Mineral Exploration Guides

Pathfinder element geochemistry; During the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, lots of new mineral deposits were discovered using geochemical surveys with direct detection of the target metal. There are fewer easy wins now, so we should be making better use of pathfinder element haloes to increase the size of the detectable footprints. Many of the useful pathfinder elements have low abundances that can only be measured adequately with ICP-MS. Pathfinder element patterns around hydrothermal systems are consistent and predictable, but we have failed to make effective use of pathfinder geochem from ICP-MS data because the patterns of hypogene element dispersion are not adequately documented in public domain literature. The schematic figures provided here are based on information from hundreds of deposits, each with many thousands of geochemical analyses; hence patterns, the physical scale, and the abundances of metals depicted here are quite realistic. (Disclaimer; no two mineral deposits are the same). If you want to see some real case studies upon which these figures are based, check some of the conference presentations from my web page.

1. Geological Logging (Lithological Logging) - Focuses on describing the rock types (lithology) encountered in the core. - Records: - Rock type . - Grain size, texture, and color - Mineral composition - Weathering and alteration (e.g., kaolinization, silicification) - Structural features (fractures, veins, brecciation) 2. Structural Logging - Documents geological structures that affect mineralization or rock stability. - Records: - Faults, folds, and shear zones - Joints, fractures, and fissures - Bedding planes and foliation - Vein orientations and thicknesses - Rock strength (RQD – Rock Quality Designation) 3. Geotechnical Logging - Assesses rock strength and stability for mine design and safety. - Measures: - RQD (Rock Quality Designation) - Fracture frequency and spacing - Core recovery percentage - Rock hardness (using scratch tests or Schmidt hammer) - Moisture content and porosity 4. Mineralogical Logging - Focuses on ore minerals and their distribution. - Records: - Type and abundance of economic minerals (e.g., gold, copper, iron) - Gangue minerals (waste materials) - Alteration minerals (e.g., chlorite, sericite, epidote) - Sulfide/oxide ratios (important for metallurgical processing) 5. Geochemical Logging - Involves chemical analysis of the core (often done with portable XRF or lab assays). - Measures: - Elemental concentrations (e.g., Au, Cu, Zn, Fe) - Grade variability - Pathfinder elements (indicators of mineralization) 6. Metamorphic & Alteration Logging - Tracks metamorphic grade and hydrothermal alteration. - Records: - Types of alteration (e.g., potassic, phyllic, argillic, propylitic) - Metamorphic facies (e.g., greenschist, amphibolite) - Mineral assemblages indicating temperature/pressure conditions 7. Sedimentological Logging (for Sedimentary Deposits) - Used in coal, oil sands, or placer deposits. - Records: - Bedding thickness and sequences - Grain size distribution (e.g., clay, silt, sand, gravel) - Fossil content and bioturbation - Depositional environment clues (e.g., fluvial, marine) 8. Hydrogeological Logging - Assesses water-bearing zones and permeability. - Records: - Fracture porosity - Water stains and seepage - Aquifer potential 9. Downhole Geophysical Logging (Complementary to Core Logging) - Uses tools like gamma, resistivity, density, and sonic logs to provide continuous subsurface data. Modern Advances in Core Logging - Digital core logging (using tablets or specialized software like acQuire, LogChief, or MX Deposit) - Hyperspectral imaging (for rapid mineral identification) - 3D core scanning (CT scans for detailed structural analysis) Accurate logging ensures better resource estimation and mine design . #Mining #exploration #Core_logging #DD_Drilling #Innovation #Project

Arc-related epithermal, CRD and porphyry deposits often display systematic variations in orientation, deposit type and structural setting depending on the stress state of the arc. Arcs can be in contraction where buoyant, young oceanic crust in rapid convergence leads to low angle subduction, varying to extension where old, dense crust descends into the mantle and pulls the overlying arc toward the subduction zone (roll back) resulting in intra-arc extension. Oblique subduction can produce strike slip displacement in the arc. These conditions can vary through time, resulting in different deposit types and changes in orientation of ore controlling structures which reflect avariations in far field stress, and magma volumes and of depths of residency.  The schematic illustrations here convey various arc stress states and tectonomagmatic settings of convergent margins (left diagrams), and associated positions and geometry of different styles of epithermal deposits (inset diagrams on right); from Rhys et al. (2020: see reference below).  Epithermal codes: IS = Intermediate sulfidation; LS = Low-sulfidation; HS = High-sulfidation. SCLM = sub-crustal lithospheric mantle.  Individual deposits may deviate from these idealized patterns due to temporal changes in intra-arc stress conditions, local volumetric changes in underlying magmatic bodies and volcanic features, paleotopography, fault interaction, fault inheritance, configuration of basement rocks, etc.:   A: Arc-normal extension characterized by arc-parallel normal faults and voluminous volcanism. Epithermal IS and LS vein systems occur in arc-parallel veins and faults, locally linked to or controlled by arc-transverse oblique slip veins and faults, porphyries are small or absent.   B: Contractional arc (orthogonal convergence), shown here with slab flattening and crustal thickening. Reverse faults are arc-parallel. Arc-transverse oblique slip and arc-orthogonal extensional faults cross the arc and localize volcanism. IS veins are arc-perpendicular and locally superimposed on porphyry systems. HS mineralization and associated lithocaps follow arc-parallel lithological and fault trends, or occur in arc-normal and oblique extensional corridors; porphyry deposits can be large. C: Oblique subduction with transtensional or transpressional regional strain and faulting partitioned into arc-parallel strike-slip faults, and arc-transverse faults. Volcanism and IS and HS deposits are associated with flexures, pull apart basins, and jogs or stepovers in strike-slip faults. Veins and mineralized normal faults occur in arc-oblique to orthogonal orientations, extending locally along bounding strike-slip faults. Such patterns in the development of arc-related deposits in the evolution of western North America will be reviewed in the short course myself, Amanda Hughes and Franck VALLI will be offering at the SGA conference in Golden, Colorado, August 1-3. See link to conference short courses in comments below.  

20% of the world’s copper is mined using microbes. That’s over 4 million metric tons a year—enough copper to wire every building constructed globally in 2023. The process, now called bioleaching or biomining, predates modern science by millennia. During China’s Han Dynasty (~150 BCE), miners discovered that dipping iron tools into mineral-rich “gall springs” caused them to emerge sheathed in bright copper—as if transmuted. Locals believed it was alchemy. For centuries, regions from Cyprus to Spain used similar techniques to collect small amounts of copper—but it wasn’t until 2,000 years later that the process was fully understood and industrialized. In the early 1900s at Utah Copper’s Kennecott Bingham Canyon Mine, copper-rich waste streams flowed through the slums of the nearby town. Locals harvested copper by tossing iron cans into the runoff, then scraping off the copper chunks that formed. When Kennecott caught on, they fought for and won legal control over these waste streams—and began scaling the process. By the 1930s, engineered precipitation plants were processing millions of gallons of acidic leachate daily, using scrap iron to harvest copper. At the time, it was assumed the process was purely chemical—a byproduct of upstream mining. But in 1947, researchers Colmer and Hinkle uncovered the true driver: microbes. What was happening was a four step process: 1. 𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑠 produces sulfuric acid, maintaining a low-pH environment. 2. 𝐴𝑐𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑛𝑠 converts ferrous iron (Fe²⁺) into ferric iron (Fe³⁺)—a powerful oxidizer. 3. That Fe³⁺ attacks copper sulfides (like chalcocite, a copper ore), releasing Cu²⁺ into solution. 4. When scrap iron (Fe⁰) is added, a redox reaction displaces copper, which plates onto the surface as elemental copper (Cu⁰). Today, Chile leads the world in copper mining—accounting for nearly 24% of global production in 2024, or roughly 5.3 million metric tons. With vast reserves of low‑grade chalcopyrite, Chile had both the incentive and the raw material to scale microbial recovery. BioSigma S.A. helped transform this long-overlooked process into precision science. BioSigma has screened and enhanced thermophilic extremophiles from around the world. Using synthetic biology and genomics, it engineers microbial systems that have increased copper recovery on difficult ores from under 50% to over 70%. In 2025, biomining has become a buzzword. Companies like Maverick Metals have raised $19 million to modernize the approach. Transition Biomining, 1849 Bio, Endolith, and alkaLi are engineering new methodologies to pull metals from intractable ores. But this isn’t a new phase of science. It’s the continuation of one of the oldest—and most scalable—biotechnologies on Earth. Microbes have been pulling metals from rock for millennia. We’re just finally learning to give them the credit.

Kazakhstan is really gaining attention. In June, it’s auctioning off 50 rare metal and gold deposits. These are 25-year licenses, open to both exploration and production, and the whole process is going digital through their national platform. Companies from the US, EU, and China are already lining up. This comes off the back of 117 deposits awarded over the past two years. Now, with global demand for critical minerals heating up, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a serious contender in the supply chain, and they’ve got the rocks to back it. A recent discovery in the Karaganda region is estimated at 20 million tonnes of rare earths,including neodymium, cerium, lanthanum, and yttrium, putting them just behind China and Brazil in reserves. That’s a major step up for a country that’s been under the radar for too long. And the exploration side has been getting major news too. Arras Minerals Corporation just reported 547m at 0.70% CuEq, and Pallas Resources has teamed up with Ivanhoe Mines on a huge copper JV. It’s clear that interest isn’t just picking up it’s already turning into results. June’s auction will be one to watch. Article https://lnkd.in/giZjbU6i

“Your Drill Core Holds the Answers — Detailed Logging Finds Them” Every drill hole tells a story, and detailed core logging is how we read it. From lithology 🪨 to alteration 🌈, mineralization ✨, and structural features 📏 — every observation matters. Why it’s so important: 🔹 Better orebody models – Accurate logs = better resource estimates 🔹 Smarter targeting – Refines follow-up drilling locations 🔹 Geological insight – Reveals mineralization controls 🔹 Risk reduction – Informed decisions save time & money 💡 In exploration, quality logging = quality decisions. It’s not just “recording rocks” — it’s turning data into discovery. 📌 The more detail you capture, the more value you unlock. #CoreLogging #MineralExploration #ExplorationGeology #MiningIndustry #GeoScience #OrebodyModeling #MiningExploration #DrillCore #GeologyLife #MineralDiscovery

Critical minerals are no longer simply natural resources. They are becoming strategic infrastructure. As industries accelerate investment in AI, advanced manufacturing, electrification, semiconductors, and next-generation technologies, access to critical minerals is emerging as a defining component of long-term competitiveness. Mineral reserves do not automatically translate into economic advantage. Extraction capacity, processing capability, infrastructure, investment, governance, and resilient supply chains all influence how those resources create value. For business leaders, this extends well beyond the mining sector.  Many organizations now operate in industries that depend on supply chains built around materials they neither produce nor directly control. Understanding where critical resources originate—and how those ecosystems evolve—is an essential element of long-term strategy and operational resilience. Competitive advantage is increasingly shaped not only by innovation, but by the ability to secure the capabilities and resources that make innovation possible.

Major Material Characterization Techniques Every Researcher Should Know Understanding a material is just as important as synthesizing it. Material characterization helps us decode structure, composition, morphology, thermal, and surface properties, connecting lab-scale research with real-world applications. 📌 Key Characterization Techniques: 🧪 X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Phase identification Crystal structure & crystallite size 🌈 UV–Visible Spectroscopy (UV–Vis) Optical absorption behavior Band gap estimation ✨ Photoluminescence (PL) Spectroscopy Emission properties Defect states & recombination mechanisms 🧬 Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) Functional group identification Chemical bonding analysis 🔍 Raman Spectroscopy Molecular vibrations Structural disorder & stress analysis 🧫 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) Surface morphology & microstructure ⚛ Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) Atomic-scale structural information 📊 X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Surface chemistry & oxidation states 🧲 Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) Surface roughness & topography at the nanoscale 🧊 Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) Analysis Surface area & porosity evaluation 🔥 Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) Thermal stability & weight loss behavior 🌡 Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Phase transitions & heat flow analysis 💡 Why it matters: From physics and chemistry fundamentals to energy devices, semiconductors, polymers, and nanotechnology, characterization is the backbone of materials innovation.

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 - 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱. Mining has long sat in the background of capital markets. Often lumped in with the broader commodity markets and seen as slow, capital-intensive, and lacking technological progression. Important, but not investable. Strategic, but stagnant. Well, that narrative is breaking. Critical minerals, while always seen as national security assets, have ascended to a top national priority. Electrification, AI infrastructure, and defense supply chains are all colliding with a system that historically took 10+ years to deliver a new mine - if delivered at all. Meanwhile, discovery rates are collapsing while permitting timelines are stretching, further compounding capital risk. Due to this growing demand gap and market tailwinds, we spent the last few months mapping where the real bottlenecks and areas of venture-scale opportunity across the mining value chain sit, touching on: ⛏️ Exploration and feasibility - the binding constraints 🤖 Use of AI - sensing are collapsing the drill → data → decision loop ⏱️ Time-to-value matters - often more than technical novelty 💰 Moving multiples - how tech can move assets from “mining multiples” to “growth industrial” outcomes 📊 Business model innovation - why royalty-like, equity-linked models may matter as much as the tech itself The result is a framework for evaluating mining-tech opportunities via capital intensity vs. time-to-value, with a focus on cycle-time compression, risk reduction, and scalable value capture. And the best part? This isn’t just theory, we’re already seeing signals in OEM offtake behavior, upstream verticalization, and a new generation of founders treating mining as a potentially data-rich industry ripe for transformation. If you’re building, investing in, or navigating mining, minerals, or industrial AI — give it a read and let’s compare notes! As they say these days, the [VCs] yearn for the mines ⛏️ [Link to full piece in comments, also drop a comment if you want the spreadsheet backup to the market map] CC: Cathay Innovation, Simon Wu, Elijah Yi, Rose Yuan, Jaclyn H., Daniela Caserotto Leibert #Mining #CriticalMinerals #IndustrialTech #AI #EnergyTransition #VentureCapital #Reindustrialization