Classes are important, but there’s no better way to learn a trade than through practice. That’s especially true for mining exploration: workers need the opportunity to work in the field. After all, they’ll be spending weeks or even months at a time at any given site.
At the end of the DCS in Mineral Technology program, students are usually asked to spend a week and a half working in the field. Two members of the Pershimex Resources team, Loïc Bureau and Robert Gagnon (both professors at the Cégep de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue), guide students through this ten-day internship. However, the pandemic means that a full ten-day internship isn’t feasible for now. Even so, we wanted to keep the tradition alive and let students get some fieldwork experience, so Loïc and Robert organized two one-day tours.
The Courville property features several different gold deposits. It’s also an excellent place for students to gain practical experience because it has so many indicators.
Loïc and Robert guided groups of students through the different types of fieldwork they will likely encounter during their careers. Among others, the soon-to-be graduates were able to try various kinds of sampling and geological, geochemical, and geophysical surveys.
This invaluable field experience gave them a glimpse of their future careers as mineral technicians. The students were even able to check out a drill and pan for gold!
They had a great time and left with some amazing memories, as you can see in this video.
Here at Pershimex Resources, sharing our knowledge is one of our top priorities. We know how important it is to make sure that students who are interested in mining technology can benefit not only from our knowledge and experience, but also from our passion for mining exploration.
That’s why our team feels that it’s so crucial to organize these fieldwork internships. We knew we needed to find a way to let students gain practical experience while staying safe during the pandemic.
Loïc Bureau has always accompanied students on the Courville property, even when he was a student himself! Breaking that tradition was simply not an option. He discussed that fact with Manon Rouillier during an episode of the Podcast Minier.
The fieldwork, and the opportunity to spend time with the next generation of miners, is also a chance to introduce colleagues to best practices and educate them about responsible development, which is a key part of social acceptability.
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