Bridging academic excellence with real-world application lies at the heart of our University Outreach initiative. As Didier Renard from Mines Paris – PSL highlights, “one of the main objectives of Geostatistics is not only to provide a rigorous framework for resource estimation, but also to assess the uncertainty associated with these estimates.” Through our long-standing collaboration with the CFSG, Datamine France supports experienced professionals in strengthening their expertise, combining advanced theory with practical application to enable more informed, risk-aware decision-making in today’s mining industry.
Could you briefly introduce yourself and your role at CFSG / École des Mines, and explain your involvement over the years?
I am Didier Renard. I joined the École des Mines de Paris in 1978 at the Centre for Geostatistics in Fontainebleau, directed by Professor G. Matheron. As a research engineer, I led and contributed to numerous studies for companies, mainly in the mining and oil & gas industries.
At the same time, I was actively involved in training both students and industry professionals. I also contributed to the development and success of the specialised Geostatistics program (CFSG), created in 1979, which has trained small cohorts of five to ten students per year and provided them with strong foundations for their professional careers.
Could you tell us how the collaboration between Datamine France and CFSG began and how it has evolved over time?
For many years, my role was to help students put theoretical foundations into practice using Geovariances’ Isatis software. Following the retirement of its director, Gaëlle Le Loc’h, I naturally took over responsibility for the CFSG program.
In recent years, we have adapted to the growing demand for shorter, more intensive training programmes delivered via videoconference. This has led to the current modular format, where training is divided into sessions lasting from one to four weeks and spread throughout the year. Each day combines theoretical sessions in the morning, delivered by Mines Paris, with practical application on Geovariances’ Isatis.neo in the afternoon, supported by Datamine France.
What common goals underpin the partnership between CFSG and Datamine France?
The development of the CFSG aims to promote best practices in Geostatistics, a goal fully shared with Datamine France. Together, we ensure that users can apply techniques ranging from the most common to the most advanced, always with the objective of producing accurate and reliable results.
How does this collaboration help bridge the gap between academic theory and industry applications?
The close collaboration with Datamine France ensures strong continuity between the concepts taught during theoretical sessions and their practical implementation in software.
This ongoing dialogue between instructors from both organisations helps students develop a deeper understanding of Geostatistics, ensuring that tools like Geovariances’ Isatis.neo are not seen as a “black box,” but as systems grounded in well-understood mathematical principles.
Why is a deep understanding of geostatistical methods essential today?
A thorough understanding of the methods used in Geovariances’ Isatis neo is key to applying its concepts effectively and efficiently. This requires both practical knowledge of the tools and a solid grasp of the underlying mathematical principles.
Why is understanding uncertainty so critical in today’s mining and resource industries?
One of the main objectives of Geostatistics is not only to provide a rigorous framework for resource estimation, but also to assess the uncertainty associated with these estimates.
This is particularly important in industry, where a clear understanding of result reliability allows companies to optimise their strategies while effectively managing risk.
What impact have you observed on participants after completing CFSG training?
It is not uncommon to meet alumni who fondly remember their time at CFSG and recognise the decisive role it played in their careers. Many of them become strong ambassadors for the programme, regularly recommending it to new recruits seeking a solid and practical understanding of Geostatistics.
How do you see the collaboration between CFSG and Datamine France evolving in the future?
The evolution of the collaboration between Mines Paris and Datamine France will continue to be guided by feedback from our students, as well as by the changing needs of the industry.
A natural progression for our discipline is to increasingly integrate Machine Learning approaches. It is likely that dedicated modules will soon be introduced to explore how these techniques can be applied to estimation and uncertainty assessment.
Interested? Registrations are still open for the last two modules:
Module C – Simulation of Continuous Variables for Uncertainty and Risk Analysis
📅 May 18–22, 2026
https://dataminesoftware.com/cfsg-module-c-simulation-of-continuous-variables-for-uncertainty-and-risk-analysis/
Module D – Simulation of Categorical Variables for Geology and Domain Modeling
📅 June 15–19, 2026
https://dataminesoftware.com/cfsg-module-d-simulation-of-categorical-variables-for-geology-and-domain-modeling/
