It is appropriate for a paper on exploration and mining to be included in a conference concerned with conservation because mineral and energy resources have similar unique properties to the other natural and cultural features listed in this programme. However, the inherent potential of mineral extraction to create visual impact and to disturb or destroy other valuable natural resources contrasts sharply with many of the objectives of the conservation movement. Society is faced with finding a solution to the dilemma of the need to maintain a continuing supply of essential mineral and energy products and the equally necessary task of protecting those other natural features who value lies in their remaining in an undisturbed state. How can we resolve the conflicting needs of the mining industry to supply the mineral consuming public, with the aims and expectations of the conservation movement? Resolution of this problem depends initially on an understanding of the technical limitations that influence the manner in which mineral exploration and production are conducted. The authors have become aware that many concerned conservationists are not fully acquainted with these limitations or of the techniques used by modern explorers in the search for concealed orebodies. This paper, and the illustrations presented in the appendix, sets out to establish the technical and legal framework within which the mineral industry fulfils its vital role of maintaining an uninterrupted supply of essential mineral products.