Data Quality in Research,
Mineral Exploration, and Mining:
A Modern Day ‘How-To’

Dr. Clifford R. Stanley, Ph.D., P.Geo.
Professor (retired) of Applied Geochemistry & Economic Geology
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University

Monday, November 23
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Gallery A - TCU Place 
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Historically, motivations to assess the magnitude of sampling and analysis error in exploration and mining samples were largely driven by exploration geologists seeking knowledge about how far they could go with the interpretation of their geochemical data. In our post–Bre-X world, this is still relevant, but security exchanges also require rigorous analysis of measurement errors, largely because such efforts provide clarity as to the quality of the data and make detection of fraudulent practice easier to spot. 

Unfortunately, the QA/QC curriculum that teaches geoscientists to assess the magnitude of measurement error is not readily available to geology students, save at four Canadian universities (and there only via graduate courses). Consequently, geoscientists need access to this material via professional development courses to be able to write acceptable QA/QC reports for industry and research. 
Modern statistical procedures typically involve more intensive quantitative manipulation and require a better understanding of data, statistics, and procedural constraints, ideally relying on fewer assumptions to avoid bias. Overall, these methods afford the geoscientist with the ability to accurately and precisely assess and control the measurement errors in their geochemical determinations and assays. These procedures thus offer significant advantage in mining industry applications. 

In this short course, modern data quality assessment techniques are described and illustrated in research, mineral exploration, and mining milieus.

Biography – Clifford R. Stanley

Clifford R. Stanley received his A.B. degree (1980) in Earth Science from Dartmouth College, and his M.Sc. (1984) and Ph.D. (1988) degrees in Geological Science from the University of British Columbia (UBC). After a postdoctoral fellowship in Numerical Metamorphic Petrology at the University of Calgary (1989) and serving as a research associate in Applied Geochemistry at Queen’s University (1990–1991), Cliff worked at the Mineral Deposit Research Unit in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at UBC as an Adjunct Professor (1992–1998) managing major alkalic porphyry Cu-Au and lithogeochemical exploration research projects. In 1999, Cliff became Assistant Professor in Applied Geochemistry and Economic Geology in the Department of Geology at Acadia University and taught there 27 years before ‘retiring’ as a Full Professor in June 2026. 

Some of the things Cliff is probably best known for are 1) his development of frequency distribution modeling software (ProbPlot) for use in exploration geochemistry and ore-reserve assays; 2) his contributions to the development of unbiased assessment of measurement errors in ore resource datasets (QA/QC); and 3) his general contributions to quantitative geochemical and petrological data analysis. In his retirement, Cliff continues to research in the fields of applied geochemistry and mathematical geology, consult to the mineral industry, present professional development courses, and even undertake prospecting for critical minerals.

Registration Fees
$400.00 + $20.00 GST + $24.00 PST = $444.00. 

Student Registration Fees
$250.00 + $12.50 GST + $15.00 PST = $267.50.

Coffee, lunch and course materials will be provided. A copy of the presentation will be available to course attendees after the conference has concluded.  Please advise us of any dietary restrictions during registration.

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