Tue
17 MarNew Course: The Business of Exploration
Enhance your skills in exploration and mining project evaluation, including financial and risk analysis for major and junior companies in today’s context.
May 1-11, 2026
Primary Guest Lecturer: Dr. Michael Doggett
This 11-day intensive course provides the financial tools necessary to operate effectively in the mineral exploration business.
It includes methods to evaluate mineral projects at various stages of advancement and examines exploration strategies and decision-making for majors and juniors through commodity and project cycles.
Learn to:
- Critically evaluate the basic components of financial markets and the implications of different corporate strategies.
- Calculate and evaluate the intrinsic value of projects and companies by applying discounted cash flow models and assessing the impact of key inputs.
- Evaluate competing exploration scenarios and strategies appropriate for each type of company in the mineral exploration industry and recommend a path forward based on technical feasibility, risk assessment, and financial upside.
- Critically analyze and defend the selection between growth by exploration vs acquisition in the context of metals and industrial minerals producers.
- Assess the benefits and drawbacks of different types of financing, project development and operational agreements that companies negotiate through the life cycle of a project, from financing and exploration through production and sales to mine closure.
Six days (days 2-7) will be taught by Dr. Michael Doggett and will include lectures, case studies and practical group lab exercises. The other five days will include lectures by academic and industry subject experts, group work on a real-world project evaluation, labs and project presentations.
The course will be delivered in person in the Executive Learning Centre at Laurentian University.
Course code: GEOL 5136 - For professional development purposes or enrolled university students pursuing degree credits.
Industry representatives who register by March 31 will receive a 20% discount!
Full Course Fees for Industry Participants
Regular $3600 + HST
Regular early bird registration (by March 31) $2880 + HST
MERC member $2880 + HST
MERC member early bird (by March 31) $2304 + HST
Per-Day Fees for Industry Participants
Regular $420 + HST
Regular early bird registration (by March 31) $336 + HST
MERC member $336 + HST
MERC member early bird registration (by March 31) $268.8 + HST
To register, email Roxane Mehes at rmehes@laurentian.ca.
Course Coordinator: Ross Sherlock.
