The Anatomy of a Mine - Mining and the Environment: From Ore to Metal - page 171

TABLE 4.2
The Three Stages of Exploration - Every exploration programme is different and there are no hard and fast rules
governing the process and the outcome. However, drilling is the main technique used to eventually confi rm the presence of concealed
mineral deposit, and to outline its extent and grade.
Area Selection
Preliminary preparation
Selection of programme criteria
Commodities to be sought
Guidelines for identifying deposit location
Familiarization
Literature and data review
Analysis of regional geology
Review of known areas of mineral occurrence
Reconnaissance exploration
Geological reconnaissance
Airborne reconnaissance
Reconnaissance geological mapping
Airborne sensed geo-physical reconnaissance
Land acquisition/right to explore
Determination of land status
Ensure right to explore
By government lease
By lease from private owner
By staking
By prospector's permit
Exploration - Gathering Field Data
Geological mapping
Geochemical exploration
Stream sediment sampling
Rock sampling
Soil sampling
Other geo-chemical methods
Geo-physical exploration
Gravimetric and magnetic methods
Electrical methods
Forced current coil methods
Seismic surveys
Radiometric surveys
Down hole methods
Exploration drilling
Auger drilling
Rotary-percussion drilling
Diamond core drilling
Bulk sampling
Test pitting and costeaning
Adits and shafts
Data Evaluation
from helicopters or i xed-wing aircraft. Such reconnaissance exploration has virtually no
environmental impact as it does not require contact with the land surface.
Ground surveys include geological mapping, geo-chemical sampling, and geophysical
exploration, which are initiated if the results of remote sensing are encouraging. Ground
surveys aim to dei ne small areas of heightened interest that warrant further testing by
drilling. Drilling, supplemented in some cases by test pitting, is the main technique to