Geochemistry and Mineral Resource Evaluation Training Course

Course overview

A mineral deposit is worth nothing until someone can say, with defensible evidence, how much metal is present, at what grade, and with what confidence. Geochemistry supplies much of that evidence, and the discipline of resource evaluation turns raw assay numbers into a classified, reportable estimate that investors and regulators will accept.

This course, held at EuroQuest International Training, follows the chain from sample to statement: how geochemical data is collected and quality-controlled, how anomalies are read, and how deposits are classified and reported under recognized codes. Named codes, methods, and instruments are treated as educational subject matter; the course builds evaluation judgment and is not a substitute for a Competent Person's sign-off on a specific project.

Why the estimate is only as good as the sampling

Resource evaluation fails most often at the start, not the end. If sampling is biased or the assay quality control is weak, no amount of sophisticated modeling downstream will recover a trustworthy number. This course spends real time on the unglamorous foundations, because a well-designed sampling and QA/QC regime is what separates an estimate that survives audit from one that collapses. The wider exploration context sits in Geological Exploration and Resource Assessment.

What you will be able to do afterwards

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain geochemical dispersion and links to ore genesis.
• Design a geochemical sampling and quality-control program.
• Interpret anomalies against threshold and background values.
• Classify resources as inferred, indicated, or measured.
• Evaluate ESG and closure considerations in exploration projects.
• Diagnose common pitfalls that overstate a resource estimate.
• Prepare a resource statement aligned with JORC Code or NI 43-101.

Course outline

Unit 1: Introduction to geochemistry and mineral resources

• Element distribution and geochemical cycles.
• Primary and secondary dispersion of elements.
• Pathfinder elements and their significance.
• The link between geochemistry and ore genesis.

Unit 2: Sampling and analytical techniques

• Soil, stream sediment, rock chip, and drill sampling.
• Analytical methods: ICP-MS, ICP-OES, and XRF.
• Quality assurance with certified reference materials.
• Sample preparation and the sources of error.

Unit 3: Geochemical data interpretation

• Statistical treatment of geochemical populations.
• Threshold, background, and anomaly definition.
• Multi-element associations and ratios.
• Mapping anomalies against geology and structure.

Unit 4: Mineral resource classification and evaluation

• Inferred, indicated, and measured categories.
• Cut-off grade and its effect on tonnage.
• Block modeling and grade estimation with geostatistics.
• The reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction.

Unit 5: Sustainable exploration and mining

• Environmental baseline and impact considerations.
• Water, tailings, and closure planning.
• Community and land-access issues in exploration.
• Aligning projects with ESG expectations.

Unit 6: Case studies in mineral resource evaluation

• Gold, base-metal, and industrial-mineral case studies.
• Where estimates were later revised and why.
• The role of the Competent or Qualified Person.
• Common pitfalls that overstate a resource.

Unit 7: Developing resource evaluation reports

• Resource statement structure under JORC Code or NI 43-101.
• Documenting assumptions, methods, and limitations.
• Presenting grade-tonnage relationships clearly.
• Communicating uncertainty to non-technical readers.

How the course is delivered

The course is delivered through facilitated discussion, worked examples, and documented case studies of real deposits and reports, with structured analysis of geochemical datasets. It builds evaluation judgment and is educational; it does not qualify a participant as a Competent Person and is not a project sign-off.

Who should attend

The course suits exploration and mine geologists, geochemists, resource analysts, and technical staff who collect or interpret geochemical data and contribute to resource estimates. Those wanting the broader survey and assessment picture will find Geological Exploration and Resource Assessment a useful companion.

About EuroQuest International Training

EuroQuest International Training, founded in 2015 and headquartered in Bratislava, delivers professional courses to more than 15,000 participants across over 1,000 titles, in cities including Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva, led by experienced practitioners.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to be a geologist to attend?

A technical or earth-science background helps, but the course explains the geochemical and statistical concepts as it goes. It suits anyone who works with exploration data and wants to understand how a resource estimate is built.

Does the course qualify me to sign off a resource statement?

No. Codes such as JORC and NI 43-101 are treated as educational subject matter. The course builds evaluation skill but does not confer Competent Person status, which rests on professional membership and experience.

Will we work with real geochemical data?

Yes. The course uses worked examples and documented datasets so you practice interpreting anomalies and classifying a deposit rather than only reading about the methods.

Related courses

• Geostatistics and Data Analytics in Geology
• Applied Geophysics for Oil, Gas, and Minerals
• GIS and Spatial Data Analysis for Geoscientists
• Remote Sensing Applications in Resource Management

Register for this course

To reserve a place or ask about dates and in-house delivery, contact EuroQuest International Training and our team will help you arrange the details.