Mineral prospecting is a practical geology which studies the geological conditions of mineral formation and distribution, the occurrence law of deposits, the characteristics of ore body changes and the most effective method of identifying and evaluating industrial deposits. It has strong comprehensiveness, practicality, economy and policy. It belongs to the category of economic geology and is the synthesis of geological science and economic science. The achievements of geological, technological and economic sciences should be utilized to directly serve the national economic construction. Its main research object is the exploration and evaluation of mineral resources (or deposits). The main research method is to carry out geological, technical and economic evaluation according to the natural characteristics of deposits and the technical and economic factors of mineral exploration and development. As the main professional course of mineral exploration specialty, it reflects the nature and training objectives of the specialty.

The task of mineral exploration is to discover and identify industrial deposits. For this purpose, geological mapping, geophysical, geochemical, drilling and pit prospecting should be used. Sampling analysis should be carried out, ore quality should be studied, ore bodies should be delineated and reserves calculated with industrial indicators, and hydrological and industrial properties of ore dressing, metallurgical technology and mining of ore deposits should be studied. Geological conditions, technical and economic evaluation of ore deposits, and preparation of geological exploration reports.

The geological work of discovering minerals and finding out their quality, quantity and application prospects to meet the needs of national construction is also called mineral resources exploration, mineral deposit exploration, mineral survey and exploration. It belongs to the category of applied geology.

There are mainly the following:

Geological mapping - delineation of ore-related geological bodies through observation of points, lines and planes in the field;

Geophysical methods (geophysical prospecting): including magnetic method, electrical method, radioactivity measurement, artificial earthquakes, etc., to delineate anomalies;

Geochemical prospecting (geochemical prospecting): the change of material composition of regional geological bodies is obtained through rock, soil and stream sediments, and anomalies are delineated.

Drilling; getting core by drilling rig;

Mountain engineering: component acquisition through pit exploration, trench exploration and shallow well sampling