The Spectral Crust project—Research on new mineral exploration technology

Considering China´s increasing demands for energy and mineral resources, this article describes challenges in current mineral exploration, summarizes new mineral exploration techniques, and introduces the basic concept, research aims, and implementation of the Spectral Crust project. This project will use hyperspectral technology and remote sensing to map the Earth´s land surface and mineral alterations and to establish a crustal hyperspectral database. The Spectral Crust project will align with national strategy, strengthen technological innovation, and improve mineral resource detection by spaceborne and airborne hyperspectral remote sensing, establish platforms for ground-spectra measurement and core scanning, compilation, and analysis, and promote data integration. This project has great strategic significance as it will help advance the development of remote sensing technology and China´s mineral exploration technology and will solve key problems in direct and deep mineral prospecting.