Essential Skills
You really have to be a special person to work in the bush year-round. The lack of a schedule, the sometimes harsh outdoors, and the physical fitness required are all factors to think about when considering this job. For some people this type of work is perfect because it suits their lifestyle and personality.
Bush Skills
A prospector must have bush skills. Navigation skills are very important: reading a map, using a GPS, using a compass, and understanding the landscape. Walking through the bush is also an important skill. It may sound easy, but there are no trails, and the bush can be full of deadfall, steep hills, wet areas, thick brush, etc. When staking claims, lines must be straight; therefore, you cannot walk around bad areas. There is a certain level of physical fitness necessary to walk through the bush (especially balance).
Personal Skills
You must be a very flexible person to work in mineral exploration. (Read about Nature of Work.) You need to get along with people in a camp setting. You have to have self-motivation especially with small contract jobs. This is no 9-5, have-to-be-there setting. You must be able to learn new skills, as each job is different. You have to work hard. Swinging an axe all day long through bad bush is not easy work.
You need a certain ability to keep going no matter how bad the circumstances. When the snowmobile breaks down and you’re soaking wet and cold and you’re exhausted from a long day of work - can you keep going? Katarina snowshoed over 10 kilometers through deep snow, in the dark, at the end of a hard day’s work, not knowing if she would fall through an air hole on the lake, to reach the snowmobile trail. She realized we could not reach her by snowmobile as planned and she might as well resolve herself and just start trudging. (Read about her experience: A Cold Dark Walk.)
Rocks: Geology and Minerals
Geology and economic minerals are an exciting combination. There is no set of rules that works to find a mine. Rocks are ever-changing and what may be a good indicator for gold in one area, will be completely different in another area. To find a mine takes a lot of ambition and curiosity, or really good luck.
A prospector can be very knowledgeable if he/she has experience looking at lots of rock and reads geological reports, books, historical findings, etc. Prospectors are expected to give descriptions for the rock samples collected. It is important to identify common minerals and different types of alteration. It is also good to research an area for the local geological environment.
Experience
Experience in the bush and looking at rocks is definitely very important. To prospect you don’t need an education. There are some short courses on geology and skills such as first aid, safety, etc, that are beneficial. Mostly though, experience is a great asset and will often determine your rate of pay. The good part is you can get a job and be paid while you're learning. Even though it may be a lower wage to start, you can move up in wages by working hard and gaining experience.
Bush Skills
A prospector must have bush skills. Navigation skills are very important: reading a map, using a GPS, using a compass, and understanding the landscape. Walking through the bush is also an important skill. It may sound easy, but there are no trails, and the bush can be full of deadfall, steep hills, wet areas, thick brush, etc. When staking claims, lines must be straight; therefore, you cannot walk around bad areas. There is a certain level of physical fitness necessary to walk through the bush (especially balance).
Personal Skills
You must be a very flexible person to work in mineral exploration. (Read about Nature of Work.) You need to get along with people in a camp setting. You have to have self-motivation especially with small contract jobs. This is no 9-5, have-to-be-there setting. You must be able to learn new skills, as each job is different. You have to work hard. Swinging an axe all day long through bad bush is not easy work.
You need a certain ability to keep going no matter how bad the circumstances. When the snowmobile breaks down and you’re soaking wet and cold and you’re exhausted from a long day of work - can you keep going? Katarina snowshoed over 10 kilometers through deep snow, in the dark, at the end of a hard day’s work, not knowing if she would fall through an air hole on the lake, to reach the snowmobile trail. She realized we could not reach her by snowmobile as planned and she might as well resolve herself and just start trudging. (Read about her experience: A Cold Dark Walk.)
Rocks: Geology and Minerals
Geology and economic minerals are an exciting combination. There is no set of rules that works to find a mine. Rocks are ever-changing and what may be a good indicator for gold in one area, will be completely different in another area. To find a mine takes a lot of ambition and curiosity, or really good luck.
A prospector can be very knowledgeable if he/she has experience looking at lots of rock and reads geological reports, books, historical findings, etc. Prospectors are expected to give descriptions for the rock samples collected. It is important to identify common minerals and different types of alteration. It is also good to research an area for the local geological environment.
Experience
Experience in the bush and looking at rocks is definitely very important. To prospect you don’t need an education. There are some short courses on geology and skills such as first aid, safety, etc, that are beneficial. Mostly though, experience is a great asset and will often determine your rate of pay. The good part is you can get a job and be paid while you're learning. Even though it may be a lower wage to start, you can move up in wages by working hard and gaining experience.
