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Techniques

Stream-sediment sampling BGS©NERC

During the Mineral Reconnaissance Programme (MRP), BGS evaluated and applied a wide range of techniques to exploration for many deposit types in Britain.

  • Stream sediment geochemical surveys work well in Britain, particularly in upland areas where drainage is well developed
  • Soil and basal till sampling have been effectively applied in follow-up surveys throughout the country
  • BGS has extensive holdings of geophysical data relevant to mineral exploration. The distribution of historic geochemical sample sites and the locations of geophysical survey areas can be seen on the BGS GeoIndex
  • Petrological and mineralogical methods were extensively used in MRP investigations and continue to be employed in current projects