Student Chapter Annual Report Form

SOCIETY OF ECONOMIC GEOLOGISTS, INC.
7811 Shaffer Parkway • Littleton, CO 80127-3732 USA • Tel: +1.720.981.7882 • Fax: +1.720.981.7874
E-mail: [email protected]
Student Chapter Annual Report Form
This form is used to report on Student Chapter activities over the previous year. The report provides a useful medium to document the status and progress of individual chapters. Annual Reports are used to evaluate applications for SEG support and to
keep information up-to-date on the SEG website. Please provide a summary of chapter activities in a concise form as suggested below. Description of programs may be supported by a limited number of photographs and figures in a format appropriate
for publishing on our website.
Submission Deadline: September 30th
Submit to: [email protected]
09/2014
09/2015
Month/Year Reported: From _______________________(mm/yyyy)
– To _______________________(mm/yyyy)
SEG Student Chapter of Geneva
Chapter Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________
Rue des Maraichers, 13. 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Chapter Mailing Address: _______________________________________________________________________________
[email protected]
Chapter E-mail: _______________________________________________________________________________________
http://www.unige.ch/sciences/terre/mineral/studchap/index.html
Chapter Website: ______________________________________________________________________________________
none to date
Chapter Facebook: _____________________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Executive Committee (in office during the time frame captured on this report) (type “Vacant” if position not filled):
President:
Casanova Vincent
__________________________________________
Name
Lavoie Jonathan
Vice President: __________________________________________
Name
Secretary:
[email protected]
__________________________________________
E-mail
Rottier Bertrand
__________________________________________
Name
Treasurer:
[email protected]
__________________________________________
E-mail
[email protected]
__________________________________________
E-mail
Merli Oliveras Segui
__________________________________________
Name
[email protected]
__________________________________________
E-mail
Chapter Academic Sponsor (SEG Fellow membership in good standing):
Prof. Lluís Fontboté
[email protected]
+41223796622
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________
Name
E-mail
Phone
Rue des maraichers, 13 - 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
+41223793210
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________
Address
Fax
Chapter Industry Sponsor (SEG Fellow membership in good standing and not affiliated with the student chapter’s institution):
Dr. Keith Barron
[email protected]
(416) 3673200
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________
Name
E-mail
Phone
Suite 1010 - 8 King street East - Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1B5, Canada
(416) 3673205
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________
Address
Fax
Aurania Resources Ltd.
Sponsoring Institution or Company (name): _________________________________________________________________
Attach: 1. a list of names of all Student Chapter members (please indicate by * if SEG Student Member).
2. complete Student Chapter Membership Information form with the current Executive Committee listed on page 1.
On a separate page(s) provide a summary of student chapter annual activities:
1. Regular meetings, lectures
2. Field trips (dates, area visited, field trip leaders, number of participants, sponsors, benefits for students).
Note: this is not the place for a detailed field trip
report that is required from a chapter who has received
funding from the Stewart R. Wallace Fund.
3. If your chapter received funding from the Stewart R.
Wallace Fund, please submit a separate actual
accounting of how chapter funds were spent/used.
4. Organization of conferences, workshops, short
courses (theme, number of participants, benefits
for students)
5. Participation in conferences, workshops, short
courses (theme, number of participants from the
chapter, benefits for students)
6. Fund-raising programs
7. Other programs
8. Future plans
Aug2015VS
Annual report of the SEG student Chapter of Geneva
October 2014 to September 2015
This 2014-2015 year has been very active for the SEG Student Chapter of Geneva where 21
student members and 4 academic members took part to the different activities organized. Everyone got
involved in the organization of the 10 conferences, 2 shortcourses, a one day excursion and a weeklong fieldtrip. We had the opportunity to receive people from both the academic and the industrial
sides who presented different views and helped the student picture what could be their carrier on either
direction. We were lucky to have world recognized specialists in their field and to be in touch with
swiss-based companies (Glencore and Aurania resources). Below are detailed the activities organized
by the SEG student chapter of Geneva thanks to involvement of its members and fundings from the
SEG (R. Wallace fund), from Amira international and from the doctoral program in mineral sciences
(DPMS).
Seminars, talks and short courses organized
September 6th of 2014: “From Magma to Mudpools: Linking arc volatiles and active geothermal
systems” Dr. Isabelle Chambefort (GNS Science, Te Pü Ao - New Zealand) gave an overview of her
latest researches on the link between volatiles in arc magmas and composition of geothermal systems
using in part fluid inclusions composition. Dr. Chambefort stayed the entire day sharing her academic
and research experiences with the students.
September 10th of 2014 “Mineral and metal trading: an introduction” Fidel Kishimoto from
Glencore plc gave a broad approach to mineral and metal and metal trading. Zinc stocks and prices
throughout the last six years at the London Stock Exchange was used as an example. This was a good
introduction for the students on how works the commodity market.
From January 12th to 21st 2015, Prof. Georges Beaudoin from Université Laval in Canada held a
course in mineral exploration at University of Geneva that was attended by 15 students from the
University of Geneva, one from the University of Pisa, and one from the University of Sofia. This
course consisted in a simulation where groups of students defined mineral resources with a fictional
budget of 0.5M$ by targeting and auctioning a property, defining a drilling campaign, realizing crosssections, estimating the mineral resources and finally calculating the net smelter return based on the
current value of metals.
October 9th of 2014: "Fundamental constraints on the timing and evolution of porphyry systems,
from intrusion to surface" Dr. Jeffrey Hedenquist (University of Ottawa, Canada), gave an overview
of the current state of research on porphyry systems from the magma to the various related deposit
types. It has then been followed by discussion between Dr Hedenquist and PhD, pot-docs, and master
students.
October 13th of 2014: “Workshop - Transitions from porphyry to epithermal ore environments” Dr.
Jeffrey Hedenquist (University of Ottawa, Canada). Dr. Jeffrey Hedenquist, a world renowned
specialist on epithermal and porphyry deposits, gave this one day workshop in front of more than fifty
people from different universities in Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, and Zurich) but also
persons from the industry. This workshop received a 2 000$ financial participation from the doctoral
program in mineral sciences (DPMS).
February 13th of 2015: “Muon Tomography – bringing new physics to orebody and volcanoe
imaging” Prof. Douglas Bryman (University of British Columbia, Canada) presented how state of the
art technique of muon tomography can now be applied to ore exploration. He started by vulgarizing
muon particles origin and their interaction with matter before presenting the advances in volcanology
in the past decade using this technique. This talk was attended by geologist but also researchers from
the physics department.
March 18th of 2015: “Carlin Deposits and the Role of Arsenian Pyrite" Prof. Stephen E. Kesler from
the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor (USA) gave a presentation on the importance of arsenian
pyrite to this kind of gold deposit and how gold could be incorporated into the pyrite structure. Student
and professors also discussed intensively during lunch at a local restaurant after the talk.
March 20th of 2015: “Estimating Earth’s Remaining Mineral Resources: Tectonic Diffusion and
Global Metal Cycles" Prof. Stephen E. Kesler gave a second talk at the university during the weekly
Department Seminar. It was focused on earth copper remaining resources in porphyry deposits. By
means of basics statistics and using the age-frequency distribution of the known deposits and erosion
rate he showed that important porphyry deposits are still to be discovered. It generated interesting
discussions between geologists and professors from different field of expertise.
March 30th of 2015: “Gemmological research from the gem mine to the gem lab” Vincent Pardieu,
from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) Laboratory in Bangkok (Thailand) was invited in
Geneva to present his work at the GIA. He presented his last field excursion in Mozambique in the
Montepuez ruby mining area and the work that followed in the gemological research lab. This was a
very unique talk about ruby that showed the difficulty of field work for gemstones.
April 16th of 2015: “The carbonate replacement deposit belt of Mexico” Dr. Peter Megaw,
consulting Geologist and president of IMDEX/Cascabel presented an overview the Carbonate
Replacement Deposits (CRD) of Mexico with emphasis on the Santa Eulalia and Cinco de Mayo
orebodies. He first presented us the wide range of characteristics of this kind of deposits in the
Chihuahua trend and then focused on the advanced Cinco de Mayo project. This talk was relevant for
many PhD students in Geneva who study similar deposits in Peru.
May 6th of 2015: “The chemical composition of iron-oxides in magmatic and hydrothermal
deposits" Prof. Georges Beaudoin from Université Laval (Canada) presented recent results obtained
with the Agnico Eagle Industrial Research Chair in Mineral Exploration on trace element contents and
ratios in magnetite and hematite across a wide range of deposits in an attempt to find signatures
specific to deposit type.
September 21-22nd of 2015: “Layered intrusions: petrology, tectonic setting, and origin of phase
layering and related ore deposits” Prof. Wolfgang Maier (University of Cardiff, UK) gave a tow-days
course on layered intrusions. The first day was focused on the understanding of layering formation and
an extended presentation of the bushveld complex (South Africa). The model developed on the
bushveld complex was then used the next day to look at, and understand, different layered complexes
around the world among which the Skaergard intrusion (Greenland) or the Stillwater complex (USA).
These complexes may host significant resources of Cu-Ni and PGEs. Important emphasis was brought
on the origin of the associated ore deposits and how to explore for them. This shortcourse was
attended by 29 students (masters, PhD, and post-doc) from different universities and student chapters
across Switzerland. It was sponsored by the doctoral program in mineral sciences allowing the
students to get reimbursed for accommodation and transports tickets for the 2 days.
SC members participation to conferences
Swiss Geoscience Meeting on November 21st and 22nd 2014 in Fribourg (CH)
Oral presentation
Vincent Casanova: First systematic study of synthetic fluid inclusions in opaque ore minerals: method
development
Nicolas Saintillan: Source and types of extrinsic organic compounds involved in thermochemical
sulfate reduction at the Pb-Zn sandstone-hosted Laisvall deposit, Sweden
Poster presentation
Samvel Hovakimyan: Structural features of the Kadjaran ore field and world-class Mo-Cu-porphyry
deposit, Southern Armenia, Lesser Caucasus.
Maria Teresa Bellver Baca: Magmatic and time-scale factors controlling the association of porphyrytype deposits with high Sr/Y magmas
Bertrand Rottier: First evidence of multiple porphyry events in the Cerro de Pasco polymetallic
district, central Peru
Mineral Deposits Studies Group, Southampton (UK), December 17-19th 2014
Oral presentation
Cyril Chelle-Michou: Reassessment of Pb isotope geochemistry in the Pb-Zn deposits of northern
Baltica: Hydrocarbon source rocks also contribute to the metal endowment.
Nicolas Saintilan: Source and role of extrinsic hydrocarbons at the MVT Pb-Zn Laisvall deposit,
Sweden.
Poster presentation
Cyril Chelle-Michou: On the role of petrological cannibalism in the genesis of the Coroccohuayco
porphyry-skarn deposit, Peru.
Swiss metallogenic day on March 13th 2015 at ETH-Zurich (CH)
Both ETH Zurich and Geneva’s Student Chapter are involved in the organization of this meeting for
the students dedicated to ore geology. Almost all SEG student members (masters and PhD) took this
opportunity to present their work and receive feedback, comments and ideas.
Oral presentation
Vincent Casanova: Gold solubilities in aqueous solutions during autoclave experiments (2kbar, 500700°c) in presence of sulfides
Maria-Teresa Bellver Baca: High Sr/Y magmas and porphyry-type deposits: what is the role of
timescales of magmatic processes?
Ariadni Afroditi Georgatou: Magmatic sulfides in Quaternary Ecuadorian arc magmas
Bertrand Rottier: Fluid evolution in the shallow part of a porphyry system: Cerro de Pasco, Peru
Hervé Rezeau: Geochronology and geochemistry of the magmatism associated with the pulsed
porphyry Cu-Mo formation during protracted pluton emplacement in southern Armenia, Lesser
Caucasus
Poster presentation
Carlos Arbiol: Skarn formation at Torre di Rio, Elba Island (Italy): Zonation, textural analysis and
associated fluids.
Nuria Bach Oller: Compositional variations of peritectic garnet in peraluminous leucogranite sills
from Elba Island (Italy): Implications for crustal melt generation processes
Thomas Bovay: Distal johansenite-hedenbergite skarn as an ore forming environment, Madan,
Bulgaria.
Vincent Casanova: Synthetic fluid inclusions in opaque ore minerals as standards for NIR-light
microthermometry experiments
Christos Chatzipanagiotou: Genetic relationships between spatially associated arsenide and sulphide
magmatic ores from the Carratraca Ultramafic Massif (Málaga, south Spain)
Samvel Hovakymyan: Geological and structural settings, and hydrothermal fluid evolution of the
Tertiary Kadjaran Mo-Cu porphyry deposit, Southern Armenia, Lesser Caucasus.
Natalya Karadima: Hydrothermal alteration and mineralization in the Rio Marina Fe-deposit, Elba
Island, Italy: constraints from sulfur isotope and major and trace element analyses of ore and gangue
minerals
Jonathan Lavoie: The Late Cretaceous Epithermal Beqtakari prospect; Bolnisi mining district, Lesser
Caucasus, Georgia.
Bertrand Rottier: First evidence of multiple porphyry events in the Cerro de Pasco polymetallic
district, central Peru
ECROFI 22nd
Oral presentation
Bertrand Rottier: Deep porphyry veins at Cerro de Pasco, Peru: Constraints from mineral, fluid and
silicate melt inclusions in hydrothermal quartz
Poster presentation
Bertrand Rottier: Cyclic injection of metal-rich high-salinity magmatic fluids leading to the formation
of the giant base metal deposit of Cerro de Pasco, Peru
25th Goldschmidt conference in Prague, Czech Republic from August 16th to 21st 2015
Poster presentation
Hervé Rezeau: 25 Million Years of Episodic Magmatism and Pulsed Porphyry Cu-Mo Formation in
the MeghriOrdubad Pluton, Lesser Caucasus
13th SGA biennal meeting held in Nancy, France from August 23rd to 27th 2015
Oral presentation
Bertrand Rottier: Multiple porphyry events at Cerro de Pasco, central Peru
Hervé Rezeau: Pulsed Porphyry Cu-Mo Formation during Protracted Pluton Emplacement in
Southern Armenia, Lesser Caucasus: the Potential Role of Crustal Melting for Ore Recycling
Samvel Hovakimyan: The world-class Kadjaran Mo-Cu-porphyry deposit, Southern Armenia, Lesser
Caucasus: structural controls mineral paragenesis and fluid evolution.
Maria-Teresa Bellver Baca: High Sr/Y magmas and porphyry-type deposits: what is the role of
timescales of magmatic processes?
Mélissa Ortelli: Comparative Study of Fluid Inclusions Trapped in Co-Genetic Ore and Gangue
Minerals
Poster presentation
Jonathan Lavoie: The Late Cretaceous Epithermal Beqtakari prospect; Bolnisi mining district, Lesser
Caucasus, Georgia.
SEG conferences in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia September 27th to 30th 2015
Poster presentation
Hervé Rezeau: Linking pulsed porphyry Cu-Mo formation to distinct magmatic episodes during 30
million years of pluton emplacement in southern Armenia, Lesser Caucasus
Jonathan Lavoie: Genetic constraints of the Late Cretaceous Beqtakari prospect; new example of an
epithermal volcanic system in the Bolnisi mining district, Lesser Caucasus, Georgia
Fieldtrips and excursions in 2015
Mont Chemin and Marecotte prospects, Valais, Switzerland – May 1st 2015
While Switzerland is widely known for its locked-down massive gold reserves, the complex
geological history of the country has also built a favorable ground for mineral exploration in the
Variscan and Alpine terrains. On May the 1st 2015, the SEG student chapters of Geneva (9 persons),
ETH Zürich (7 persons), and LaSalle Beauvais (1 person) met in Canton Valais for the visit of two
prospects actively explored by the Canadian company Aurania Resources Ldt.
We met Jean-Paul Pallier, Chief Geologist, near the city of Martigny, where he introduced the
company and the geology of the area. Equipped with a gamma-ray detector, he first took us to some
outcrops of the Marecotte U prospect where we could observe pechblende-bearing episyenite and
veins hosted in the Variscan Vallorcine granite. Then, we moved to the Mont Chemin Au-Ag-Pb-ZnFe-F-Sb-W prospect for the rest of the day. There, we visited ancient mining galleries, recent trenches
and key outcrops that provided us with a general view and showed us the geological complexity of the
area where massive fluorite veins, iron skarns and gold-bearing quartz veins occur next to each other,
within and at the periphery of the Eastern termination of the Mont Blanc orthogneiss. On the field, we
extensively discussed the relationships, the relative timing and subsequent remobilization of the
various mineralizations with respect to the geological history of the area. At the end of the day, JeanPaul exposed a selection of the best drill core intercepts from both prospects. We would like to express
our gratitude to our industrial sponsor, Keith Baron, for allowing this excursion to happen and JeanPaul Pallier for his guidance and enthusiasm during this day.
Figure 1. The participants of the excursion (University of Geneva, ETH Zürich, LaSalle Beauvais) gathered around JeanPaul Pallier (Aurania Resources Ltd.) in the Hubacher gallery on the Mont Chemin prospect, Canton Valais, Switzerland.
SEG student Chapter fieldtrip in Northwestern Iberian Peninsula: Hercynian
magmatism and associated mineralizations from June 22nd to June 27th 2015.
This fieldtrip was supported by the Stewart R. Wallace Fund and by Amira International.
Participants:
MSc students (6): Núria Bach Oller, Thomas Bovay, Julia Farré de Pablo, Jonathan Lavoie, Merli Oliveras
Segui, Nuria Pujol Sola.
PhD and Post-Doc (2): Bertrand Rottier and Samvel Hovakymyan.
Fieldtrip leader (2): Prof. Lluis Fontboté, University of Geneva Andrea Dini Prof., IGG Institute, Pisa.
The funds were spent on rental of a 9-seat minibus, gas, tolls, and accommodations of the eight
students for five nights.
The fieldtrip started in Porto in Portugal and carried on southeast toward Fundao-Silvares to visit an
active Li-bearing pegmatite quarry exploited for ceramics. This lepidolite rich pegmatite is a textbook
example of altered pegmatite. The second day we stayed in the Estrella Valley in Portugal to visit the
famous and world-class Panasqueira W-Sn-Cu mine. The visit began with an introduction by the mine
geologist and the mine engineer before going underground, where we could observe the spectacular
meter-thick horizontal mineralized vein which contain centimetric to decimetric wolframite crystals.
The afternoon was dedicated to the visit of the processing plant and the core shack. On the third day,
we drove east into Castilla y Leon in Spain to visit the advanced uranium Retortillo project owned by
Berkeley Resources. Then we drove up north and stopped by the UNESCO Heritage site of Las
Medulas in Leon. This fascinating landscape is the results of the Celtics and Romans ancient mining
method of this gold paleoplacer. The morning of the fourth day took place in Neano in Galicia (Spain)
where we visited the core shack of the advanced Corcoesto orogenic-gold project owned by
Breakwater Resources.
Figure 2: Group photo of the Geneva SEG-SC participant and the staff of the Panasqueira mine infront of the entrance.
During the afternoon we moved to the north of Santiago de Compostela at the Arinteiro deposit,
currently exploited for aggregate. It is a Cu-rich VHMS deposit hosted in amphibolite rocks. The site
has been exploited from 1972 to 1986 by Atlantic Copper and a new exploration program led by
Lundin Mining called Touro Copper Project has started in 2012. We spent the sixth day close to
Oviedo in Asturias (Spain) at El Valle Boina Au-skarn Deposit exploited by Orovalle. After a short
geological explanation by the local geologists we went underground to visit two representative
outcrops of the mineralization. During the afternoon, we visited the processing plant including the
casting of a Au-Ag-Cu bullion.
Miscellaneous
We had the famous Swiss company Victorinox print a scalebar and our student chapter logo on 100
Swiss knives. These knives are sold to students and members of the student chapter who use them as
field scalebars. These knives are furthermore offered to each speakers and key persons in the mines we
visit as a token of appreciation for the time they devoted to the student chapter of Geneva.
Figure 3: SEG Student Chapter of Geneva field Swiss knife.
Activity planning for the year 2015-2016
Excursion
Next year excursion is planned in Turkey. Using our contacts in Turkey (former PhD students and
post-docs) we intend to plan a week fieldtrip in Anatolia to visit the Tethyan metallogeny of this
country. We plan this excursion for the week that preceeds the 2016 SEG-conference in Cesme,
Turkey.
Seminar
No seminar nor talks have been defined yet. There are plans to get Richard Sillitoe to Geneva
to have an interactive talk with the students on life as an exploration geologist.
We hope that our industrial sponsor, Dr. Keith Barron, will be able to give a presentation on
the discovery of the wolrdclass epithermal Au-Ag deposit Fruta del Norte, Ecuador.
We hope that the Thayer Lindsley visiting lecturer will be able to make it to Geneva.