Excerpt from General Economic Geology a Textbook
Scope of Economic Geology. - Economic geology is the application of geology to economic problems. It is sometimes termed mining geology or applied geology. It treats of the occurrence, distribution, and origin of mineral deposits. In general the economic geologist is expected to answer the questions: Where is the deposit? Why is it where it is? To what depth is it likely to extend? What changes are likely to take place in it with increasing depth? How shall one find the continuation of a deposit that is "lost"?
The practising economic geologist is expected to appraise mines and prospects or estimate their value and to recommend development work that will reveal at minimum cost any deposits that are not exposed. He is expected also to have a general knowledge of the distribution of deposits of the valuable minerals. Changes in mining, milling, and metallurgic practice are continually taking place and such changes may make it possible to treat at a satisfactory profit material that was formerly valueless. A few decades ago the introduction of the cyanide process made workable many deposits of gold-bearing rock that had previously been unworkable. Later the improvement of the cyanide process made certain silver-bearing deposits valuable. Still later the oil-flotation process made valuable ores of material that could not be treated before. These and other changes again and again have revived mining districts that were essentially abandoned. The geologist is frequently called upon for information about districts that are dormant.
Changes in trade and transportation are continually changing conditions for mining. The economic geologist is expected to be informed as new needs arise. When the European war was begun there was need for many metals.
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