Sharing the future

Geologists learnt about geological modelling fundamentals, machine learning and big data, and the future of technology in the field of economic geology through a series of webinars presented by Maptek and the Society for Economic Geologists (SEG) during 2022.

Maptek partnered with the society to deliver the Exploration and Technology webinar series, as part of SEG’s remit to advance the status of the profession of economic geology, and to maintain a high professional and ethical standard among its members.

The first webinar saw geologists Mary-Anne Hildebrandt (then Victoria Gold Corp.), Carlos Vargas from Barrick Gold Corp. and Jake Anderson from Maptek outline how to leverage technology to get the best geological modelling results.

In July Maptek Geologist and Technical Lead Steve Sullivan, Dr Penny Stewart, Mining Engineer and CEO of Petra, and Antoine Cate, Structural Geology Consultant with SRK Toronto, presented ‘Introduction to Machine Learning and Big Data’ to explain the latest exploration tools and their various applications.

The 2022 series wrapped up in November, with Stephanie Mills from Utah Geological Survey, Jesse Clark from Nevada Gold Mines, and Liz Stock from Barrick leading the discussion around how technology is changing exploration and production methods, and how geologists can stay ahead of the curve in their careers.

Maptek Technical Services Manager and Training Program Lead Maureen Moore, an experienced geologist and SEG member, moderated each session.

She said that Create Tomorrow was a core Maptek principle that encompassed supporting mining professionals, encouraging new thinking and change, and sharing information for mutual benefit.

‘It was great working with mining professionals across the industry to curate the webinar series. I found it extremely rewarding to discuss experiences, current topics, and themes in mining and technology,’ said Moore.

Strategist for Education & Training at the Society of Economic Geologists, Duncan Proctor is grateful for Maptek’s support.

‘We have certainly appreciated Maptek’s generous partnership over the past year, allowing us to provide informative content free of charge on several key themes to a global audience of students and early career professionals,’ Proctor said.

‘SEG looks forward to future collaboration with Maptek and continued virtual outreach in 2023.’

Maptek and SEG have recently announced they will continue the partnership in 2023, with webinar topics to be announced soon.