FIELD TRIPS AND CONFERENCES
SEG Student Chapter Field Trip (2019)
The SEG Philippine Student Chapter conducted a field trip at the Zambales Ophiolite Complex in Zambales, Luzon, Philippines. The trip was held last August 24, 2019, with the participation of fifteen geology students from the University of the Philippines - National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS) and Adamson University. The 14 student participants were accompanied by two geologists specializing in tectonics and mineral exploration of northern Luzon: Dr. Karlo L. Queaño, an assistant professor of Ateneo De Manila University; and Dr. Americus dC. Perez, a post-doctoral researcher from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry - Chinese Academy of Sciences. The field trip started with an introduction on the Geology of Luzon and a short lecture about ophiolite complexes. After that, portions of the crustal section of Zambales Ophiolite Complex were visited.
SEG Philippine Student Chapter attends
the 6th PTESIC at Clark, Pampanga
Members of the SEG Philippine Student Chapter attended the 6th Philippines-Taiwan Earth Sciences International Conference (PTESIC) last May 20-21, 2019 in Clark, Pampanga. SEG Philippine Student Chapter Faculty Adviser, Dr. Carla Dimalanta was the Chair of the Organizing Committee. This biennial event was co-organized by the National Institute of Geological Sciences, UP-Diliman and the School of Environmental Science and Management, UP-Los Baños. The conference served as a venue for geoscientists, meteorologists, environmental science researchers, and other stakeholders to come together and discuss their current research and recent findings on the dynamic and complex environmental setting of the western Pacific. Graduate students from the University of the Philippines had the opportunity to present their studies on economic geology, petrology, tectonics, geophysics, geochemistry, and geohazards. Undergraduate students from the Adamson University attended the conference.
OceanaGold Didipio Mine Tour 2018
The members of the Society of Economic Geologists student chapter - Philippine Association of Geology Students (PAGS) visited the Didipio porphyry copper deposit of OceanaGold (Philippines) Inc. located in Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. This deposit is unusual since it is one of the few porphyry copper deposits hosted by an alkalic intrusive complex. The mine visit held on May 12-14, 2018 was joined by undergraduate students from the University of the Philippines - National Institute of Geological Sciences (UP-NIGS), Mapua University and Partido State University. The students were accompanied by Mr. Gabriel Theophilus V. Valera, a faculty of UP-NIGS. The tour started with mine safety lectures, and presentations about the history of the company, geological information of the deposit and mining operations. Discussions on the open-pit operations were facilitated by representatives of OceanaGold, Mr. Homer Lajom, Ms. Lenilee Ananayo, and other mine geologists. Lithologies seen in the open pit include breccias, monzonite, the Bufu syenite, and the Balut dike. The breccia and monzonite are known to hold significant quantities of gold, with ~70% of the gold grades being associated with the breccias. The presence of gold in the monzonite is inferred to be related to the telescoping of epithermal gold mineralization on the porphyry copper stock.
First Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA)
Student Congress 2016 (PMSEA SC 2016)
The PAGS-SEGSC student members joined the 2016 Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association (PMSEA) Student Congress last November 15-18, 2016 in Baguio City. The four-day event commenced with a tree-planting activity held in the province of Pangasinan. On the morning session of the second day of the congress, the students presented their research studies at the Easter College Gym in Baguio City. The afternoon session’s highlights included a talk from the keynote speaker, Dr. Fernando Sajona, and a prayer vigil by the delegates for the mining industry in the Philippines. A color run was held early in the morning of the third day followed by the Palarong Minero at the Burnham Park in Baguio City until afternoon. At the night of the third day, a Socials Party was held at the Easter College Gym. The student congress concluded with a Mineral Industry Parade attended by the members of the PMSEA and the delegates of the PMSEA-SC.
(A) The current PAGS-SEGSC president (David Paul Mendoza) with his seedling during the PMSEA-SC Tree Planting Activity. (B) Student members of Mapua University during the Mineral Industry Parade at the PMSEA Congress.
Student Chapter Fieldtrip (2016)
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Simultaneous with the PMSEA-SC’s Palarong Minero, fieldwork was also organized by the PAGS-SEGSC on November 17, 2016, at the Kennon Road of Baguio City. The fieldwork was attended by selected active PAGS-SEGSC members and was headed by Dr. Fernando Sajona, who is also a professor at the Mapua University. Among the notable stops of the fieldwork are the Pugo Formation which is characterized by basaltic and andesitic flows with minor sandstones and mudstones, the Bridal Veil Falls which shows a very good exposure of the bedded conglomerates of the Klondyke Formation, the Kennon Limestone and the Central Cordillera Diorite Complex.
(A) Dr. Fernando Sajona (last row, third from the left) with the PAGS-SEGSC members who joined the fieldwork at Kennon Road. (B) Dr. Fernando Sajona (in blue) giving a lecture to the PAGS-SEGSC members along the Bued River near Kennon Road.
​2017 Hunt for Ore Deposits: Challenges and Opportunities for Environmental Sustainability
Student chapter members participated in the international conference entitled, “2017 Hunt for Ore Deposits: Challenges and Opportunities for Environmental Sustainability” at the Venus Parkview Hotel in Baguio City on June 29-30, 2017. The participants were given a chance to acquire more knowledge by listening to the presentations made on mineralization, economic valuation of mineral deposits, as well as phytoremediation techniques to address environmental concerns. Researches of some graduate and undergraduate student chapter members were also presented as oral and poster presentations during the conference.
Members of the SEG Student Chapter from Adamson University, Mapua University and University of the Philippines were among the participants conference last June 29-30, 2017 in Baguio City. Included in the picture are (topmost, from left to right) Dr. Jillian Aira Gabo-Ratio, Dr. Betchaida Payot, Dr. Carla Dimalanta (Faculty Advisor), Dr. Keiko Hattori, Dr. Graciano Yumul Jr. (Industry Advisor), Dr. Jeffrey Hedenquist and Dr. Victor Maglambayan.
Itogon-Suyoc Resources, Inc. Mine Visit
The student chapter members visited the Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc. mine site in Sangilo, Itogon, Benguet. The discussion about the Sangilo epithermal gold deposit was led by Dr. Karlo Queaño, along with Dr. Eric Andal (Assistant Vice President for Operations and Geology, ISRI) and Mr. Arvin Trinidad (Geologist, ISRI).
The group visited tunnels in ISRI to examine underground exposures of the Taka Barr vein. At the Level 0 Tunnel, the Taka Bar vein is composed of quartz and calcite with banded and crustiform texture and minor disseminated sulfides such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and galena. At Level 0 Raise 25 6th Floor, the quartz-calcite vein is bordered by argillized diorite. The vein has an attitude of N75°E, 60°SE. Manganese concentrations are also notable in this exposure. Aside from veins, the cross-cutting relationships of the different rock units and structures were also examined underground.
After visiting the underground tunnels, the student chapter members were also given a tour of the mine’s assay laboratory where the metal grade of the recovered ores are determined. A stop was also done at the mine’s mill site where the students were provided an overview on how the collected ores are crushed, milled and processed for its gold content. After the ore blocks from the producing tunnels are turned to powder through multiple steps of crushing and milling, they will then be sent to a Carbon-in-Leach tank to liberate the gold.
Members of the student chapter also visited the type locality of the Dalupirip Schist in Agno River, Itogon, Benguet after the mine visit at ISRI. The Dalupirip Schist is recognizable by its distinct greenschist facies metamorphism. Its protolith is believed to be the Pugo Formation. Its distribution is localized in a narrow zone near contacts with quartz diorite units especially in the Itogon Area.
