About Economic geology
Many products including masonry stones and gasoline, gypsum wallboard (sometimes known by the brand name Sheetrock) and jewelry, natural gas, and table salt are the result of efforts in the broad field known as economic geology. It is the study of metals, fuels and other materials from the earth that are of interest to industry or the economy in general. And nobody can deny plays an important role in daily life.
This field of science deals with the distribution of resources, the costs and benefits of their recovery, and the value and availability of existing materials. These materials include precious and base metals, nonmetallic minerals, construction-grade stone, petroleum minerals, coal, and water. The term of economic geology quite commonly refers to metallic mineral deposits and mineral resources.
Economic geology consists of several subdisciplines of the geologic sciences: geophysics, structural geology, and stratigraphy.
Economic geology is studied and practiced by geologists; however it is of prime interest to investment bankers, stock analysts and other professions such as engineers, environmental scientists and conservationists because of the far-reaching impact which extractive industries have upon society, the economy and the environment.
After completing an online geology course student may choose more specified part of geology science:
- Marine geology
- Petroleum geology
- Mineralogy
- Geohydrology
- Paleontology
