An evolution in applied mineralogy related to processing began in the mid 1960's, and significantly modified the scope of the field. Many new instruments were developed and enabled applied mineralogists to accurately determine a wider array of mineral characteristics than was previously possible. The results had a major impact on processing, and many operations now use applied mineralogy as a standard tool. The expanded scope of applied mineralogy made one realize that a dedicated mineralogist is essential at most large mining operations; a person who performs applied mineralogy as an adjunct to other duties can no longer develop the breadth of knowledge and experience that is required to recognize and determine mineral properties that affect different processes. It is also recognized that, to be able to assess what to look for, the applied mineralogist should be a member of a team performing investigations. <...>

Mining geology is a specialised area of applied geological sciences that historically evolved as a support for operating mines and for evaluating mining projects. The main objective of mining geology is to provide detailed geological information, and undertake technical and economic studies to evaluate a mining project. When mining commences, mine geologists provide geological support to the operation, ensuring cost effective extraction of the valuable minerals and their accurate separation from the waste rocks. In addition to detailed understanding of the geology of the mining project area, they also provide accurate estimation of the spatial distribution of the economically valuable minerals and quantitative estimation of the geological characteristics that control mining and processing methods and operational costs.<...>

Until 1859, petroleum exploration was a rather simple and straightforward procedure. One simply looked for oil seepage at the surface—particularly near streams and from oil springs. Petroleum was used principally for medicinal purposes at that time, so the approach yielded a sufficient supply to meet demands.