Mining geology is a specialised area of applied geological sciences that historically evolved as a support for operating mines and for evaluating mining projects. The main objective of mining geology is to provide detailed geological information, and undertake technical and economic studies to evaluate a mining project. When mining commences, mine geologists provide geological support to the operation, ensuring cost effective extraction of the valuable minerals and their accurate separation from the waste rocks. In addition to detailed understanding of the geology of the mining project area, they also provide accurate estimation of the spatial distribution of the economically valuable minerals and quantitative estimation of the geological characteristics that control mining and processing methods and operational costs.<...>

Until 1859, petroleum exploration was a rather simple and straightforward procedure. One simply looked for oil seepage at the surface—particularly near streams and from oil springs. Petroleum was used principally for medicinal purposes at that time, so the approach yielded a sufficient supply to meet demands.

The petroleum geologist is vital to the economic security of oil-producing nations. The geologist’s ability to effectively explore and find oil and gas in the future will have a profound impact on oil-producing nations. Therefore, there is going to be a vital need in the years to come for well-trained, well-educated petroleum geologists.

The magical instruments of the astronomer reveal no element new to chemistry and show the earth to be a marvellously complete sample of the universe of matter, whether in planet, star, nebula, galaxy, or super-galaxy. Thus from earth science comes a better understanding of the universe. Geology, tracing the dramatic history of one of the celestial wanderers, deepens our concept of Time and still further broadens the foundation of a sound philosophy. Pierre Termier meant much when he wrote: "The earth declares the glory of God." He had devoted his life to a study of the stately processes that have governed the evolution of our globe through two billions of years. Yet, like other professional geologists, he found ordinary words inadequate for the new, unfamiliar ideas. Technical terms have had to be invented. Here is a difficulty when the geologist attempts to tell his story. Technicality puts a barrier between the specialists and the great public or even the beginner in the professional study of earth's history. For this trouble there is only one medicine—good-will. However, with good-will on both sides the geologist can share with others the thrills that spring from an incomparable moving picture.