Production Drill Core Logging in Operating Mines

Recently the APGO Geology Sub-committee of the Professional Practice Committee was asked to respond to the following questions.

“Is it acceptable for a mining company to employ core splitters or others having no formal education at all in geoscience as core loggers?  Would such persons be legally able to log production core at a mine site?  Would such persons be legally able to log core for the purpose of generating a 43-101 resource if supervised by a qualified P. Geo.?”

With regard to production drill core logging in operating mines, the opinion of the Geology Sub-committee is that, given that the geology, alteration, structure and mineralization within most producing mine production areas are well-known, as are the relations of all of the above to the presence of economic mineralization, and that so-called mine ‘production logging’ is a repetitive and predictable operation, that production logging may be carried out by technicians who are not P. Geo.’s and/or who may not have a formal earth sciences degree from a recognized university. 

This should be permitted only under the following conditions:

·         Permission to carry out such activities is given by the supervising P. Geo., as well as upper mine management, based on a full knowledge of any possible limitations;

·         The supervising P. Geo. accepts responsibility for proper training of the production logger to ensure the logger is thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the geology and has the ability to make proper decisions;

·         Oversight of the production logger by the supervising P. Geo. is sufficient to ensure that the integrity of the core logging is maintained; and

·         The supervising P. Geo. accepts full responsibility for the results of all work performed by the production logger.

In all other cases, including mine exploration drilling carried out in non-producing areas of a mine in order to locate and define economic mineralization, delineate resources or reserves to 43-101 standards, as well as surface mineral exploration both on and away from mine sites, geological core logging must be carried out by licenced professional geoscientists (P. Geo.) or geoscientists in training (G.I.T.s) under the direct supervision of a P. Geo.  Such logging demands considerable experience, scientific knowledge and reasoning in order to protect the public, and it must not be undertaken by non-professionals.

Geotechnical logging of drill core (i.e. core orientation, logging for purposes of rock stability, RQD, etc.) may be carried out by non-licensed technicians providing they have been thoroughly trained and are under the direct supervision of a P. Geo. or P. Eng. 

Under no circumstances must anyone other than a licenced professional geoscientist (P. Geo.) be referred to in any job description or position title as a Geologist or Geoscientist.  Geoscientists-in-Training (G.I.T.s) must be referred to as such.  All others who may be involved in geotechnical or geological production core logging should be referred to as ‘production core loggers’, ‘geotechnicians’, ‘geological technicians’, or by some other suitable descriptive term.