Grassroots Exploration

Stage 1 of 8

Early-stage prospecting on unproven ground — staking claims, soil/rock sampling, and initial geophysics to identify targets worth drilling.

Grassroots exploration is the earliest and riskiest stage of a mining company's life. A team has typically staked or optioned a land package based on regional geology, historical showings, or a geological thesis, and is running first-pass exploration — prospecting, soil and rock-chip sampling, mapping, and airborne or ground geophysics — to identify drill targets. Very little is known about whether a real, economic deposit exists here. Most grassroots projects never advance past this stage; the ones that do typically move forward on the strength of a single standout result (a high-grade rock sample, a strong geophysical anomaly) that justifies a maiden drill program.