---
title: "Geologist"
chunk: 2/2
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geologist"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:47:43.021352+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Economic geology: the study of ore genesis, and the mechanisms of ore creation, geostatistics.
Engineering geology: application of the geologic sciences to engineering practice for the purpose of assuring that the geologic factors affecting the location, design, construction, operation and maintenance of engineering works are recognized and adequately provided for;
Geophysics: the applied branch deals with the application of physical methods such as gravity, seismicity, electricity, magnetic properties to study the earth.
Geochemistry: the applied branch deals with the study of the chemical makeup and behaviour of rocks, and the study of the behaviour of their minerals.
Geochronology: the study of isotope geology specifically toward determining the date within the past of rock formation, metamorphism, mineralization and geological events (notably, meteorite impacts).
Geomorphology: the study of landforms and the processes that create them.
Hydrogeology: the study of the origin, occurrence and movement of groundwater water in a subsurface geological system.
Igneous petrology: the study of igneous processes such as igneous differentiation, fractional crystallization, intrusive and volcanological phenomena.
Isotope geology: the case of the isotopic composition of rocks to determine the processes of rock and planetary formation.
Metamorphic petrology: the study of the effects of metamorphism on minerals and rocks.
Marine geology: the study of the seafloor; involves geophysical, geochemical, sedimentological and paleontological investigations of the ocean floor and coastal margins. Marine geology has strong ties to physical oceanography and plate tectonics.
Mineralogy: the study of the chemistry, crystal structure, and physical (including optical) properties of minerals and mineralized artifacts. Specific studies within mineralogy include the processes of mineral origin and formation, classification of minerals, their geographical distribution, as well as their utilization.
Palaeoclimatology: the application of geological science to determine the climatic conditions present in the Earth's atmosphere within the Earth's history.
Palaeontology: the classification and taxonomy of fossils within the geological record and the construction of a palaeontological history of the Earth.
Pedology: the study of soil, soil formation, and regolith formation.
Petroleum geology: the study of sedimentary basins applied to the search for hydrocarbons (oil exploration).
Planetary geology: the study of geosciences as it relates to other celestial bodies, namely planets and their moons. This includes the subdisciplines of lunar geology, selenology, and martian geology, areology.
Sedimentology: the study of sedimentary rocks, strata, formations, eustasy and the processes of modern-day sedimentary and erosive systems.
Seismology: the study of earthquakes.
Structural geology: the study of folds, faults, foliation and rock microstructure to determine the deformational history of rocks and regions.
Volcanology: the study of volcanoes, their eruptions, lavas, magma processes and hazards.

== Employment ==

Professional geologists may work in the mining industry or in the associated area of mineral exploration. They may also work in oil and gas industry.
Some geologists also work for a wide range of government agencies, private firms, and non-profit and academic institutions. They are usually hired on a contract basis or hold permanent positions within private firms or official agencies (such as the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration of Iran).
Local, state, and national governments hire geologists to work on geological projects that are of interest to the public community. The investigation of a country's natural resources is often a key role when working for government institutions; the work of the geologist in this field can be made publicly available to help the community make more informed decisions related to the exploitation of resources, management of the environment and the safety of critical infrastructure - all of which is expected to bring greater wellbeing to the country. This 'wellbeing' is often in the form of greater tax revenues from new or extended mining projects or through better infrastructure and/or natural disaster planning.

An engineering geologist is employed to investigate geologic hazards and geologic constraints for the planning, design and construction of public and private engineering projects, forensic and post-mortem studies, and environmental impact analysis. Exploration geologists use all aspects of geology and geophysics to locate and study natural resources. In many countries or U.S. states without specialized environmental remediation licensure programs, the environmental remediation field is often dominated by professional geologists, particularly hydrogeologists, with professional concentrations in this aspect of the field. Petroleum and mining companies use mudloggers, and large-scale land developers use the skills of geologists and engineering geologists to help them locate oil and minerals, adapt to local features such as karst topography or earthquake risk, and comply with environmental regulations.
Geologists in academia usually hold an advanced degree in a specialized area within their geological discipline and are employed by universities.

== Professional designation ==

In Canada, National Instrument 43-101 requires reports containing estimates of mineral resources and reserves to be prepared by, or under the supervision of, a Qualified Person (QP) who has at least five years of experience with the reported minerals and is a member of a professional association. The QP accepts personal liability for the professional quality of the report and underlying work.
The rules and guidelines codified in National Instrument 43-101 were introduced after a scandal in 1997 where Bre-X geologists salted drill core samples at a gold exploration property in Busang, Indonesia. The falsified drilling results misled Bre-X investors and upon discovery of the fraud, the company collapsed in the largest gold mining scam in history.
In Europe exists the professional title of EurGeol (European Geologist) awarded by the European Federation of Geologists.

== Professional Societies ==

Geologists may belong to a number of professional societies promoting research, networking, and professional development within the field.

American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG)
American Geosciences Institute (AGI)
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE) – Professional organization for geoscientists and engineers
European Federation of Geologists (EFG)
European Geosciences Union (EGU) – International science society
Geological Society of America (GSA)
British Geological Survey (BGS)
Geological Society of London (GSL)
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS)
International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS)
Mineralogical Society of America (MSA)
Society for Sedimentary Geology (SEPM)
Society of Economic Geologists (SEG)

== See also ==
List of geologists
List of geology journals
List of free geology software
Petroleum geologist

== References ==