This is done prior to the mining of the area in order to develop a geological picture and only 1 in 1000 exploration sites are likely to turn into mines.
Mineral exploration is important as we need these minerals for a variety of purposes, most of which affect our everyday life however we want to have the lowest impact on the earth as possible. Minerals are used in transport vehicles such as cars, buses, and bikes as well as technology such as cellphones, computers, and even medical devices.
The exploration process follows four stages; area selection, regional prospecting, field surveys, and if deemed appropriate drilling. These take place over a period of 5 - 10 years. Area selection is the application of ore genesis theories made up of three key components source, transport, and trapping. These theories assist in determining the best areas to explore for particular minerals.
Regional prospecting is a low-impact search for minerals in the selected area to further refine the mineral locations. This can involve data analysis, geological mapping, remote sensing, and sampling done by hand.
Field surveys are then completed in the refined locations. Field surveys are when a team of geologists test the areas to determine if the sought-after minerals are present. This can be done via the collection of rock, soil, and stream sediment.
Drilling is the last stage in the exploration process and will only take place if testing has indicated the desired minerals. Drilling will extract a small amount of rock from below the surface so that geologists can analyse the rock to determine if there is a large enough concentration of minerals to be commercially viable. For early-stage exploration, smaller drilling rigs are used.
Contact ATROX today to discuss how we can assist you in your next mineral exploration as our rigs can be customised to fit your purpose and can even be towed using the appropriate vehicle.
