Resolution Copper Mining

I am an undergraduate student from Bristol University, UK and I was fortunate enough to be offered a Rio Tinto summer internship with Resolution Copper LLC in Superior, Arizona. 

During the four months of the internship I was involved in a number of tasks including; core prep which involved piecing 12-48m of core per day, marking the reference line, recording drill recoveries, RQD and non-RQDs (Rock Quality Designation) and measuring ace mark orientations.  I was also involved in split core assay sampling, assisting geologists in geotechnical logging, core photography and archiving and point load testing. 

One aspect about the company which impressed me the most was the fact that health and safety is given the highest priority.

During the end of my internship I focused on a research project for the final year of my Msci degree in geology in collaboration with Resolution geologists and Bristol University. The research involved looking through geotechnical core archives and assay samples to define zones of molybdenite mineralization. This lead to the re-logging of key drillholes with emphasis on defining crosscutting relationships between veins to define the relative timing of events, then absolute timing is being obtained by sending samples away for Re/Os dating of the molybdenite.  This research will aid in the quantitative interpretation of paragenesis of molybdenite bearing veins in the Resolution deposit and will result in the production of a publishable scientific report. The results will have implications for future exploration and understanding of the deposit.

Overall, the internship has been a highly enjoyable and worthwhile experience. I have learnt a great deal about porphyry systems and what it is like to work in exploration and very much look forward to keeping contact with Resolution geologists during my final year project.

Above: the contact between Apache Leap Tuff
and Whitetail Conglomerate in the Never Sweat Tunnel.