REVISED SYLLABUS 21 FEB 17

G 352U Minerals in World Affairs 4 Credits

 

The geologic origin and occurrence of metals, fuels, and industrial minerals and rocks;

their geographic distribution and relative abundance or lack among nations; the rules and

principles which influence their past, present, and future exploration, development and

use. G 352U is a course in the Global Environmental Change and Environmental

Sustainability Clusters.

 

Prerequisite: upper division standing.

Winter 2017

 

Monday-Wednesday-Friday 10:15-11:20 am

Room: Cramer Hall 269

 

Instructor: Jim Jackson

 

Office Hours: 9:30-10 am M W F Cramer Hall 17 Other times by appointment.

Email: jjackson@pdx.edu

 

Course Home Page: http://web.pdx.edu/%7ejjackson/G352homepage.html

 

Text: Kesler and Simon 2015 Minerals Resources, Economics, and the Environment, Second Edition (Cambridge University Press ISBN 9781107074910

 

Reserve Readings will be available through the PSU Library website

 

The text, reserve readings, and web sites serve as material to be used in conjunction

with class lectures and assignments.

 

DATE TOPIC (Subject to change)

 

Part I: Geology of Earth Resources

Jan 9 Introduction to the course

Jan 11 ICE STORM I

Jan 13 Ore deposit models I Crust Comp; Rock Comp

Jan 16 Martin Luther King Day

Jan 18 Ore deposit models II Volcanism; hydrothermal ores

Jan 20 Introduction to Sierra Cobre Room CH 1

Jan 23 Ore deposit models III Hydrothermal ores 2; VMS deposits; SEDEX deposits

Jan 25 Ore Deposit Models IV VMS 2; magma chamber processes

Jan 27 Sierra Cobre Room CH 1

Jan 30 Ore Deposit Models V Magma chamber processes 2; SEDEX, MVT I

Feb 1 Ore Deposit Models VI MVTII, BIF

Feb 3 ICE STORM II

Feb 6 Placers, Soils,

Feb 8 Coal

Feb 10 Commodity markets: Room CH 1

Feb 13 Petroleum Systems I

Feb 15 Joel Corcoran Visit from Senator Merkley's Portland Office


Part II: Dynamics of resource procurement


Feb 17 Petroleum Systems II

Feb 20 Mid Term Exam on Part I subject matter.

Feb 22 Legal Framework of Resource Procurement

Feb 24 Hydropolitics

Feb 27 Project finance & procurement

Mar 1  Commodity scandals

Mar 3  Supply and Demand, International Trade in Minerals and Fuels

Mar 6  OPEC and Oil Price Trends

 

Part III: Long-term availability of resources

 

Mar 8 World population trends

Mar 10 Assessing Earth Resources

Mar 13 Consuming the Earth: where have we been?

Mar 15 Consuming the Earth: where are we going?

Mar 17 Commodity Market Summary

 

Wednesday, March 22, 10:15 a.m. - 12:05 p. m. Final Exam on Parts II and III.

 

The following are available in the library:

Oil and Gas Journal TN/860/O.4

Mining Engineering TN/1/A5258

Coal TN/1/.C63

 

Suggested Websites: These are only a few of many useful pages on the web. Additional

sites and web pages will be noted in the online class notes and in the reserve readings.

 

Energy Information Administration //www.eia.doe.gov/

Center for Global Energy Studies //www.cges.co.uk/

Oil and Gas Journal //www.ogj.pennet.com/

USGS Minerals Resources Program //minerals.usgs.gov/

 

Course Home Page: http://web.pdx.edu/%7ejjackson/G352homepage.html

 

Grading Policy Grade allocation

93-100 A                                LETTER TO A DECISION MAKER 15%

90-92 A-                                 Sierra Cobre Activity 20%

87-89 B+                                Commodity markets: Investment 5%

83-86 B                                   Commodity markets: Results 15%

80-82 B-                                  Exams 45%

77-79 C+                                 Total 100%

73-76 C

70-72 C-

67-69 D+

62-66 D

60-62 D-

59 F

 

A Letter to a Decision Maker You choose a topic relevant to our course, and compose a letter to a decision maker recommending a course of action. You will turn in a statement on your topic on March 3. You will turn in two copies of the letter, a stamped, addressed envelope, and a two page summary of your research including references.

The letter and research summary are due ON MARCH 17.

 

Sierra Cobre activity: This activity allows you to explore for a virtual copper deposit

using resources available on Internet.

Instructions and materials are available at the following website:


http://reynolds.asu.edu/sierra_cobre/index.htm


You will work in two person teams for this exercise, however, your INDIVIDUAL report on this activity is due February 10.

 

Commodity market activity: The trading of commodities on the international market is

fundamental to a free-market economy. To give you some experience of this market, you

will be "investing" in commodities of your choice and watching the market during the

last half of the term. On February 17 you will turn in a preliminary investment strategy

you have decided to follow during the rest of the term. This statement will include a price

history from 2006 to 2016 of the commodities that you have chosen for investment. The

price history should note significant events that effected the price of the commodity

during this period.

At the end of the term (March 17) you will present the results of your investment

strategy and how you would expect to continue your portfolio in a brief oral presentation

and a written report.

 

Exams: There will be a mid-term and a final exam. These will cover material from take-home exercises consisting of short essay questions. These exercises will not be graded, but they will be reviewed in class.