The Innovative Exploration Drilling and Data Acquisition Research School (I-EDDA-RS) invites to apply for training courses on novel methods in the field of mineral exploration. The courses are grouped into three major themes that on their own and in combination have the potential to fundamentally advance future mineral exploration, as well as a focused entrepreneurship course.

• Theme 1 “Scientific methods applied to deep mineral exploration” will provide education in how geoscientific methods can be utilised to discover new, deep mineral deposits, how these methods can be applied to better and more cost effectively characterise existing and new targets and thus, provide a solid basis for exploration and exploitation engineering.

• Theme 2 “Exploration engineering” will address the different engineering aspects that occur during exploration, including the design and planning of in-situ studies (exploration drilling), a comprehensive treatment of exploration drilling technologies and how to best utilise the data, samples and boreholes that are created during an exploration campaign to characterise the physical and mechanical properties of the subsurface for engineering purposes.

• Theme 3 “The life cycle of exploration data” is about improving and consolidating the knowledge base. Data and samples are the essential and the most valuable products of any exploration campaign, but beyond direct and internal use often neglected. Key issues are the acquisition of the operational-technical and scientific data that originate from exploration drilling and best practices for taking care of samples and data by better survey design, documentation and subsequent preservation and re-use and/or release.

The courses will have hands-on components at drill sites, boreholes and repositories. For this purpose, both scientific and exploration drilling projects and boreholes will be used. The target audiences are the next generation of exploration professionals, that is graduate students at PhD & MSc level, but the course are also open for experienced professionals for lifelong learning.

Information on when the courses take place and how to apply can be found at www.iedda.eu/rs