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Eric Seedorff

Associate Professor Emeritus
Lowell Chair in Economic Geology Emeritus
520-621-6000
seedorff@arizona.edu

Documents

Selected Papers and Theses

Eric was raised in a mining family and earned degrees in geology at the University of California at Davis (BS) and Stanford University (MS, PhD). For the first half of his career, he worked in the exploration and mining industry, including VP Mineral Resources for BHP Copper, Chief Geologist of Magma Copper, Chief Mine Geologist for Magma on the Robinson project, an exploration geologist for WestGold and Chevron Resources in the Great Basin, and temporary positions with Noranda, Anaconda, and Climax. 

In the second half of his career, Eric served for nearly 20 years on the Geosciences faculty at the University of Arizona as first holder of the Lowell Chair in Economic Geology. He was research advisor to 31 graduate students (5 PhD, 13 MS, 13 PSM), served on 45 other graduate research committees, and taught volcanology, physical geology, geologic best practices in the mineral industry, and a seminar on normal faults and mineral deposits. Eric helped create, lead, and teach annual 10-day short courses in the Lowell Program in Economic Geology (LPEG): (1) Ore Deposits Mapping, (2) Porphyry Deposits, and (3) Structural Geology for Exploration and Mine Geologists. He also founded a four-day Mining Leadership Program that was offered for four years. Since the first offering in 2004, about 1300 professionals and 500 students have participated in the short courses. Eric retired in 2021 and as Emeritus continues to conduct research and to co-lead and co-teach the LPEG short courses.

Research Interests

  • Porphyry-related Cu, Mo, and Au deposits

  • Carlin-type and epithermal Au deposits

  • Hydrothermal alteration-mineralization

  • Regional geology of the Cordillera

  • Extensional tectonics

Awards and Recognitions

  • Society of Economic Geologists (SEG), Fellow.

  • Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), Fellow.

  • University of Arizona Geosciences Advisory Board Outstanding Faculty Award, 2014

  • SEG Brian J. Skinner Award for outstanding paper in Economic Geology, 2004

  • Arizona Geological Society, President, 2004

  • Geological Society of Nevada, President, 1991-1992