AAU
KING ABDULAZIZ UNIVERSITY
ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT UNIT
COURSE PORTFOLIO
FACULTY OF EARTH SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ROCKS
COURSE NAME: Geological and Geochemical
Exploration
COURSE NUMBER: EMR - 443
SEMESTER/YEAR: First Semester /1428 - 1429 H.
DATE: First Semester- 1428 / 1429 H.
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PART II
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Instructor Information
 Name of the instructor: Dr. Ahmed Ali Ahmed Madani
 Office location: Building No. 27, Room No. 218
 Office hours, Contact number(s), E-mail address: Saturday, 9-10 and 12-1; Thursday, 9-10
and 1-3. 640000/ext. 64324. aamadani@kau.edu.sa
 Instructor’s profile (optional)
 A welcome letter to the student (optional)
Course Information
 Course name and number: Geological and Geochemical Exploration, EMR – 443.
 Course meeting times, places: Saturday and Monday from 11-11:50; Bui. 27 – Room 209),
Practical session (Saturday, 1-3).
 Course website address
 Course prerequisites and requirements: Introduction to Economic Geology EMR – 221.
This course requires general information and knowledge of the principals of mode of
occurrences of ore minerals, their general characteristics and processes of ore mineral
formation. Principles of Geochemistry EMR- 241. This course requires knowledge of the
principles of the geochemistry including geochemical classification of elements Factors
controlling the behavior and distribution of the major and trace elements in igneous and
metamorphic rocks.
 Description of the course (what, why, philosophy, teaching methodology): The course of
geological and geochemical exploration encompasses two major parts: the first part
(geological exploration) includes the study of the remote sensing technique used for
explore and map ore anomalies, planning the exploration program and different stages of
the exploration program. Also it includes study of the different methods of collecting
geological samples and study of the different types of guides used for mineral exploration
in the field. These guides include general and specific guides. The latter includes the
physiographic guides, mineralogical guides, stratigraphic and lithologic guides. Vein
pattern, fault contacts and folds as guides to mineral deposits. The second part is concerned
with the geochemical exploration includes the basic principles of the geochemical
exploration, study of primary and secondary geochemical halos, weathering processes, soil
types, lithochemical dispersion flow (drainage anomalies) and statistical interpretation of
geochemical data.
Course Objectives
 A statement of what the student will know and be able to do as the result of learning: The
aims of the study of the geological and geochemical exploration for the students are as
follows:
1- Make the students aware with basic principles of geological and geochemical
exploration for searching the ore deposits.
2- Using the geological information and guides to locate the favorable sites for the ore
deposits occurrences.
3- Study and understanding the behavior of dispersion of chemical elements in rocks,
stream sediments and soil as well as the factors controlling the mobility and dispersion
of these elements.
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4- Using the geochemical techniques and calculations for interpretation of the
geochemical data and their application in geochemical exploration of mineral deposits.
 A statement on how they will be expected to demonstrate their learning:
The students must have basic information in statistical treatment of the geochemical data.
The student must attend all the lectures and practical classes in the laboratory and be
patient to perform the solution for all the given problems. They also should be able to make
interpretation for provided aerial photographs to construct geological map and to define
area of favorable mineralization.
Learning Resources
 A list all of the materials needed for the course and where to obtain them (i.e., text books,
reading material, lab guide, and websites): In addition to the lecture notes given to the
student, the following textbooks are suggested for them:
1- Solovov, A. P. (1989): Geochemical prospecting for mineral deposits. Mir. Pub.,
Muscow.
2- Rose, A.W., Hawkes, H. E. and Webb, J.S. (1987): Geochemistry in mineral
exploration. 2nd ed., Acad. Press, London.
3- Peters, W.C. (1978): Exploration in mining geology. Jhon Wiley &Sons.
Arabic References:
1- Gazzaz, M and Hashad, A. (2000): Principles of Geochemistry. King Abulaziz
University press, Jeddah.
Recommended Websites:
http://www.mines.edu/Academic/geology/courses/grad.html
http://www.turnstone.ca/agcatind.htm
http://gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/geochem/model/related_research_e.php
http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/DL/ARISReports/09930.pdf
 If the course involves a computer, list usage and software needed:
SPSS statistical package is used, in the second part of the practical session, for statistical
analysis of the geochemical data.
 If lab work is involved, list lab location, hours, safety precautions and other instructions for
use. Bui. 55, room No. 251. Time 1:3 Saturday. The students will be able to construct the
base geological map using aerial photos stereo-pairs in addition to define the favorable
sites of mineralization. Statistical analysis of geochemical data using SPSS statistical
package include calculations of anomalies, background and threshold values. In addition to
other descriptive statistical parameters.
Course Requirements and Grading
 Student assessment:
A clear rationale and policy on grading:
1- Short exam (Quiz)
5%
2- Mid Term lab. exam
15%
3- Mid Term exam
10%
4- Final Lab exam
20%
5- Final (theoretical) exam
50%
 Expectations from students: Attitudes, involvement, behaviors, skills, and ethics
 Student responsibilities to the course
 Expectations for each assignment and project
 Important rules of academic conduct
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 Lab plan and assignments, if it applies
Detailed Course Schedule
 Detailed contents of topics and activities planned for each class or lab session during the
term.
 Reading assignments for each topic.
 Assignments and Exam due dates.
(The following pages include templates of tables for course schedule and practical sessions)
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Course Schedule Model
(meeting two times a week)
Week
#
1
Date
Saturday Introduction to the course and
Monday plane of the course
Saturday
Remote sensing technique for
mineral exploration
Monday
Planning the exploration
program
2
3
Topic
Saturday Different stages of the
exploration program
Monday Sampling methods
Saturday Sampling methods
4
Monday
Calculation of tonnage and grade
Saturday Guides to ore exploration
5
Monday
Physiographic guides
Saturday Physiographic guides
6
Monday
Mineralogical guides
Saturday Mineralogical guides
7
Monday
Stratigrphic guides
Saturday Lithologic guides
8
Monday
Short exam (Quiz)
Saturday Vein pattern as guide
9
Monday
Structural controls on
mineralization
Saturday Primary dispersion Halos
10
Monday
Secondary dispersion Halos
Saturday
Mid-Term Exam
Monday
Exploration geochemistry
sequence
11
Reading
Assignment
Chapter 1
What is Due?
Buy Book 
Homework assignment #1

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Week
#
12
Date
Topic
Saturday Stream sediments sampling
surveys
Monday
Soil sampling survey
Saturday Field analytical methods
13
Monday
Laboratory analytical methods
Saturday Treatment of geochemical data
14
Monday
Statistical interpretation of
geochemical data
Saturday
Threshold-background and
anomalies values calculations
Monday
General Revision
15
Final Exam all sections
Reading
Assignment
What is Due?
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Course Schedule Model
(meeting three times a week)
Week
#
1
Date
Topic
Aug. 26
Introduction to the course
Aug. 28
Reading
Assignment
What is Due?
Buy Book 
Chapter 1
Aug. 30
Homework assignment #1
2

3
4
5
6
Group Project presentations
Project - Due Presentations
MIDTERM
MIDTERM
7
8
9
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Week
#
Date
Topic
Reading
Assignment
What is Due?
10
11
12
Group Project Presentations
13
14
15
Final Exam
Project - Final Design
Presentations
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Practical Sessions Schedule Model
Lab.
#
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Date
Exp/Practical title
General statement - using aerial photos
Saturday (stereo-pairs) to construct base geological
map and to define the mineral anomalies
Saturday Geomorphologic interpretation of aerial
photos
Saturday Study of drainage patterns and preparation
of drainage map
Saturday
Lithologic interpretation of aerial photos.
Saturday
Saturday
Lithologic interpretation of aerial photos.
Structural interpretation of aerial photos
Saturday Training for the preparation of base
geological map and define the anomalies
Saturday
General revision
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
Saturday
Final practical exam of geological
mapping
Statistical background for geology
Using SPSS package for statistical analysis
Statistical calculation of the background
(CB) and anomalous values (CA)
Graphical representation of CB & CA
Saturday Quantitative interpretation of dispersion
flow
Saturday
General revision
Saturday Final practical exam of statistical
analyses of geochemical exploration
Reading
Assignment
What is Due?

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PART III
COURSE RELATED MATERIAL
Contains all the materials considered essential to teaching the
course, includes:
Quizzes, lab quizzes, mid-terms, and final exams and their solution set
Paper or transparency copies of lecture notes/ handouts (optional)
Practical Session Manual (if one exists)
Handouts for project/term paper assignments
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PART IV
EXAMPLES OF STUDENT LEARNING
Examples of student work. (Included good, average, and poor
examples)
Graded work, i.e. exams, homework, quizzes
Students' lab books or other workbooks
Students' papers, essays, and other creative work
Final grade roster and grade distribution
Examples of instructor’s written feedback of student’s work, (optional)
Scores on standardized or other tests, before and after instruction,
(optional)
Course evaluation, self-evaluation or students comments (optional)
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PART V
INSTRUCTOR REFLECTION (optional)
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Part V. Instructor Reflections on the Course
 Instructor feedback and reflections
 Propose future improvement and enhancement
 Evaluate student competency and reflect on their course evaluation for improvements
to the course
 Conceptual map of relationships among the content, objective, and assessment
 Recent trends and new approaches to teach the course.
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COURSE PORTFOLIO
CHECKLIST
TITLE PAGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE RELATED MATERIAL
EXAMPLES OF EXTENT OF STUDENT LEARNING
INSTRUCTOR REFLECTION ON THE COURSE