17/03/2021
Join us 4pm AEDT Friday 19th March
Orebody knowledge is the newly coined label for a centuries-old theme of optimising mineral-extraction processes. However, few operators have fully embraced, let alone implemented this very practical concept. Technical knowledge of geology, mineral deposits, mining methods, and metallurgy has not only exploded, but also diversified into a wide array of specialisms. This has resulted in the evolution of entirely new tribes of people, with their own unique languages, laws, and loyalties. Each discipline has greatly advanced its own expertise and technical capabilities within its respective silo, but their deep segregation throughout the mining industry has caused some apprehension and discomfort amongst the various tribes. Now we all speak different dialects of the same language while dealing with different aspects of the same subject matter. And that is exactly where we can make a difference. Because geochemistry has its roots in both geoscience and the periodic table, it is uniquely positioned to broker connections between explorers, process engineers, and environmental scientists. As interpreters who understand the trade languages of chemistry and mineralogy, geochemists can play a vital role in turning closed silos into communicating vessels.
