Introduction to mineral exploration / Введение в разведку полезных ископаемых

A large economic mineral deposit, e.g. 200 Mt underlying an area of 2 km2, is minute in comparison with the Earth’s crust and in most countries the easily found deposits cropping out at the surface have nearly all been found. The deposits for which we now search are largely concealed by weathered and leached outcrops, drift, soil, or some other cover, and sophisticated exploration methods are required to find them. The target material is referred to as a mineral deposit, unless we use a more specific term such as coal, gas, oil, or water. Mineral deposits contain mineral resources. What sort of mineral deposit should we seek? To answer this question it is necessary to have some understanding of mineral economics. <...>