The new mineral exploration strategies of selected major mineral-rich countries

This paper first describes basic information on 13 mineral resource strategy reports issued by the world’s major mineral resource exploration countries and regions, including Australia, Canada, Europe, the U.S., Russia, and India. Through these strategic reports, we identified the problems facing current mineral exploration and development, such as mining issues, increased on land access and permitting, disincentives to obtain precompetitive geoscience information, and the urgent need to improve exploration technology to adapt to new demands. Then, by studying the visions and aims of the new mineral resource strategies, this paper found that the strategic goals have something in common: to display a new image of mining development. The new image of mining development is an image of advanced mining through green development, ecological protection, technology intensity, sustainability, and social acceptance, consolidating the primary position and foundational role of mineral resources and mining development in economic and social development. The new image creates a favorable development environment for the rational use and adequate protection of mineral resources. After that, a summary of the measures taken to achieve these objectives, which include strengthening domestic mineral exploration, increasing coordination between mineral exploration and ecological environmental protection, strengthening the life cycle management of the industrial chain, playing a significant role in scientific and technological innovation, and paying close attention to significant shifts in the focus on critical minerals, is provided.