The Exploration of Scientific Prospecting Work:A Discussion on Strategic Mineral Prospecting Project

Scientific prospecting is the general term for discovering mineral deposits and mineral exploration processes, which has been studied for more than 40 years in China. It applies effective temporal metallogenic theories and derives ore-forming information from all kinds of data and material to study the metallogenic regularity and subsequently delineate regions and belts at levels (I–V). In the regions or belts with abundant mineralization information, illustrating the geological setting of potential deposits, determining the deposit types and identifying the characteristics of undiscovered ore deposits enable some findings after deployment of mineral exploration. Scientific prospecting can be regard as a systematic processing involving disciplines connection in mineral exploration. It has led to breakthrough in prospecting and modernizes related work in the field. Based onthe projects of “A new round of solid mineral census”, “Mineral exploration cross-century project”, “Mineral resources survey and evaluation Project” and “The program of action for prospecting breakthrough strategy”, we are exploring the scientific connotation of scientific prospecting after the framework established through the division of mineral resources. It indicates that scientific prospecting should regard metallogenic series and metallogenic system theories as the theoretical instruction. The means of scientific prospecting include taking division of metallogenic prospecting, processing, extracting information of the geological data and compiling maps of mineral exploration and metallogenic prospecting. Deservedly, there is an implementation sequence of discovering mineral deposits included in scientific prospecting, from studying of typical mineral deposits, establishing metallogenic model, analyzing ore forming regularity, delineating mineral prospecting area and finally to deploying exploration work. Mineral exploration have combined all above and gotten achievement on ore prospecting and deposit exploration. These are labelled as the “three theories”, “two systems”, and “two technologies”, which will guide future mineral exploration work “Strategic mineral exploration action[2021–2035]”.