Global Mining Exploration Investment Trends Highlight Urgent Need for New Discoveries
Only 21% of global mining exploration investment in 2025 is allocated to greenfield projects, signaling an urgent need for increased investment in early-stage exploration. As demand for copper increases, the industry faces challenges in discovering new mineral deposits due to limited funding and technological demands.
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In 2025, just 21% of the global mining exploration budget is directed towards greenfield projects, according to Walter Tejada, past president of proEXPLO. This low investment level poses significant challenges for sustaining future mineral supply, particularly for copper, which is projected to see annual demand growth of 2.8% to 3% until 2050.
The industry's decline in new discoveries over the past decade is attributed to both the scarcity of visible deposits and insufficient funding for early-stage exploration. Events like proEXPLO 2026, scheduled for May 4-6, aim to address these issues by facilitating discussions among industry stakeholders.
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