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6th Sep 2014 17:21 UTCGeorge deWit Chaney

In England, ive not long got my Gcse rseults and have been Accepted for A-levels at my school. To any people amongst the Mineralogy/Geology occupation field, what subjects come particularly useful for employment, and what career options are there to potentially take forward? One thing I am for certain taking, is Chemistry. Mineralogy is something I am definitely considering to take on in the future, Educationally. :-)

Any experienced/professional or enthusiastic people, please feel free to reply!

Many thanks,

George deWit Chaney.

7th Sep 2014 01:09 UTCNorman King 🌟 Expert

George,

Congratulations on your success with Gsce (tests-??)! With your interests, I'm sure you will get enough math. I'd recommend through differential equations. And take the introductory geology course soon to get a feel for the whole field. Who knows? You might find that you like geophysics, tectonics, or something else even more, once you spend some time with them. Consider sedimentary geochemistry as a field that will undoubtedly employ very many geologists who have studied in those fields well into the future. Good luck!

* * * *

Let me add as this edit that I earned a Ph.D in sedimentary geology, and taught at the university level for nearly 30 years, plus spent about 8 years in the petroleum business as an exploration geologist, going into management (but I'd rather do geology per se, and specifically mineralogy now that I'm retired!).

Norman King

7th Sep 2014 02:47 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

Mineralogists find work in the strangest places. I read about one who worked full time for the police, analyzing mineral grains stuck in suspects' shoes and car tyres to try to determine where they had been. So, perhaps you could make a career in Scotland Yard. And there's a lot of overlap between pure mineralogy and other branches of materials sciences. I met a mineralogist who worked in the quality control lab of a big ceramic corporation, studying thin sections of porcelains. Museum curators, of course, although these days it seems more and more mineral departments are being handed over to the not so tender mercies of gemmologists and paleontologists. Some do collection appraisals for auction houses and insurance companies. If you keep an open mind, you'll have quite diverse job options.

7th Sep 2014 03:38 UTCAlex Earl 🌟 Expert

I too am a young man myself, I am 17 and a senior in high school. I have found that I myself want to go into mining engineering, I live by the worlds largest copper mine in utah (Bingham canyon) and my aunt worked there for some time and said she could put in a good word for me. George, I would suggest you take as many science courses as you can. I took chemistry last year as well as a geology class, now I am taking Physics. Also I would suggest some good math courses. I already have enough math credits to graduate, but I am taking a college prep math course this year. Again, look at all of the earth science careers, I ended up liking mining engineering and mining geology after I looked for some careers similar to mineralogy.

8th Sep 2014 15:13 UTCOwen Melfyn Lewis

George,

Let me start by saying that I'm retired and never worked in the geology/mineralogy fields :-) Nevetheless, having survived the vicissitudes of a British education and helped four children through that system into modestly successful and fulfilling careers (in addition to watching younger friends doing the same with their childen right now), I think I understand a little of what is involved.

So, some thoughts about fundamentals:

- In the various science 'ologies' and for other hard subjects like law, don't waste time taking secondary education courses in these. Rather, study and acquire some genuine ability in the fundamental studies that you must grasp firmly before studying your 'ology at tertiary (university first degree) level and, maybe, in post-grad studies. From what you say, I think your essential courses at A Level should be physics, chemistry and applied mathematics. Do a fourth subject, if you can, that is entirely unrelated; drama, art, craft and design or PE would be examples. This last stops you from too early retreat into complete nerdship and gives opportunities to blow off steam :-) It broadens your views in many ways and will benefit you directly it you seek a place at one of the better universities. No, all universities are *not* equal.

- For quite a while now, in most of the hard sciences, even a second-class honours degree will not get you employment in research. If that is where you would like to be, be prepared to get at least a Master's and almost certainly a Doctorate to make any career in scientific research. Is that the road you seek to take? If not, do you have any sense of the road you want to take? If not, don't worry but do bear in mind that over half of those that successfully complete a degree course. find happy and fulfilling lives doing work that has little if any direct relationship to their university studies. Over 30 years ago, there was a good young man who use to drive me to and from work for a while. He, had a second-class hons in zoology and found that could only get him a job as a lab technician without hope of advancement. So he switched - and being bright, sociable, well-educated and with a good critical faculty, he went on to success in a different field.

- If your school has a career's advisor who is any good, do book yourself at least one good heart-to-heart session. That's the person best placed to assist you in your choice of subjects and to be giving you *now* preliminary advice on to which two or three universities you should be aiming to apply for a place to study best what interests you most. If your parents will stump up for it, now is also the best time for you to be tested professionally to assess your talents, capabilities and their fit to one or more courses of higher study and careers. In my view these assessments are almost always worthwhile. They do not always tell you what you might expect to hear and often come up with interesting new ideas worth following up.

Anyway, the very best of luck to you. Remember that the world is your oyster. All you have to do is learn how to open it - and then enjoy!

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