GIS Training Courses for Geologists
	McElhanney offers hands-on training courses to help Geologists understand and use GIS in their daily activities. See below for our current courses and for how to sign up for a course.

Current Courses

	November 17-18, 2008 - MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration, Vancouver, BC November 19, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1, Vancouver, BC November 20, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2, Vancouver, BC
	September 15-16, 2008 - MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration, Vancouver, BC September 17, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1, Vancouver, BC September 18, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2, Vancouver, BC
	July 14-15, 2008 - MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration, Vancouver, BC July 16, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1, Vancouver, BC July 17, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2, Vancouver, BC
	June 9-10, 2008 - MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration, Vancouver, BC June 11, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1, Vancouver, BC June 12, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2, Vancouver, BC
	April 14-15, 2008 - MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration, Vancouver, BC April 16, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1, Vancouver, BC April 17, 2008 - ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2, Vancouver, BC

Courses Offered:
MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration (2 days)
ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 1 (1 day)
ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration Module 2 (1 day)

MapInfo Professional for Mineral Exploration

The goal of the 2-day MapInfo Professional course is to familiarize new users in the geoscience field with the various functions of MapInfo, and the background geomatics/GIS concepts that all GIS users should have. Students will complete a regional-scale GIS compilation project with real mineral exploration data. Project planning issues and common pitfalls are discussed throughout the course. Exercise books and course data are provided by McElhanney. The course will be taught using MapInfo 9.5. Each attendee requires their own laptop and a copy of MapInfo Professional (version 8.5 or 9.x). Students must be familiar with the basic functions of MS Windows. Previous MapInfo experience is not required. This course covers introductory to intermediate level MapInfo topics. Advanced topics are discussed in the Discover courses.

Course Outline:

• Lesson 1. MapInfo Basics - Learning the basics of tables, workspaces and the MapInfo interface.
• Discussion - Project folder and file organization. Fixing a workspace.
• Lesson 2. Map Window Layers - Working with the layer control to manipulate layers, labels and map object display settings.
• Discussion. Basic geomatics concepts crucial for GIS projects: Coordinate Systems, Projections and Datums, why are they important and where do people go wrong. Avoiding costly mistakes.
• Lesson 3. Graphical Selection - Different methods of graphically selecting and saving selections from a map window.
• Lesson 4. Creating New Tables and Digitizing - The basics of proper table design, effective data storage, planning a digitizing session and basic drawing tool skills.
• Discussion. Map scales, positional error and digitizing accuracy. Choosing appropriate base-map data for your own projects.
• Lesson 5. Using Raster Imagery - Incorporating imagery in your GIS projects. Using satellite images, scanned maps, orthophotos and other imagery.
• Review, short quiz of important concepts.
• Lesson 6. Importing and Exporting Vector Data - Working with data in non-MapInfo formats (CAD files, shape files, etc.).
• Lesson 7. Working with Point Data - Designing MS Excel spreadsheets for use in MapInfo. Displaying sample locations and other coordinate data stored in MS Excel spreadsheets and Access database files.
• Lesson 8. Queries - Asking the database a question, displaying the results on your map.
• Lesson 9. Linking Tables - Using SQL to link map objects (e.g., mineral claims) to a MS Access database.
• Lesson 10. Thematic Maps - Create easily interpretable maps from tables of data. Effectively display geochemical data.
• Lesson 11. Map Design and the Layout Window - The elements of proper map design, map legends, and how to create a scaled plot.
• Lesson 12. Displaying MapInfo Objects in Google Earth for easy and effective 3D presentations.
• Review, short quiz of important concepts.

ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration - Module 1

This one-day course gives attendees an extensive introduction to working with Drillhole data in Encom Discover, a mineral exploration add-on program for MapInfo Professional. Attendees will complete a Drillhole data project, starting with the basics of database design, and finishing with scaled surface maps, cross-sections, section interpretation layers and log displays. By the end of this project, students will have gained the technical and project planning skills required for their own drillhole GIS projects. Many features of the software applicable to other types of projects will be introduced in the context of a drillhole project. The course will be taught using MapInfo 9.5 and Discover 10. Each attendee requires their own laptop, a copy of MapInfo Professional (version 8.5 or 9.x) and Discover (9.x or 10.x).

Course Outline:

• Enhanced Layer Control (Keeping track of multiple windows and layers within MapInfo)
• Map Window Linking
• Colour Tables (Developing and using a reference table for standard lithology colours and patterns)
• Overview of Discover Drillhole Module Features
• Designing a Drillhole Database
• Drillhole Surveys and Map Coordinate Systems (avoid common errors)
• Database Validation (Identifying and fixing common drillhole database errors)
• Creating Cross-Sections and Plan Views (Turning tables of data into maps and sections)
• Managing Cross-Sections and Plan Views
• Adding Down-Hole Data to your Sections and Plan Views
• Viewing Drillhole Data in Log-Display mode.
• Scaled Map and Section Plotting (Designing and creating hardcopy plots. Managing map window views while working with scaled layouts)
• Creating a Map Legend
• Creating a Custom Coordinate System (Relating a local property grid coordinate system to UTM).
• Exporting and Backing-up Drillhole Projects

ENCOM Discover for Mineral Exploration - Module 2

This one-day course is designed to give attendees an extensive introduction to essential compilation skills in Encom Discover, a mineral exploration add-on program for MapInfo Professional. Attendees will complete a property-scale GIS compilation project. By the end of this project, attendees will have gained the technical and project planning skills required for their own geological GIS projects. Many features of the software applicable to other types of projects will be introduced. This course builds on Module 1 lessons.

The course will be taught using MapInfo 9.5 and Discover 10. Each attendee requires their own laptop, a copy of MapInfo Professional (version 8.5 or 9.x) and Discover (9.x or 10.x).

Course Outline:

• Raster Image Rectification (The correct way to incorporate a scanned map)
• Coordinate System Transformations (Incorporating vector data, e.g. CAD files, in "unknown" coordinate systems)
• Updating Multiple Columns (An essential database skill for transferring data between tables)
• Designing a Geological Digitizing Project (Issues and methods to consider. Logical steps to follow.)
• Digitizing Geological Contacts (Minimizing the amount of work you need to do to create a geological map)
• DigData (Automatically adding attributes to map objects. Building your database as you digitize.)
• Generating Lithology Polygons from Contact Lines
• Structural Data (Adding strike/dip symbols and structural data to the map)
• Working with large numbers of text objects. Formatting text for scaled map plotting.
• Gridding and Contouring
• Generating Surface Profiles for Geochemical and Geophysical data
• Importing and Working with Geosoft Grid Files

All courses run from 8:45am until 4:00pm. Please contact us for exact course dates, prices and location, or click on the appropriate course listing at the top of this page.

	To purchase this product, or for more information, please contact:
	Karl Kliparchuk kkliparchuk@mcelhanney.com Tel: 604 683 8521 Fax: 604 683 4350	Andrew McIntosh amcintosh@mcelhanney.com Tel: 604 683 8521 Fax: 604 683 4350