Mineral exploration is the scientific and technical process of searching for and evaluating economically viable mineral deposits, encompassing a range of activities from desktop geological studies and remote sensing analysis through to field mapping, geophysical surveying, geochemical sampling, and ultimately drilling to test subsurface targets. Mineral exploration is the precursor to mine development and is critical to replenishing the resource base of mining companies as existing deposits are depleted. Exploration programs are structured in progressive phases of increasing expenditure and data resolution: reconnaissance (desk studies, airborne geophysics, stream sediment sampling), prospect evaluation (ground-based geophysical surveys, soil and rock chip sampling, first-pass drilling), and resource definition (infill drilling, metallurgical testwork, resource estimation). In gold exploration, key targeting criteria include proximity to known gold occurrences, the presence of alteration systems, structural controls such as faults and shear zones, and geochemical anomalies in soil and rock. Iron ore exploration focuses on identifying banded iron formations (BIFs) and their supergene enrichment profiles. Bauxite exploration targets lateritic profiles developed over aluminous parent rocks in tropical and subtropical terrains. Diamond exploration involves kimberlite pipe identification through magnetic and gravity surveys, indicator mineral sampling (garnets, ilmenites, chrome diopsides), and bulk sampling. Results of exploration programs feed into Mineral Resource estimation under internationally recognized reporting codes such as JORC, NI 43-101, or PERC.
