society, the economy, and the environment.
+Economic geology is studied and practiced by geologists. Economic geology may be of interest to other professions such as engineers, environmental scientists and conservationists because of the far-reaching impact that [[extractivism|extractive industries]] have on society, the economy and the environment.
-== Purpose of studies ==
-The purpose of the study of economic geology is to gain understanding of the [[ore genesis|genesis]] and [[Prospectivity mapping|localization]] of ore deposits plus the minerals associated with ore deposits.<ref>J. M. Gilbert and C. F. Park, Jr., 2007, ''The Geology of Ore Deposits'', 985 pages, Waveband Press, Long Grove, IL</ref> Though metals, minerals and other geologic commodities are non-renewable in human time frames, the impression of a fixed or limited stock paradigm of scarcity has always led to human innovation resulting in a replacement commodity substituted for those commodities which become too expensive. Additionally the fixed stock of most mineral commodities is huge (e.g., copper within the earth's crust given current rates of consumption would last for more than 100 million years.<ref>J.E. Tilton, 2010, "Is Mineral Depletion a threat to sustainable mining?", Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter, No. 82</ref> Nonetheless, economic geologists continue to successfully expand and define known mineral resources.
+== Purpose of study ==
+The purpose of the study of economic geology is to gain understanding of the [[ore genesis|genesis]] and [[Prospectivity mapping|localization]] of ore deposits plus the minerals associated with ore deposits.<ref>J. M. Gilbert and C. F. Park, Jr., 2007, ''The Geology of Ore Deposits'', 985 pages, Waveband Press, Long Grove, IL</ref> Though metals, minerals and other geologic commodities are non-renewable in human time frames, the impression of a fixed or limited stock paradigm of scarcity has always led to human innovation resulting in a replacement commodity substituted for those commodities which become too expensive. Additionally the fixed stock of most mineral commodities is huge (e.g., copper within the Earth's crust given current rates of consumption would last for more than 100 million years.)<ref>J.E. Tilton, 2010, "Is Mineral Depletion a threat to sustainable mining?", ''Society of Economic Geologists Newsletter'', No. 82</ref> Nonetheless, economic geologists continue to successfully expand and define known mineral resources.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
 == Mineral resources ==
 {{main|Mineral resource classification}}
 Mineral resources are concentrations of minerals significant for current and future societal needs. Ore is classified as mineralization economically and technically feasible for extraction. Not all mineralization meets these criteria for various reasons. The specific categories of mineralization in an economic sense are:
-* ''Mineral occurrences'' or prospects of geological interest but not necessarily economic interest
+* ''Mineral occurrences'' or prospects of geological interest but not necessarily economic interest{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-* ''Mineral resources'' include those potentially economically and technically feasible and those that are not
+* ''Mineral resources'' include those potentially economically and technically feasible and those that are not{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-* ''Ore reserves'', which must be economically and technically feasible to extract
+* ''Ore reserves'', which must be economically and technically feasible to extract{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-== Ore geology ==
+== Ore ==
 [[Image:Citrobacter freundii.jpg|thumb|''[[Citrobacter]]'' species can have concentrations of uranium in their bodies 300 times higher than in the surrounding environment.]]
-{{main|ore genesis}}
+{{main|Ore genesis}}
-Geologists are involved in the study of [[ore]] deposits, which includes the study of [[ore genesis]] and the processes within the Earth's crust that form and concentrate ore minerals into economically viable quantities.
-Study of metallic ore deposits involves the use of [[structural geology]], [[geochemistry]], the study of [[metamorphism]] and its processes, as well as understanding [[metasomatism]] and other processes related to ore genesis.
+Geologists are involved in the study of [[ore]] deposits, which includes the study of [[ore genesis]] and the processes within the Earth's crust that form and concentrate ore minerals into economically viable quantities.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
+Study of metallic ore deposits involves the use of [[structural geology]], [[geochemistry]], the study of [[metamorphism]] and its processes, as well as understanding [[metasomatism]] and other processes related to ore genesis.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-Ore deposits are delineated by [[mineral exploration]], which uses [[Geochemistry|geochemical]] prospecting, [[Boring (earth)|drilling]] and resource estimation via [[geostatistics]] to quantify economic ore bodies. The ultimate aim of this process is [[mining]].
+Ore deposits are delineated by [[mineral exploration]], which uses [[Geochemistry|geochemical]] prospecting, [[Boring (earth)|drilling]] and resource estimation via [[geostatistics]] to quantify economic ore bodies. The ultimate aim of this process is [[mining]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-== Coal and petroleum geology ==
+== Coal and petroleum ==
 [[Image:Mudlogging.JPG|thumb|[[Mud log]] in process, a common way to study the lithology when drilling oil wells.]]
 :''See main articles [[Coal]] and [[Petroleum geology]]
+The study of [[sedimentology]] is of prime importance to the delineation of economic reserves of [[petroleum]] and [[coal]] energy resources.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
-The study of [[sedimentology]] is of prime importance to the delineation of economic reserves of [[petroleum]] and [[coal]] energy resources.
 == See also ==
-* [[List of publications in geology#Economic geology|Important publications in economic geology]]
 * [[Mineral economics]]
 * [[Mineral resource classification]]
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 * [[Ore genesis]]
 * [[Coal]]
+* {{slink|Valuation (finance) #Valuation of mining projects}}
+* {{portal-inline|Geology}}
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