The mineral exploration sector is at a pivotal moment. Artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies are fundamentally changing how discoveries are made, but there’s no definitive source that captures this transformation across the industry.
That’s about to change.
VRIFY, in partnership with global market research leader Ipsos and strategic consultant Marina Baslina, is launching the first-ever annual Mineral Exploration Technology Survey to define the state of innovation across the field.
Why a survey and why now?
As AI and other technologies reshape exploration workflows and discovery, industry experts and investors are seeking clarity. What tools are being adopted? What’s working? Where are the bottlenecks? This survey aims to provide that clarity.
With both the survey and the resulting report, the goal is to create more than just a snapshot; we are building a benchmark for the wider industry. This will become an annual industry touchstone, delivering data-driven insights into technology adoption, innovation trends, and the real challenges shaping the future of mineral exploration.
Why it’s important
Technology in mineral exploration is no longer a “nice-to-have”, it’s a necessity. Yet without a shared industry benchmark, it’s hard to know where you stand and where you should focus next. By fostering knowledge sharing and transparency, we hope to equip the industry with a clearer understanding of where we are today, so we can more efficiently move forward, together.
The resulting report will:
- Establish a clear annual snapshot of technology adoption, providing a measurable baseline for understanding year-over-year market developments.
- Offer grounded insights into actual technology usage and adoption levels, replacing subjective perceptions and biases often found in traditional consulting reports.
- Clarify both the perceived and actual adoption of technology, including prevailing industry prejudices and hesitations affecting technology implementation.
- Enable exploration companies to benchmark their current technological maturity and strategic positioning against industry peers, highlighting strengths and potential gaps.
- Provide technology leaders with strategic insights into the current state of the exploration, including popular and emerging technology categories, adoption maturity, and areas of untapped opportunity.
The process
VRIFY is overseeing the initiative, with survey execution support from Ipsos and oversight from Marina Baslina to ensure:
- Strong design methodology
- Global reach with meaningful participation
- Data integrity and confidentiality
- A well-rounded and unbiased report that spans perspectives from across the industry
We’re following survey best practices to ensure results are both valid and actionable.
Confidentiality and credibility
Respondent anonymity is a top priority. Data will be collected independently to ensure objectivity, and the report will present aggregate trends, not individual company data.
This methodology is designed to build credibility in the findings and instill confidence among participants, positioning the report as a trusted, industry-standard resource.
"VRIFY and I have combined efforts to gain deeper clarity on technology adoption within the mineral exploration market. I often discuss innovation adoption challenges, but the conversation typically hits a limitation: A lack of clear, unbiased data. People frequently tell me that certain regions or companies are technology-forward and highly innovative, yet technology providers often express the opposite.
To truly drive industry transformation, we first need a clear, objective understanding of the current landscape. With this survey, our goal is to provide exploration companies and technology leaders with an unbiased look at where technology adoption is today. This clarity is essential for accurately identifying the characteristics of innovative companies and understanding how best to foster further adoption.
You can't effectively address a problem until you've clearly identified it, and that’s precisely what we aim to achieve here."
The report: What to expect
After gathering survey responses from across the industry, we will launch The Mineral Exploration Technology report in the fall of 2025. The final report will feature:
- A comprehensive breakdown of technology usage and adoption in the industry
- Analysis of AI confidence and potential barriers
- Key insights into perspectives on return on investment, hesitancy around technology, and underused data sources
- Visual data stories, actionable takeaways, and a concise executive summary designed to inform strategic decisions for both exploration and technology companies..
Whether you’re a geoscientist, CEO, VP of Exploration, or other mineral exploration expert, we want to hear your perspective:
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We are collecting survey responses until August 24, 2025.
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At VRIFY, we know that better data leads to better discovery. This survey is a foundational step toward elevating how technology is understood and adopted in mineral exploration. Thanks in advance for your participation.
If you want early access to the report and to be kept in the loop around future surveys, please sign up here. Also be sure to follow us on LinkedIn for the most up-to-date information.