GEO 101 never taught economic geology. All they teach in a school is the basics of earth formation, historical geology, sedimentology, volcanology, metamorphic regimes, petrology thereof, rock forming elements and systems of nomenclature thereof, eutectics of melts, structure of deformation, tectonics, minerals, crystal structures, a bit of chemistry of the minerals, and sometimes in engineering schools, extractive metallurgy. Yes, metallurgy is what they call it, although in the field of minerals it should be called compoundology. Rarely do you encounter metals in the field. They are always oxides, sulfides, arsenides, or some such compound. Gold, silver and platinum may be exceptions, although you find compounds of these commonly too. How many natural compounds of Gold would you expect to find? Silver? Platinum has a few. Its compounds are much more common than the reduced element itself.
More advanced geology course go into the occurrence of orebodies. Nature of ore occurrences, and theory of emplacement. Some teach something about indicator elements, geochemical pathfinders, common ore structures, reasons for location of different types ore, and what loci in fabrics to foci on for detection of valuable minerals.
Some schools elaborate on electrical and geochemical techniques for finding ore in depth. Few schools touch on all the points of ore formation and methods for ore location by all known methods. Few schools elaborate on signs of ore emplacement in hydrothermal environments or alteration forms as they relate to ore or concentrations of valuable mineral emplacement. They are not training ore body sleuths it seems.
There are limits on how detailed they can get, as the whole science is quite various, and needs a great deal of background to be intelligently applied. It is a 4 year science course first, and then needs a couple of years of graduate study into practical applications of what you have learned about rocks vis a vis what you want to do with/about them. On the job training gives on the experience if you continue to apply the principles of geology to the occurrences you find. It's all there if you keep your mind on it.
Relating occurrences back to principles is the life long study you should embrace if you wish to compound success in the field. Every ore or mineral occurrence can be related to geochemistry, host rock forming minerals, alteration regimes, shears and local structures and general tectonic environment. Why it there may be divined, and predictions can be made, which may be helpful. Holes can be spotted based on geochemistry, perceived micro and macro structure, alteration regimes, vein character and chemistry, like orebodies in the region, and electrical character of the immediate environment. Remember that ore hides well. It may change at every depth and lateral horizon almost chimerically. But the signs are always there. You must read them like Merlin reads a crystal ball.
It helps to have worked in mines for a while and seen the structures and mineral regimes in three dimensions, to get an idea for the degree of persistence one must have in viewing the potential orebody from only one perspective in exploration geology, namely a few outcrops and a lot of overburden covered by trees.
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