Society of Economic Geologists

Society of Economic Geologists
Name	Society of Economic Geologists
Abbreviation	SEG
Formation	1919
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	Littleton, Colorado
Region served	International
Membership	Geoscientists, metallurgists, mining engineers
Leader title	President

Contents

Society of Economic Geologists

The Society of Economic Geologists is an international professional association dedicated to the study of ore deposits and the geoscience of mineral resources. Founded in 1919, the organization connects practitioners from across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania by promoting research, publishing technical literature, and organizing scientific meetings. It serves as a nexus among institutions such as United States Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, Royal Society, International Council on Mining and Metals, and universities including University of Arizona, University of Western Australia, Colorado School of Mines, and Imperial College London.

History

The society was established in 1919 following exchanges among figures affiliated with United States Geological Survey, Smithsonian Institution, New Mexico School of Mines, and industrial partners like Anaconda Copper, Kennecott Copper Corporation, and Homestake Mining Company. Early leaders included geologists who had worked on projects with Geological Society of America, American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, and explorers tied to expeditions such as the Klondike Gold Rush and surveys associated with U.S. Bureau of Mines. Throughout the 20th century the society intersected with milestones like research inspired by the Great Depression, wartime resource studies linked to World War II, and postwar initiatives coordinated with United Nations programs and the International Geophysical Year.

The society is governed by an elected Board of Directors and officers drawn from membership representing regions recognized by bodies such as Society of Petroleum Engineers, Australian Institute of Geoscientists, and national geological surveys including the British Geological Survey. Chapters and student chapters operate at institutions like McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Pretoria, and University of São Paulo. Committees liaise with organizations such as International Mineralogical Association, Mineral Deposits Studies Group, and funding agencies including the National Science Foundation and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The governance structure coordinates awards committees, editorial boards, and conference planning alongside partner societies like European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers.

The society publishes peer-reviewed literature, monographs, and field guides, with flagship outputs comparable to journals produced by Nature Publishing Group, Elsevier, and the Geological Society of London. Notable publications include research on porphyry copper systems studied at localities like Chuquicamata, Grasberg mine, and Bingham Canyon Mine, and on orogenic gold systems related to occurrences at Witwatersrand Basin, Carlin Trend, and Mother Lode. Contributors range from scholars at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University of Toronto, and ETH Zurich to industry researchers at Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold, BHP, and Freeport-McMoRan. Special publications address topics intersecting with mineral physics research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and isotope geochemistry labs at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory.

Annual and regional meetings bring together delegates from institutions like Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, International Association on the Genesis of Ore Deposits, and national academies such as the National Academy of Sciences. Past meeting locations include cities hosting major universities and geological surveys: Salt Lake City, Toronto, Perth, Vancouver, Madrid, Cape Town, Melbourne, and London. Field trips and short courses have featured classic localities including the Aspromonte Massif, Sierra Nevada (U.S.), and the Zagros Mountains, often coordinated with workshops linked to European Geosciences Union and American Geophysical Union sessions.

The society bestows awards honoring excellence in ore-deposit research and exploration, with recognition comparable to medals awarded by the Geological Society of America, Royal Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, and national honors such as the Order of Canada when members receive broader distinctions. Laureates have included researchers associated with University of Utah, University of Chile, University of Western Australia, and government scientists from Geological Survey of India and Geological Survey of Japan. Awards often acknowledge work on deposits at sites like Olympic Dam, San Cristóbal mine, and Red Dog mine and link recipients to editorial roles in journals produced by international publishers and societies.

Educational programs include short courses, field schools, and student grants offered in collaboration with universities and organizations such as International Mineralogical Association, Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, and museum partners like the Natural History Museum, London and Smithsonian Institution. Outreach initiatives promote mineral stewardship with partners including United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Bank programs on resource governance, and regional capacity-building with ministries in countries such as Peru, Chile, Australia, and South Africa. Student chapters foster links to career development programs run by Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and employer networks like Anglo American and Newmont Corporation.

Category:Geology organizations Category:Scientific societies