Field Guide
Mineral Exploration 101
A plain-English guide to how mineral exploration actually works — drilling, core logging, sampling, assays, and geophysics — written for geologists, students, and anyone reading drill results.
New articles published every Tuesday and Thursday.
Exploration Fundamentals
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What Is Mineral Exploration? The Process, Stage by Stage
Mineral exploration is the staged search for economically viable mineral deposits — from area selection and surveys through drilling to resource definition. Here's how each stage works, what it costs, and why most prospects never become mines.
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Exploration Methods Explained: Mapping, Geochemistry, Geophysics & Drilling
The four core mineral exploration methods are geological mapping, geochemical sampling, geophysical surveys, and drilling. Here's what each one detects, what it costs, and how they work together as a funnel from wide-area search to a drilled discovery.
Drilling & Core
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Exploration Drilling Methods Compared (Diamond, RC, RAB, Auger, Sonic)
Diamond, RC, RAB, auger, and sonic drilling trade cost against sample quality and depth. Here's how each method works, what it samples, what it costs, and when explorers use it.
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Diamond Drilling Explained
Diamond drilling cuts an intact cylinder of rock — the core — with a diamond bit. Here's how the bit, core barrel, and wireline system work, and what core costs.