Lowell Program Topics on Ore Deposits Types
This intensive course deals with the lithologic, structural, and geochemical characteristics of selected major ore deposit types. Each offering focuses on an in-depth examination of a selected family of mineral deposits, including fundamental and comparative characteristics, petrology, and genesis, and how these can influence metallurgical, engineering, economic, and historical aspects of mining.
This course will be offered from December 9 through 18, 2025.
Course details
This 9-day short course, designed for industry professionals and graduate students, is led by Eric Seedorff, Mark D. Barton, and others. It focuses on exploration geology, including 3½ days of lectures, 2 days of labs in Tucson, and 3½ days of field trips to representative ore systems in Arizona (Academic course GEOS 504C).
This course is offered in alternating years: in odd-numbered years, it focuses on Cu, Mo, and Au Porphyry Deposits, while in even-numbered years, it covers Porphyry, IOCG, and Alkalic, Cu and Au Deposits.
General course topics:
The deposit types that are covered include:
- porphyry copper systems
- alkaline Cu-Au deposits
- iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) systems
The lecture topics relating to these deposits include:
- distribution and geologic setting
- character of related igneous systems
- hydrothermal alteration and ore mineral assemblages
- supergene processes - structural aspects
- pre-, syn-, and post-mineral
- geochemistry of ore-forming systems
- comparative geophysics
- economics and metallurgy
The laboratory topics include:
- alteration and ore mineral types and textures
- rock suites from all deposit types
Field trips visit accessible examples of these types of systems in southern and central Arizona.
UA Students, please find more information about this course in the course catalog: GEOS 504C.
Venue and Logistics
The lecture sessions are held at the Marriott University Park Hotel, on the edge of the University of Arizona campus. The laboratory sessions take place primarily in the Gould-Simpson Building, home to the Geosciences Department. The building is at 1040 East 4th Street, Tucson, AZ 85721-0077, and is within walking distance of the Marriott Hotel.
Pricing
The fee for the short course is US$3,500 (early registration fee until November 1). After that, the course fee increases to US$3,700.
What your registration fee payment entitles you to:
- Short course handbook, laboratory materials, and field trip guides
- One-night hotel (overnight trip to the Globe-Miami area in a double occupancy)
- Two coffee breaks per day (coffee, tea, pastries) during lecture sessions
- Group dinners (one for the keynote dinner, one on the overnight trip, and another on the final evening in Tucson)
- Lunches (boxed sandwich meals) for field days
- All transportation during field trips
What you pay for:
- Hotel for all nights (except for the overnight trip to Globe-Miami)
- Meals (except for the 3 group dinners and four box lunches)
- Airfare or other form of transportation to and from Tucson
We work with Marriott to secure a discounted rate for short-course participants. Most participants enjoy staying at the Marriott because of the accommodations and the convenience of the lectures and labs.
Information for non-US residents
Non-US residents or citizens who want to participate in the short course must have a US visa or check whether they are eligible for an ESTA. If you have to apply for a U.S. visa to enter the U.S, we work with you to ensure you have the necessary documents for your application. Please note that we do not initiate visa applications.
During the course, you will be asked to sign a “Statement of Honoraria Recipients” (used in association with expenses associated with the activities of foreign visitors who come to the US on visa types B1/B2 and WB/WT). We will also make a photocopy of your passport page showing the photograph and expiration date, and the passport page showing the visa, or alternatively, Mexican Border Crossing Card (Nationals of countries that participate in the “US visa waiver program” do not need a visa to enter the US).