Editing Prospecting (section)

{{Short description|The physical search for minerals}}
{{Redirect|Prospectors|the TV series|Prospectors (TV series)}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2020}}
[[File:Prospector&Burro.jpg|thumb|Prospector and burro, western [[Colorado]], USA, {{circa|1900}}]]
[[File:THE DENVER P.T.A. SPONSORED A WEEK-LONG ECOLOGY WORKSHOP TO INTRODUCE SCHOOL CHILDREN TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.... - NARA - 543681.jpg|thumb|upright|Schoolchildren learn to pan for gold, Denver, 1972.]]
[[File:Yukon Gold Discovery.jpg|thumb|Rich specimen from a 2009 gold discovery by a prospector in southeastern [[Yukon Territory]]. The gold, deposited along a fracture, appears rusty-orange in this photo.]]

'''Prospecting''' is the first stage of the geological analysis (followed by [[Mining engineering#Pre-mining|exploration]]) of a territory. It is the search for [[mineral]]s, [[fossil]]s, precious metals, or mineral specimens. It is also known as [[fossicking]].

Traditionally prospecting relied on direct observation of mineralization in rock outcrops or in sediments. Modern prospecting also includes the use of geologic, [[Geophysics|geophysical]], and [[Geochemistry|geochemical]] tools to search for anomalies which can narrow the search area. Once an anomaly has been identified and interpreted to be a potential prospect direct observation can then be focused on this area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/mining|title=Mining - Prospecting and exploration|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2020-02-29}}</ref>

In some areas a prospector must also stake a claim, meaning they must erect posts with the appropriate placards on all four corners of a desired land they wish to prospect and register this claim before they may take samples. In other areas publicly held lands are open to prospecting without staking a mining claim.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mineral Tenure Act |url=https://www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/00_96292_01#section11 |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.bclaws.gov.bc.ca}}</ref>{{cn|date=January 2023}}