That same year, the Ministry of Natural Resources issued the Guiding Opinions on Strengthening Equipment Development for the New Round of Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Action<\/em>. In 2025, it released the first list of equipment for upgrading, research and development, promotion and replacement, covering six categories and 135 types of mineral exploration equipment. In 2026, the Equipment Development Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period under the New Round of Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Action<\/em> was issued to accelerate the development of a modern equipment system.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, research and development of exploration equipment for typical environments\u2014including deserts and Gobi regions, grasslands and wetlands, forested areas, and intertidal mudflats\u2014has also accelerated. Four on-site demonstrations of green exploration equipment were organized in Dunhuang, Gansu Province; Xilin Gol, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; Yanbian, Jilin Province; and Wenchang, Hainan Province, producing positive results.<\/p>\n To improve the green exploration standards system, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Standardization Administration jointly issued the Three-Year Action Plan for the Standards System and Standards Development Supporting the New Round of Mineral Exploration Breakthrough Strategic Action (2025\u20132027)<\/em>, which included green exploration specifications for solid mineral resources in the national standards program. In April this year, the national standards project for green exploration specifications for solid mineral resources was approved by the National Standardization Administration. In July, the China Geological Survey\u2019s Budget Standards for Green Mineral Exploration<\/em> were issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources.<\/p>\n The following are six typical cases of green exploration in China.<\/p>\n Shandong is both a major mineral resources province and a major agricultural province. Strategic mineral deposits in the province substantially overlap with large areas of contiguous farmland, creating higher requirements for farmland protection during mineral exploration.<\/p>\n In line with the objectives of the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategic action, Shandong has built a \u201cfull-factor, whole-process and comprehensive\u201d green exploration control system suited to plain agricultural areas through process innovation. This has produced a replicable and scalable \u201cShandong model\u201d for green exploration and provided a practical example for coordinating mineral exploration and farmland protection in similar regions across China.<\/p>\n In 2021, Shandong issued China\u2019s first comprehensive local standard for green exploration, the Specifications for Green Exploration<\/em>. It covers 11 core areas, including exploration planning, field operations, and site restoration and management. The standard provides detailed operational requirements for site clearance, grading, topsoil replacement and land reclamation after construction, filling gaps in the region\u2019s green exploration system.<\/p>\n The province also revised the Budget Standards for Geological Exploration in Shandong Province<\/em>, increasing budget rates for prospecting and providing stable financial support for environmental protection and land reclamation.<\/p>\n \u2014 Minimizing the area of temporary land occupation.<\/strong> Taking into account the concentration of farmland in the Qihe\u2013Yucheng exploration area, the project continuously optimized drilling-point layouts, standardized the functional zoning of drilling sites and established standardized drilling operations while ensuring construction safety and convenience. Temporary land occupation for individual projects was reduced by more than 10 percent. Movable modular temporary facilities that can be lifted and relocated as complete units were also promoted to further reduce land occupation by temporary offices and living facilities.<\/p>\n \u2014 Maximizing the prevention of soil and water pollution during construction.<\/strong> In response to the area\u2019s extremely thick unconsolidated cover, the project adopted a combined process consisting of large-diameter water drilling through the unconsolidated layer and wireline coring through the bedrock. This reduced downhole failures, improved drilling quality and efficiency, shortened the duration of surface disturbance and lowered the environmental impact of drilling.<\/p>\n Multiple casing strings were used to isolate Quaternary and Neogene strata, protecting high-quality shallow groundwater and reducing the risk of cross-layer contamination between aquifers. The process also shortened the period during which drilling mud contacted the borehole wall, reducing the impact of drilling activities on groundwater.<\/p>\n \u2014 Shortening the exploration and construction period as much as possible.<\/strong> To address the challenges of prospecting through thick cover, the project prioritized geophysical exploration and introduced wide-area electromagnetic surveys and two-dimensional seismic exploration. It established a three-dimensional exploration system integrating aerial, ground and downhole methods.<\/p>\n Combined with optimized drilling-rig organization and multi-stage casing for borehole-wall protection, the system improved orebody prediction and the efficiency of mineral discovery, reduced ineffective drilling and delivered energy savings and efficiency gains. Total drilling time across the area was reduced by more than 20 percent.<\/p>\n \u2014 Protecting the cultivated soil layer and restoring farmland in place after exploration.<\/strong> A dedicated land reclamation plan was prepared during the project-planning stage to control environmental impacts at the source. Before construction, the top 30 centimeters or more of cultivated soil at each worksite was removed in layers and stored separately in designated areas.<\/p>\n During construction, a \u201czero-discharge drilling-mud\u201d process was adopted. A fiberglass drilling-fluid circulation system and China\u2019s first prefabricated mud circulation system replaced the traditional practice of excavating mud pits or building concrete pools, reducing the risk of soil contamination at the source.<\/p>\n After construction, the removed topsoil was returned in layers and the land was leveled and reclaimed in place. Deep plowing, fertilization and continuous maintenance were carried out on reclaimed plots to preserve their agricultural functions and ensure that crop productivity was not affected. Soil samples were collected and tested before and after construction, allowing the effectiveness of green exploration to be quantified through measured data.<\/p>\n Standardized drilling operations at the Yangjuan iron ore prospect in the Litun area of Qihe\u2013Yucheng<\/em><\/p>\n Reusable prefabricated impermeable drilling-mud circulation facilities<\/em><\/p>\n The project embedded green exploration requirements into the entire process, from project approval and plan design to field implementation and results acceptance. It established a tiered responsibility system involving provincial and municipal authorities and exploration companies.<\/p>\n During project approval and design review, the feasibility of the green exploration plan was examined as a priority. Plans with inadequate environmental protection measures were not approved. Environmental measures were also reviewed during midterm field inspections and final acceptance. Projects that failed to complete corrective actions were ordered to suspend operations for rectification. The effectiveness of green exploration was incorporated into the bidding evaluation criteria for geological exploration projects funded by public finance.<\/p>\n Through institutional innovation, process upgrades and strict whole-process control, the Qihe\u2013Yucheng high-grade iron ore exploration project achieved a major prospecting breakthrough while effectively protecting farmland.<\/p>\n During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the exploration area added 142 million tonnes of high-grade iron ore resources. Average total iron grade reached 54.51 percent, while magnetic iron grade reached 50.54 percent. It became the first billion-tonne-class high-grade iron ore resource base identified nationwide since the implementation of the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategic action.<\/p>\n The reclamation rate for all temporary exploration land reached 100 percent. The cultivated soil layer remained intact, and the agricultural use of the land was unchanged. The project has become a model for green exploration in areas where plain farmland and mineral exploration overlap.<\/p>\n The Sichuan Wangcang Zuofangping limestone exploration project is located in the deep mountains and canyons of northern Sichuan, where the terrain is steep and forests are dense.<\/p>\n Traditional equipment-transfer methods all faced serious limitations. Building access roads would have destroyed large areas of native vegetation and intensified soil erosion. Manual equipment transport posed high safety risks and was inefficient. Cableway transport was also impractical because it could not carry the complete drilling system, which weighed 26 tonnes.<\/p>\n To coordinate construction progress, production safety and ecological protection, the project team of the No. 7 Geological Brigade of the Sichuan Geological Bureau conducted extensive research and introduced helicopter airlifting to transport drilling equipment. Combined with green exploration processes throughout the project, the team established a low-disturbance exploration model for deep mountain and canyon areas, addressing the industry\u2019s longstanding problem of \u201cbuilding roads and destroying forests\u201d during mountain exploration.<\/p>\n \u2014 Innovative transportation: whole-machine helicopter lifting enables \u201czero road construction.\u201d<\/strong> Helicopter lifting operations began on September 18, 2023. Through precise positioning and lifting, a drilling rig weighing approximately 26 tonnes, together with supporting materials, was safely transported to a mountaintop work platform.<\/p>\n No construction access road was excavated and no native trees were cut down during the project. This eliminated the ecological impacts associated with road construction, including vegetation destruction and soil erosion, while substantially shortening the equipment mobilization period.<\/p>\n This was the first successful application of helicopter lifting by the No. 7 Geological Brigade of the Sichuan Geological Bureau for transporting exploration equipment in mountainous terrain, marking a new breakthrough in the brigade\u2019s use of green exploration equipment.<\/p>\n Helicopter lifting operation<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Advance ecological controls and strict protection of ecological boundaries.<\/strong> The project followed the principle of \u201cprotection first and source control.\u201d During the preparation stage, it avoided ecological conservation redlines, drinking-water source protection areas, nature reserves, public welfare forests and other environmentally sensitive areas.<\/p>\n Throughout construction, the project strictly implemented the Code for Green Geological Exploration<\/em> issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources in 2021. It established an integrated green construction system covering equipment selection, drilling, pollution treatment and site revegetation, creating a closed-loop system for ecological control throughout the exploration cycle.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lightweight and environmentally friendly drilling to reduce disturbance.<\/strong> The project selected a fully hydraulic 600-type portable drilling rig. Its small footprint reduced the size of the work platform, minimized excavation and surface disturbance, and reduced the pressure on subsequent ecological restoration.<\/p>\n Diamond drilling, wireline coring and single-acting double-tube coring were used to improve drilling efficiency and reduce energy consumption. The drilling-mud system used non-toxic, harmless and naturally degradable solid-free mud. A mud circulation system enabled repeated use, eliminating the risk of mud leakage contaminating soil and groundwater.<\/p>\n \u2014 Closed-loop pollutant management and complete site clearance.<\/strong> Used machine oil and production wastewater were collected and sealed before being transferred to qualified professional institutions for disposal. Dumping or burial was prohibited.<\/p>\n Diesel engines were fitted with exhaust purification devices. Drilling waste and domestic refuse were collected separately and transported out of the mountains for disposal. Standard temporary toilets were installed at the field camp, with regular disinfection and disease-control measures.<\/p>\n All temporary facilities were dismantled and removed after construction, leaving no environmental legacy.<\/p>\n \u2014 In-place revegetation and restoration of the original landscape.<\/strong> After exploration was completed and the results had passed review and filing, all drilling platforms were restored in accordance with applicable specifications. Soil was replaced and native, locally suitable plants were replanted to gradually restore the original vegetation.<\/p>\n \u2014 Strong ecological benefits.<\/strong> Replacing traditional road construction with helicopter lifting prevented damage to forest vegetation at the source. Combined with lightweight drilling, closed-loop pollution control and post-construction revegetation, the project reduced disturbance to the deep mountain and canyon ecosystem to a minimum, achieving low disturbance, zero excavation and recoverability.<\/p>\n \u2014 Substantially higher construction efficiency.<\/strong> Helicopter lifting greatly shortened the time required to transport heavy equipment into the mountains, solved a common equipment-transport problem in high-altitude mining areas and ensured progress under a tight schedule. Equipment mobilization efficiency increased several-fold compared with traditional road construction and transport.<\/p>\n \u2014 Significantly reduced safety risks.<\/strong> By avoiding high-risk activities such as road construction on steep slopes and manual transport of heavy equipment, the project greatly reduced safety hazards during exploration in mountainous areas.<\/p>\n The model combining helicopter transport, full-process green drilling and post-construction ecological restoration addresses the common problems of severe ecological damage, difficult equipment transport and high safety risks in mineral exploration in deep mountain and canyon areas.<\/p>\n It provides a replicable and scalable solution for similar areas in southwest China and around the world.<\/p>\n The Haolebaodong lithium polymetallic prospecting project was included in the first batch of non-coal solid mineral exploration projects funded by the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region\u2019s geological exploration fund in 2020. The exploration area is located in the core of the Hulunbuir grasslands, where the native grassland ecosystem remains intact and the environment is highly sensitive and fragile.<\/p>\n From planning and design to field operations, the project strictly followed the principles of ecological priority and green development. It established systematic ecological protection controls for every operation, ensuring that exploration disturbance remained controllable, construction traces could be restored and ecological impacts could be eliminated. The project explored a practical path for coordinating mineral exploration with grassland protection.<\/p>\n Before work began, the project team organized special training on green exploration and production safety for all field personnel. The training strengthened ecological awareness in terms of concepts, practical skills and responsibilities.<\/p>\n First, the team explained relevant grassland protection laws and regulations and green exploration requirements, clarified ecological protection boundaries and established the principle of \u201cprotect the grassland before conducting exploration.\u201d<\/p>\n Second, it provided standardized practical training for geological mapping, soil sampling, geophysical surveys, waste disposal and vegetation restoration, clarifying the environmental responsibilities and operating standards of each position.<\/p>\n Third, it established environmental responsibility for each post and included ecological protection results in daily field assessments, ensuring that all green exploration measures were assigned to specific personnel.<\/p>\n Through systematic pre-operation training, workers mastered practical standards for green exploration in grasslands. This prevented unauthorized driving across grassland, vegetation destruction and waste abandonment at the source.<\/p>\n The project included 1:10,000 geological mapping, 1:25,000 soil surveys, 1:10,000 high-precision magnetic surveys, trenching and drilling. Each operation was accompanied by targeted ecological protection measures to control disturbance to native grasslands.<\/p>\n \u2014 Geological mapping and geophysical surveys: controlling vehicle routes and prioritizing work on foot.<\/strong> Exploration vehicles were permitted to travel only along existing natural pastoral tracks. Opening new routes was strictly prohibited.<\/p>\n In areas without established roads, all team members conducted geological observations and recorded points on foot, resulting in almost no damage to grassland vegetation. High-precision magnetic surveying and survey-grid layout were also completed entirely on foot. Personnel carried instruments to establish points and collect data, without using motor vehicles in roadless grassland areas. The limited trampling caused by personnel could be rapidly restored naturally.<\/p>\n Because the project base was far from the work area, personnel traveled to and from the site each day and organized field data on the same day, avoiding additional nighttime driving across the grassland.<\/p>\n \u2014 Soil surveys: minimally invasive sampling and immediate restoration.<\/strong> The project developed standardized minimally invasive sampling procedures. Sampling points were selected with ecological impact in mind, avoiding areas with dense vegetation wherever possible.<\/p>\n In vegetation-covered areas, small tools were used for shallow excavation. Surface turf was removed intact and carefully preserved, while augers were used to collect samples from target layers. Large-scale excavation was prohibited. After sampling, soil was returned immediately in layers according to the original soil structure, and the turf and surface were restored as closely as possible to their original condition.<\/p>\n Minimally invasive soil survey operation<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Trenching: full-cycle control and complete landscape restoration.<\/strong> Because trenching can cause relatively substantial surface disturbance, the project established full-cycle ecological controls and an image-archiving system. Images were taken before construction, during construction and after restoration, creating a dedicated green exploration archive documenting the entire process.<\/p>\n During trenching, the team strictly followed procedures for removing soil in layers, storing materials separately and backfilling in reverse order. The humus layer, soil layer and weathered bedrock were removed from top to bottom and stored separately. After sampling, the layers were backfilled in reverse order, with the humus and turf restored last.<\/p>\n Green trenching, with the original surface restored after construction<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Drilling: lightweight equipment, closed-loop pollution control and complete revegetation.<\/strong> Drilling followed the principles of low disturbance, low pollution and recoverability.<\/p>\n Lightweight fully hydraulic drilling rigs were selected to reduce the footprint of work platforms, fuel consumption, noise and dust, minimizing interference with local herders and wildlife habitats.<\/p>\n Impermeable geotextiles were installed throughout drilling platforms, material storage areas and temporary rest areas to physically isolate work zones from the native ground and prevent oil and wastewater from entering the soil.<\/p>\n Above-ground water tanks replaced traditionally excavated pits, avoiding damage to underground soil structures and reducing excavation and vegetation loss.<\/p>\n After construction, the site was leveled and covered with soil according to the original terrain. Native grass species suited to the local climate and consistent with the original grassland community were sown to promote natural revegetation.<\/p>\n Above-ground water tank used as part of the green drilling system<\/em><\/p>\n Impermeable geotextile laid in the mud-operation area<\/em><\/p>\n Materials stored above ground and classified by type<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Closed-loop logistics and waste management.<\/strong> The project did not build new temporary field housing or camps. Instead, it rented vacant homes from local herders for office and living purposes, avoiding additional occupation or damage to grassland.<\/p>\n All domestic waste generated in the field was collected in bags and transported to the project base each day for centralized disposal, ensuring that no waste was left on the grassland.<\/p>\n By establishing a complete implementation system based on pre-operation training, professional precision controls and closed-loop logistics, the project achieved both mineral exploration and grassland protection objectives.<\/p>\n First, construction disturbance was substantially reduced. No temporary vehicle roads were added, no large areas of grassland were excavated, and all sampling and construction points were restored. The native grassland landscape remained largely unchanged.<\/p>\n Second, no ecological pollution was left behind. There was no scattered waste or on-site discharge, and all waste was transported and handled in accordance with regulations.<\/p>\n Third, the project developed a replicable standardized green exploration process for grassland ecological areas, providing practical guidance for similar geological exploration projects.<\/p>\n Fourth, the environmental awareness and capabilities of the field team improved significantly, creating an operational culture that integrates mineral exploration with long-term grassland protection.<\/p>\n As a representative practice in green exploration for new energy minerals in Inner Mongolia\u2019s grassland ecological areas, the project responds to both grassland protection and strategic mineral exploration needs in northern China. Its full-process minimally invasive model can be directly replicated in grasslands, meadows and other ecologically sensitive areas nationwide, providing a practical grassroots example for balancing resource security and ecological conservation.<\/p>\n The Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains and other major metallogenic belts in Heilongjiang are extensively forested and ecologically sensitive.<\/p>\n Traditional mineral exploration commonly relies on trenching to expose shallow geological bodies. Completing 200 linear meters of trenching may occupy 1,000\u20132,000 square meters of forest land and involve nearly 1,000 cubic meters of excavation. This can easily destroy native vegetation, cause soil erosion and create difficulties for subsequent ecological restoration.<\/p>\n Forest-land approval can also take three to six months, delaying exploration. In areas where colluvial or residual deposits exceed three meters in thickness, as well as in low-lying areas and farmland, trenching is limited by excavation depth and may fail to expose fresh bedrock, reducing exploration effectiveness.<\/p>\n To coordinate the new round of mineral exploration breakthrough strategic action with forest protection, the Heilongjiang Institute of Geological Sciences independently launched a research program and developed a complete technology package for low-angle wireline coring. By replacing traditional trenching with drilling, it established a low-disturbance green exploration method suited to forested areas.<\/p>\n \u2014 Conceptual innovation: replacing trenches with drilling.<\/strong> The Heilongjiang Institute of Geological Sciences independently developed the GQZ-180 portable fully hydraulic drilling rig. It performs continuous coring at angles of 0\u00b0 to 45\u00b0, replacing trenching for shallow geological-body sampling.<\/p>\n A single borehole occupies only 16 square meters\u2014just 1\/83 of the area required for trenching for the same exploration objective. After construction, only a four-centimeter-diameter borehole remains. The site can recover naturally after leveling, achieving \u201cexploration without visible traces and restoration immediately after completion.\u201d<\/p>\n Low-angle drilling operation<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Process breakthrough: wireline coring overcomes a technical bottleneck.<\/strong> The project used steel strand instead of conventional wireline to deploy and retrieve the inner core barrel, overcoming the low core-recovery rate associated with low-angle drilling.<\/p>\n Compared with conventional double-tube double-acting and single-tube single-acting coring, the process increased coring efficiency by more than 30 times. Compared with hydraulic wireline coring, it significantly improved core recovery in low-angle boreholes while saving water.<\/p>\n The core technology received a Chinese invention patent in 2017, as well as invention patents in the United States, Russia, Canada and Australia.<\/p>\n \u2014 Construction optimization: a standardized \u201cmultiple holes from one base\u201d layout.<\/strong> The team developed a dedicated drilling-rig stabilizing base that enables 360-degree drilling at multiple angles from a single platform. This reduced equipment relocation and land occupation.<\/p>\n For different geological tasks, it developed five standardized drilling layouts: one-way holes, sequential holes, intersecting holes, bidirectional holes and omnidirectional holes. These layouts can be used for trench replacement, verification of geophysical and geochemical anomalies, and control of steeply dipping orebody geometry.<\/p>\n \u2014 System support: full-chain standardization.<\/strong> Based on the project, the team led the preparation of the Technical Regulations for 0\u00b0\u201345\u00b0 Wireline Coring Drilling<\/em> and the Technical Regulations for Green Exploration of Solid Mineral Resources<\/em> as local standards in Heilongjiang.<\/p>\n It also published the book Practical Applications of New Green Exploration Technologies and Methods for Mineral Prospecting in Heilongjiang Province<\/em> and prepared dedicated drilling budget quotas.<\/p>\n Together, theoretical innovation, patent protection, equipment development, process optimization, standards development and budget support have created a complete technology chain with a foundation for large-scale application.<\/p>\n Since the technology chain was promoted across Heilongjiang in 2018, the Heilongjiang Institute of Geological Sciences alone completed 31,379.32 meters of low-angle drilling between 2019 and 2023 across 19 exploration projects in the Greater Khingan Mountains, Heihe and other forested regions.<\/p>\n The technology reduced forest-land occupation by 376,600 square meters and saved 20.7104 million yuan in forestry resource compensation fees. Because equipment could be deployed in open spaces within forests without building new roads or damaging trees, the method was recognized by local forestry authorities and improved relations between exploration organizations and local communities.<\/p>\n Actual site restoration after construction.<\/em><\/p>\n Compared with traditional trenching, low-angle drilling can obtain fresh bedrock cores at depth. Core recovery has remained above 92 percent, reducing interference from surface weathering and leaching in identifying mineralization and alteration.<\/p>\n The method can obtain samples from 3 to 50 meters below bedrock, improving the accuracy of identifying mineralization clues. At the Ershijiu Branch lead-zinc polymetallic prospecting project in Songling District of the Greater Khingan Mountains, comprehensive use of the technology identified more than three times as many polymetallic ore or mineralized bodies as traditional trenching.<\/p>\n At the Erdaokan silver polymetallic exploration project in Nenjiang, low-angle drilling controlled the deep extension of a nearly vertical silver orebody, solving a technical problem that conventional drilling struggles to address.<\/p>\n The projects directly generated 33.1052 million yuan in monetary work value. Including savings in forest-land occupation and ecological restoration, the cumulative comprehensive economic value reached 53.8155 million yuan.<\/p>\n Drilling costs ranged from 800 to 1,200 yuan per linear meter. A 200-meter borehole required seven to 10 days, approximately 30 percent shorter than traditional trenching.<\/p>\n Low-angle drilling in a farmland area<\/em><\/p>\n In 2022, the technology was included in the Ministry of Natural Resources\u2019 list of advanced and applicable green exploration technologies for promotion. It has since been presented at major platforms including national geological exploration management conferences, the China International Mining Conference, the China Prospectors\u2019 Annual Conference and international mining exhibitions, attracting broad industry attention.<\/p>\n Ensuring national oil and gas resource security and promoting ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin are two important national strategies in China.<\/p>\n Changqing Oilfield\u2019s exploration area spans Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia, covering more than 113,000 square kilometers. It is a core area for adding proven natural gas reserves, but is also located in a key soil-erosion zone on the Loess Plateau, where ecological carrying capacity is weak.<\/p>\n Traditional oil and gas exploration commonly involves extensive temporary land occupation, high carbon emissions and noise from diesel-powered equipment, high water consumption, difficult disposal of drilling solids and long vegetation-restoration periods. The industry has long faced pressure to balance energy security with ecological protection.<\/p>\n In line with the dual-carbon goals, Changqing Oilfield\u2019s exploration system established a full-chain green exploration model based on five components: spatial control at the source, low-carbon equipment, water recycling, long-term ecological restoration and coordinated supervision by enterprises and local governments.<\/p>\n Over the past three years, Changqing Oilfield has drilled 205 natural gas exploration wells and added 721.7 billion cubic meters of proven natural gas reserves. At the same time, it completed ecological restoration covering more than 2,100 mu, exploring an effective path for coordinated resource exploration and ecological protection.<\/p>\n \u2014 Advance planning and spatial control.<\/strong> Changqing Oilfield strictly implemented the requirements of \u201cplanning-based environmental impact assessment first\u201d and mandatory avoidance under the \u201cthree zones and three lines\u201d framework. During project approval, all exploration projects underwent simultaneous assessments of soil and water conservation, biodiversity and ecological risks in the Yellow River Basin.<\/p>\n Over the past three years, Changqing Oilfield continuously optimized well-pad layouts and temporary road alignments, actively avoiding environmentally sensitive areas. Total surface disturbance decreased by more than 54 percent.<\/p>\n A three-level environmental responsibility system was established, with 12 quantitative assessment indicators covering dust control, solid-waste disposal, water conservation, emissions reduction, low-carbon construction and vegetation restoration. Environmental protection accounted for 25 percent of the overall project evaluation score.<\/p>\n By planning, implementing and inspecting exploration, ecological protection and site acceptance simultaneously, Changqing Oilfield has shifted green exploration from passive compliance toward active demonstration.<\/p>\n \u2014 Integrated technical planning and low-carbon processes.<\/strong> Focusing on the dual-carbon goals and the reduction of pollution, carbon emissions, water consumption and solid waste, Changqing Oilfield developed a low-carbon technology system covering source reduction, process recycling and end-of-cycle resource utilization.<\/p>\n Through three core technologies\u2014electrification of drilling rigs, closed treatment of drilling wastewater and recycling of water resources\u2014the oilfield reduced pollutants at the source while achieving combined ecological, economic and carbon-reduction benefits. It has provided a standardized reference path for the low-carbon transformation of mineral exploration in China.<\/p>\n \u2014 Lifecycle management and integrated environmental governance.<\/strong> Under a dynamic management system of simultaneous construction, protection and revegetation, Changqing Oilfield installed drainage, dust suppression and soil-stabilization facilities during drilling.<\/p>\n All temporary structures were removed within seven days after project completion. Surface humus was removed and stored separately, then returned in layers to its original location. A two- to three-year vegetation maintenance and monitoring system was established, creating a complete cycle covering exploration, ecological restoration and long-term maintenance.<\/p>\n \u2014 Electrifying drilling rigs across the region.<\/strong> Changqing Oilfield put 18 electric drilling rigs into operation, achieving 100-percent electrification of drilling power in its main exploration blocks.<\/p>\n Compared with traditional diesel rigs, electric rigs reduced construction noise by 40 percent. They replaced 1,116 tonnes of diesel annually, cutting annual carbon dioxide emissions by 3,500 tonnes and sulfur dioxide emissions by 3.5 tonnes. Average annual fuel operating costs per well fell by 31 percent, while the risk of oil leakage contaminating the loess layer was also substantially reduced.<\/p>\n Clean drilling with an electric rig<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Zero-discharge drilling mud and closed-loop fracturing-fluid recycling.<\/strong> Changqing Oilfield fully implemented a zero-discharge drilling-mud process. Drilling mud was separated into solid and liquid components through plate-and-frame filtration.<\/p>\n The liquid phase was transported in sealed containers, purified and reused for mud preparation. Solid cuttings were treated harmlessly and used to produce bricks. An average of 76,000 tonnes of cuttings were recycled annually, bringing the comprehensive utilization rate of drilling solid waste to 100 percent.<\/p>\n Impermeable berms and emergency collection tanks were installed throughout well pads. No soil or groundwater pollution incidents occurred over the past three years.<\/p>\n Fracturing flowback fluid was recycled through a three-stage purification process, with all treated water reused for on-site fluid preparation. The water-recycling rate remained stable at 95.8 percent.<\/p>\n Over three years, Changqing Oilfield recycled 502,000 cubic meters of waste liquid in geological exploration, reducing fresh-water consumption by 500,000 cubic meters and easing the conflict between exploration and water scarcity on the arid Loess Plateau.<\/p>\n Resource utilization of water-based drilling mud to produce bricks<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Differentiated ecological restoration on loess tablelands.<\/strong> The humus layer on the surface of loess tablelands is only 10\u201320 centimeters thick. During the flood season, the soil-erosion modulus of bare land can reach 5,000 tonnes per square kilometer, creating significant soil-conservation pressure.<\/p>\n Projects operated by Changqing Oilfield adopted restoration plans suited to the loess landscape. Slopes were compacted and fully covered with dust-suppression nets, while sediment traps were installed every 500 meters along temporary roads.<\/p>\n Over three years, soil-stabilization treatment covered 4,200 mu and reduced soil loss by 18,000 tonnes.<\/p>\n Surface humus was removed and stored separately before construction and returned in layers afterward. Drought-resistant native plants such as seabuckthorn and Caragana were planted, while 450,000 native seedlings or batches of grass seed\u2014including Artemisia desertorum\u2014were used to restore 1,200 mu of grassland.<\/p>\n Restored plots received two to three years of maintenance and monitoring, keeping vegetation survival rates at approximately 92 percent. Over three years, Changqing Oilfield completed ecological restoration across more than 2,100 mu of well pads and temporary roads.<\/p>\n Local vegetation selected for ecological restoration<\/em><\/p>\n Changqing Oilfield actively coordinated with environmental, forestry and grassland, and water-resource authorities in 29 cities and counties across Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia. It established a joint inspection and supervision mechanism and carried out 171 on-site inspections over the past three years, addressing 187 ecological risks through closed-loop rectification.<\/p>\n The full exploration process took into account the production and living needs of local communities. No environmental petitions or complaints were recorded over the past three years, helping build a green mining community that benefits enterprises, local governments and farmers and herders.<\/p>\n Changqing Oilfield\u2019s full-chain green exploration model for soil-erosion areas on the Loess Plateau has become a quantifiable and replicable low-carbon exploration solution. It can serve as a Chinese example for oil and gas exploration in arid, soil-erosion-prone basins worldwide.<\/p>\n Arid and semi-arid deserts and grasslands are rich in global oil and gas resources, but their ecosystems are also extremely fragile.<\/p>\n In northern Xinjiang, Gobi areas, mountain pastures, water sources and wildlife migration corridors are interwoven, and ecological conservation redlines are subject to strict controls.<\/p>\n Traditional seismic exploration for oil and gas mainly uses explosives. It requires large-scale excavation of shot holes, which can damage surface vegetation, soil structures and wildlife habitats. Ecological restoration may take years, while carbon and pollutant emissions can also be high.<\/p>\n To address these common industry problems, the Shengli Branch of Sinopec Geophysical Company aligned its work with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Convention on Biological Diversity and China\u2019s dual-carbon goals.<\/p>\n It adopted an integrated approach of simultaneous planning, construction and restoration, and developed a complete green geophysical exploration technology system centered on vibroseis sources. Mechanical vibration replaced blasting, putting into practice the principle of \u201cexploring while protecting and restoring while exploring.\u201d<\/p>\n The result is a replicable low-carbon oil and gas exploration solution suited to ecologically sensitive arid regions worldwide.<\/p>\n \u2014 Advance ecological zoning and control.<\/strong> The company established an ecological review mechanism for exploration projects, incorporating low-carbon emission reduction, surface-disturbance control, vegetation protection and water-source protection into project assessments. Environmental protection was given veto power.<\/p>\n Before construction, satellite remote sensing and drone aerial surveys were used to map the ecological baseline across the entire area. The area was divided into four control units according to ecological sensitivity: bare Gobi land, mountain grassland, water-source protection areas and wildlife corridors.<\/p>\n Differentiated construction strategies were adopted. Explosives were completely prohibited in core sensitive areas, where all operations used vibroseis sources. In open Gobi areas, environmentally friendly source equipment was selected according to ecological conditions.<\/p>\n At work sites, the company strictly applied a single-file linear traffic method. Narrow dedicated construction corridors were established across grasslands, water-source areas and wildlife activity zones. Excitation points were precisely arranged, and vehicle routes were strictly controlled to prevent disorderly driving and large-scale vegetation trampling.<\/p>\n Vibroseis operation in a Gobi area<\/em><\/p>\n \u2014 Equipment upgrades reduce both carbon emissions and disturbance.<\/strong> To address the high surface damage and energy consumption of traditional equipment, the company upgraded walking systems, excitation parameters and environmental protection systems.<\/p>\n First, rubber shock-absorbing wheels replaced traditional steel tracks, reducing ground pressure from 120 kilopascals to 45 kilopascals. This substantially reduced soil compaction and root damage while preserving desert biological soil crusts and grass roots.<\/p>\n Second, excitation parameters and operating combinations were optimized to reduce energy consumption. In three-dimensional exploration, fuel consumption per square kilometer fell from 5,600 liters under the traditional shot-hole method to 3,240 liters, a reduction of 42.1 percent. The company saved more than 12,000 tonnes of diesel over the past three years.<\/p>\n Third, all construction machinery was equipped with sealed wastewater collection devices. Equipment oil contamination and wash water were collected and transported for centralized disposal. Residual oil in worksite soil was reduced to near zero, preventing leakage and drips from polluting desert soil and groundwater.<\/p>\n According to third-party carbon inventories, carbon emissions under the traditional blasting method were approximately 15.8 tonnes per square kilometer, compared with only 7.1 tonnes after the adoption of vibroseis sources\u2014a reduction of 55.1 percent.<\/p>\n Projects implemented by the company have cumulatively reduced carbon emissions by more than 106,000 tonnes and cut sulfur- and nitrogen-based pollutants by more than 1,300 tonnes.<\/p>\n \u2014 Simultaneous exploration and restoration to protect biodiversity.<\/strong> The company followed the principle of restoring sites as construction progressed. Taking advantage of vibroseis technology\u2014which creates no blast holes and requires no soil excavation\u2014it carried out soil replacement, leveling and landscape restoration immediately after temporary storage yards and equipment parking areas were completed.<\/p>\n Compared with traditional blasting, the same exploration area experienced a 64-percent reduction in surface disturbance. The retention rate of native sand-fixing vegetation such as saxaul and tamarisk increased to 75 percent.<\/p>\n Traditional blasting areas may require more than five years for stable ecological recovery. Vibroseis sites can restore the original landscape within 12 months through leveling, soil replacement and reseeding with native grass species, greatly shortening restoration periods and reducing management costs.<\/p>\n The hydraulic vibration plates generate continuous vibration signals vertically into the ground, without blast shock waves or rock and soil ejection. This low-vibration, low-noise operating method significantly reduces disturbance to wildlife such as argali and goitered gazelles.<\/p>\n Field monitoring showed that wildlife activity was significantly more frequent in vibroseis areas than in traditional blasting areas. The company also strictly followed local forestry, grassland, agricultural and animal-husbandry requirements throughout operations. No environmental disputes or public complaints occurred, achieving shared benefits among industrial development, ecological protection and local communities.<\/p>\n \u2014 Significant ecological benefits.<\/strong> Vibroseis technology eliminates the irreversible surface damage caused by blasting at the source. It greatly reduces surface disturbance, improves the retention rate of native vegetation, shortens restoration periods and effectively protects desert, grassland and forest ecosystems as well as wildlife habitats.<\/p>\n \u2014 Strong low-carbon benefits.<\/strong> After the adoption of green exploration, energy consumption and carbon emissions per unit of exploration area fell substantially. The resulting carbon and pollutant reductions provide a practical technical path for the oil and gas exploration industry to achieve its dual-carbon goals.<\/p>\n \u2014 A mature and standardized management model.<\/strong> By establishing a standardized operating process covering ecological baseline surveys, differentiated construction by zone, whole-process environmental controls and simultaneous restoration after completion, the company developed a mature and replicable environmental management system.<\/p>\n The complete vibroseis-based green exploration technology package developed in northern Xinjiang has now been standardized and applied at scale in ecologically fragile regions of northwest and northern China.<\/p>\n The system is suited to oil and gas exploration in arid and semi-arid areas, grasslands, mountainous regions and other environments. It is fully aligned with ESG requirements and the global trend toward green mining, offering a mature Chinese solution for coordinating energy exploration with ecological protection.<\/p>\n Importantly, the technology is not limited to desert and Gobi environments. Construction plans can be adjusted according to the characteristics of different ecological regions, making the system suitable for a range of ecologically fragile areas.<\/p>\n Vibroseis operation in a grassland area<\/em><\/p>\n Vibroseis operation in a snow-covered area<\/em><\/p>\n Vibroseis operation in a dense forest<\/em><\/p>\n Vibroseis operation on a loess tableland<\/em><\/p>\n Next, the Shengli Branch will accelerate field testing and application of electrically driven, zero-carbon vibroseis sources, establish a carbon-accounting system covering the full exploration lifecycle, develop carbon-neutral demonstration exploration areas, and continue improving low-carbon geophysical exploration technologies and management standards to support the green, high-quality and sustainable development of the mining industry.<\/p>\n Green exploration depends not only on low-disturbance equipment and ecological restoration, but also on accurate information about terrain, vegetation, water resources and geological conditions before and during field operations.<\/p>\n For mining companies seeking to make exploration more efficient, sustainable and data-driven, STARPATH GLOBAL<\/a> provides satellite-based solutions for mineral exploration and environmental monitoring. Through high-quality satellite imagery<\/a>, clients can select suitable data for geological mapping, site screening and ecological assessment. For organizations without in-house remote-sensing expertise, STARPATH GLOBAL\u2019s FDE program<\/a> offers tailored technical support, helping turn satellite data into practical insights for greener and more cost-effective mining decisions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In recent years, China has vigorously promoted green mineral exploration, carrying out a series of initiatives in areas including institutional guidance, equipment demonstrations and promotion, and the development of a sound standards system. In 2024, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration issued the Notice on Fully Implementing Green Exploration […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":89084,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[135,10293,10296,10294,10290,10289,16,14,10295,10297,10298],"class_list":["post-89060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-china","tag-ecological-restoration","tag-geophysical-exploration","tag-green-mining","tag-iron-ore","tag-lithium","tag-mineral-exploration","tag-mining","tag-oil-and-gas-exploration","tag-sustainable-development","tag-vibroseis-technology"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89060"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89060"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89060\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89088,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89060\/revisions\/89088"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89060"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89060"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89060"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Case One: Plain Farmland Areas\u2014Exploring a Farmland-Friendly Model for High-Grade Iron Ore Exploration<\/h2>\n
Improving Green Exploration Standards and Funding Support<\/h3>\n
Implementing Four \u201cMaximum\u201d Control Measures<\/h3>\n
![\"Standardized](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Standardized-drilling-operations-at-the-Yangjuan-iron-ore-prospect-in-the-Litun-area-of-Qihe\u2013Yucheng.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Reusable](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Reusable-prefabricated-impermeable-drilling-mud-circulation-facilities.webp\")
<\/p>\nEstablishing Full-Chain Supervision<\/h3>\n
Case Two: Deep Mountain and Canyon Areas\u2014Helicopter Lifting Enables Exploration Without Road Construction<\/h2>\n
A Low-Disturbance Model for Deep Mountains and Canyons<\/h3>\n
![\"Helicopter](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Helicopter-lifting-operation.webp\")
<\/p>\nAchieving \u201cLow Disturbance, Zero Excavation and Recoverability\u201d<\/h3>\n
A Model Suitable for Similar Mining Areas in China and Worldwide<\/h3>\n
Case Three: Grassland Ecological Areas\u2014Full-Process \u201cMinimally Invasive\u201d Lithium Exploration<\/h2>\n
Advance Controls: Training and Responsibility Before Operations<\/h3>\n
Precision Control of Every Operation<\/h3>\n
![\"Minimally](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Minimally-invasive-soil-survey-operation.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Green](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Green-trenching-with-the-original-surface-restored-after-construction.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Above-ground](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Above-ground-water-tank-used-as-part-of-the-green-drilling-system.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Impermeable](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Impermeable-geotextile-laid-in-the-mud-operation-area.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Materials](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Materials-stored-above-ground-and-classified-by-type.webp\")
<\/p>\nBalancing Mineral Exploration and Grassland Protection<\/h3>\n
Case Four: Forested Areas\u2014An Original Low-Disturbance Exploration Technology That Replaces Trenching with Drilling<\/h2>\n
A Core Technology System for Forested Areas<\/h3>\n
![\"Low-angle](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Low-angle-drilling-operation.webp\")
<\/p>\nStrong Environmental and Economic Benefits<\/h3>\n
![\"Actual](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Actual-site-restoration-after-construction.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Low-angle](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Low-angle-drilling-in-a-farmland-area.webp\")
<\/p>\nCase Five: Loess Plateau Areas\u2014Coordinating Oil and Gas Exploration with Soil and Water Conservation<\/h2>\n
Building a Benchmark for Ecological Protection in the Yellow River Basin<\/h3>\n
Supporting Soil and Water Conservation in the Middle Yellow River Basin<\/h3>\n
![\"Clean](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Clean-drilling-with-an-electric-rig.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Resource](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Resource-utilization-of-water-based-drilling-mud-to-produce-bricks.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Local](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Local-vegetation-selected-for-ecological-restoration.webp\")
<\/p>\nBuilding a Green Mining Community with Shared Benefits<\/h3>\n
Case Six: Desert and Gobi Areas\u2014Vibroseis Sources Drive Low-Carbon Oil and Gas Geophysical Exploration<\/h2>\n
Advance Ecological Review and Environmental \u201cOne-Vote Veto\u201d<\/h3>\n
![\"Vibroseis](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Vibroseis-operation-in-a-Gobi-area.webp\")
<\/p>\nProviding a Technical Path for the Oil and Gas Industry\u2019s Dual-Carbon Action<\/h3>\n
Suitable for Various Ecologically Fragile Areas<\/h3>\n
![\"Vibroseis](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Vibroseis-operation-in-a-grassland-area.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vibroseis](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Vibroseis-operation-in-a-snow-covered-area.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vibroseis](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Vibroseis-operation-in-a-dense-forest.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Vibroseis](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Vibroseis-operation-on-a-loess-tableland.webp\")
<\/p>\nExplore Smarter, Greener Mining Solutions<\/h2>\n