Corporate Consultant (Structural Geology) at SRK Consulting
James is a Corporate Consultant (Structural Geology) with SRK Consulting based in Toronto, Canada. He has been lucky to build a career of over 20 years with SRK, working with some excellent geologists and engineers worldwide. Originally from the Midlands in England (Burton on-Trent – a beer town), James emigrated to Canada in 1996 following his BSc (Geology) at Durham University and then working in Newcastle, England. He did his MSc and PhD at the University of Toronto, which paved the way for his career focused on the structural geology of ore deposits (he says that he still does what he did for his PhD at work). His work currently is divided between South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Brett Davis: Firstly, thanks for giving Coring the opportunity to interview you, James. I know you do a lot of interviews, but this one will obviously be the most interesting you’ve done! Very few people in the mining and exploration consulting world are as high-profile as you. Coupled with your academic publication history and role as a practice leader with SRK Consulting (Canada), I can understand why the demand for your services outstrips your time to undertake all the client requests you get. So, given that you’ve worked across the spheres of academia, mining, exploration, and business development, can you tell us what interested you in a career in geology?
James Siddorn: Thanks for inviting me to be interviewed, I know we tried to do this a few years ago so it’s great to finally make this happen.
I got interested in geology through my enjoyment of physical geography in high school. I was then lucky to be able to study an A-level in Geology at a different high school to mine (in the same town) with a fantastic teacher, Colin Bagshaw. At first, I was not sure about this new subject, being at a different school, but from our first field trip for a day to look at Devonian sandstones in Derbyshire (UK) I was hooked.
The teacher was then amazed at how I went from a mediocre student to one of the best in the class. From that point I was sure to go to university to study Geology, something alien in my family as they didn’t normally go to university. So I studied Geology at Durham University in the northeast of England. A fantastic Geology department and I was able to work with two excellent structural geologists, Bob Holdsworth and Donny Hutton.
BD: You’ve worked in a lot of countries and on a lot of continents. Are there any skills or mindsets that have helped you in your roles in these places? And what are a few of the pros and cons of interfacing with people in other countries?
James Siddorn: I think I am currently up to 42 countries that I have worked in or stayed in (i.e., not just flown through), which I count as not bad but not super high. I come from a working-class background in my family, so I like to treat everyone equally and listen to everyone equally. I am also always interested in learning about different cultures, life in other countries. For all of that listening and learning are always important.
The big pro is always learning something new about a place you do not know, especially as we are lucky to visit countries and locations people don’t normally go to. The big con is dealing with people who think they are more important than others, especially in hierarchical societies.
BD: Apart from me, who have been some of the positive influences in your career (just on the off chance there are others)?
James Siddorn: Of course, you Brett. Well, you know there are a few of us in our consulting practices that get on well because of our personalities but also because we think similarly about structural geology problems. I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with some great people, some for a long time, and with others just briefly.
One that was always important to me was Bob Hauser, Head of Technical Services at the Con Mine (Canada). Bob taught me so much about working within the mine, to always think critically and to pose the right question. He always had time to talk, and I always appreciated my time with Bob.
BD: Where would you say the focus of most of your work is? Is it on a particular commodity or a deposit type? Given the current multi commodity mineral boom, are you doing a lot of work outside of the commodities and deposit styles you have traditionally worked on?
James Siddorn: As you know, I started off with a focus on orogenic gold deposits through my PhD and much of my early consulting work. Then throughout my career at SRK, I have been involved with lots of deposit types and terranes around the world.
This started with work in the Sudbury basin on magmatic nickel (I have been lucky to work on most mines and deposits in Sudbury). Afterward, I was off to South America and Mexico working on epithermal and porphyry deposits, with a little orogenic gold thrown in there.
Then off to Spain and Portugal to start working on all of the deposits in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, well trying to, I think I am up to six deposits now. Now a lot of my work is between orogenic gold and VMS deposits, from Iberia through Eastern Europe, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. I have been lucky to work on all the orogenic and epithermal gold mines in Saudi Arabia, so I am building a comprehensive understanding of gold in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
BD: I know you do a lot of geotechnical work. Has this been an obvious extension to your skills as a structural geologist, or was it a new field for you that required acquiring fundamentally different skills?
James Siddorn: One of the great things about structural geology is that it is adaptable to different deposits, or different stakeholders. I got involved in geotechnical work because I like working around underground mines and when I started with SRK, I was able to work with some great geotechnical engineers.
Structural geology has come a long way, practically in understanding important problems like fault properties and failure mechanisms. Yet, there’s one difference in seismically active underground mines, and that’s time. Normally, as geologists we look at finite geology, finite strain and so on – things that occurred millions or billions of years ago, but when dealing with seismicity today you must look in 4D, examining how it is changing as a mine advances. This is a complex problem.
BD: As a widely traveled geologist, what part of the world do you think is highly prospective for finding new world-class orebodies? I’m interested to hear this regarding geological attributes irrespective of the no-go zones associated with impediments such as environmental concerns and geopolitical/security risks.
James Siddorn: I always think South America is so prospective. There are still discoveries, particularly in gold and within the Andes, where there are so many new places that are relatively untouched. A good example of this is the exploration success of Filo Sur (Lundin) in Argentina, in an area previously only accessible by donkey. But I must admit I am biased towards the countries and jurisdictions I know!
BD: Is there a particular mineralization style or deposit type that interests you, and why?
James Siddorn: I really enjoy working on VMS deposits right now. One, because I am learning a lot, two, because structural geology is often poorly done in these deposits, and three, you can make a big impact in terms of exploration strategy.
BD: Leading on from the previous question – everyone has a handful of deposits that have left a mark on them, be it because of the amazing geology, the hideous conditions, the people they worked with, etc. Which deposits do you hold dear, and which ones really were difficult to work on?
James Siddorn: I hold a series of deposits dear in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, from Aguas Tenidas to Magdalena to Cobre Las Cruces. I really enjoyed working on these mines. It’s amazing geology in this part of the world, combined with great food and drinks.
BD: I know you are very passionate about mentoring and that you were awarded the Past Presidents Memorial Medal by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum, in recognition of your efforts to teach and inspire young members of the mining industry. Can you provide your perspective on what inspires you to do this and why you think it is important?
James Siddorn: I guess, I like helping people in the same way people in my career helped me. I remember great conversations with Jim Franklin when I was involved with the Geological Survey of Canada during my PhD, for example. It’s always great to learn from younger people too, I have a philosophy that we should always build teams of people smarter than us.
BD: Leading on from the previous question, what is your opinion of the geological skillsets, experience, and knowledge of geologists today, especially new graduates?
James Siddorn: To be honest, I don’t get to interact with many newly-graduated geologists now. Though, I am impressed by the computing and programming skills of younger geologists. When combined with good field geology skills, it is an awesome combination.
I often get surprised by the technical skills of geologists overseas. I have been lucky to work with some great Somali and Pakistani geos in the field recently. They are passionate about learning and hard working in the field.
BD: Applied structural geology is core to your career and you run a lot of applied structural geology courses. Have you found the content and focus of these courses has changed during your time in industry e.g. with the growth and application of 3D modeling?
James Siddorn: I have always been an advocate for 3D geological modeling since I built my first 3D model using AutoCAD 2000 (yes, a few years ago).
I pushed the limits of Leapfrog when it was first released building kimberlite stratigraphic models using domain boundaries, long before the software had any geology modeling capability. For sure, our early courses had paper-based problems, and now with a small enough group we can run exercises and problems in 3D on a computer. After nearly 20 years of teaching courses, I can honestly say the material always improves, especially with so many case studies from different deposits.
The key that remains the same is that the course needs to teach and empower geologists to do structural geology, to give everyone the confidence and knowledge to use structural geology daily.
BD: Coring is also a drilling magazine, and we like to keep to our roots. So, I’ll ask you a drilling-related question. Do you do much work with oriented core? Do you have any horror stories with core orientation?
James Siddorn: As you know, Brett, oriented core is still a challenge for many companies, even with the new tools and QA-QC methods that are available. Many people get frustrated with core orientation. I remember one advanced gold exploration project where the project manager refused to use oriented core, even though the deposit was vein-hosted and totally blind under a lake. He thought it was too complicated to understand the quality issues. After 15 minutes of showing them the issues using their own core, he was sold, once he understood that the solutions were so practical.
People need to understand that doing oriented core is a mechanical problem, ensuring all the steps from the drill to the measurement are done well.
BD: Has there been any single satisfying moment in your career that rates above all the others?
James Siddorn: The day I received my PhD is a moment I will not forget. As I mentioned earlier, it is not normal for people in my family to go to university and I was lucky to do so, but then to earn my MSc and PhD is even more amazing. That, combined with the fact that I started consulting (independent at first and then with SRK) during my PhD and many people did not think I would finish, makes it more special… It took my PhD supervisor telling me that he was moving continents to put the fear of God into me to finish. Thanks Sandy!
BD: I’ll ask a question on the flipside to the previous one. Many of us have interfaced with less than savory individuals or experienced toxic workplaces. Has there been any incident or incidents that really disappointed you?
James Siddorn: That’s a good question, but I have to say I have been lucky that I have not had many situations like this. A huge number of clients I work with have become good friends, in fact, it’s a philosophy of mine that if we are working together closely, then we automatically are friends. It’s a great way to work.
More than toxic workplaces, I have been in mines where people are working extremely hard in poor conditions for probably low pay. This is always a good reminder of how lucky we are and how little we need in life.
BD: One topic we commonly talk about but rarely put into print is that of the health hazards of working in different countries and environments. Has your health ever been particularly challenged and, if so, what happened?
James Siddorn: Great question and wow yes, some underground environments can be tough. I keep myself physically fit not only because I enjoy it, but it does also help with work. I have worked many times at above 5000 m (16 404 ft) in the Andes and luckily, I do not have issues at altitude, normally with the Peruvians or Chileans on site being amazed.
Also, I am rarely in an area for more than a couple of weeks, so you can live with most conditions. But looking back, I have worked from -56°C (-69°F) in the north of Canada up to 50°C plus (122°F) in Saudi Arabia. It’s amazing what the human body can adapt to.
BD: You are one of the rare breeds of geologists who works in the industry but manages to maintain a publishing career. What inspires you to publish and how do you overcome the challenges, such as finding the time? I know this detracts from your time in your workshop where you make those amazing woodwork projects I’ve been privileged to see.
James Siddorn: I like to write, but I have to say, I don’t have a great and extensive publishing career. It does take time and focus to do so. Finding the time requires I commit and carve it out because I am always first to try and fit in another site visit to help a client I know well. So I must tell myself to not say ‘YES’ to everything.
I would like to write a few papers, especially synthesis works on ore controls in the areas I know well, but I need to sketch out the content and then sit down and read recent publications.
Oh, and I love building things with my hands, though I must admit, I am still a novice woodworker. I hope to build a workshop this year so I can start to practice and learn more.
BD: Are you undertaking any active research now?
James Siddorn: I am working on a method to integrate multiple drillhole datasets to build a ‘fault’ probability classification. I have the concept, and I am working on this with two other team members that have a background in machine learning. Let me explain a little.
When building 3D fault interpretations, we often use a variety of drillhole datasets, which could include logged faults, RQD %, alteration, recovery, etc. We analyze these datasets individually, turning them on and off in 3D to look for structural trends. I want to build a method that automatically evaluates drillhole intervals for the potential that a fault exists, building a fault probability. So, if a given interval has a low RQD %, clay alteration, and poor recovery, but without a logged fault by the geologist, it would be highlighted. This would enable the geologist to work first from one integrated dataset, and then if needed, look at the individual data.
BD: What have you learned from field practice and your job experience that is not taught at university? Will you be incorporating these insights into a set of memoirs?
James Siddorn: No, no memoirs please, I am not that special. I really like to impart to people the methods and ability to think in 3D, especially in the field. It is a challenging skill for many, even with the software we have now. Just look at the Shepard and Metzler 3D problems, get good at those, and then you can train yourself to think in 3D.
BD: If you had abundant financial funding, is there a fundamentally annoying geology question you’d like to solve or a topic you’d like to work on?
James Siddorn: Umm, these are all great questions. Here’s a great one. The time scale of tectonic and sedimentary events in major orogenic gold districts is still a problem. In many districts, the timing of burial and metamorphism, then flysch sediment deposition (at surface), and then burial again in time for gold deposition results in the concept that these districts are underground burial, rapid exhumation, and rapid burial again (the concept of ‘vertical tectonics’). Examining this within some of the major Archean and Proterozoic gold districts would solve a question that no one seems to want to tackle.
BD: Do you think that geological societies, such as the Society of Economic Geology (SEG), have adapted with the times in terms of being useful entities for their members? Or are there basic things that such societies should be providing and/or promoting?
James Siddorn: I wish I was a little more involved in SEG, and I have dedicated a lot of time over the last 15 years to helping PDAC (including five years of fun as Convention Planning Chair). Key for any society is member engagement, ensuring that you are providing for their fundamental needs, be it scientific advancement or government advocacy. You must make sure the society is not self-serving and lives to its purpose.
BD: Finally, any concluding comments or words of wisdom from an industry veteran?
James Siddorn: To be honest, I don’t like to think that I am a veteran, but I guess I am not a youngster anymore. Only one thing to say to younger geos – go see more rocks…. Life is best in another country seeing new geology.
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