For some years I have felt there was a need for a single, comprehensive, reference book on exploration geology. Numerous textbooks are available on subjects such as geophysical prospecting, exploration geochemistry, mining geology, photogeology and general economic geology, but, for the geologist working in mineral exploration, who does not require a specialist's knowledge, a general book on explora­ tion techniques is needed. Many undergraduate university courses tend to neglect economic geology and few deal with the more prac­ tical aspects in any detail. Graduate geologists embarking on a career in economic geology or mineral exploration are therefore often poorly equipped and have to learn a considerable amount 'on the job'. By providing a book that includes material which can be found in some of the standard texts together with a number of practical aspects not to be found elsewhere, I hope that both recent graduates and more experienced exploration geologists will find it a useful reference work and manual. In addition, students of economic geology and personnel working in related fields in the mining and mineral extraction in­ dustries will find it informative. J. H. REEDMAN v Acknowledgements The author would like to thank Dr K. Fletcher, geochemist with the Department of Geology, University of British Columbia, and Kari Savario, geophysicist with Finnish Technical Aid to Zambia, for reading the original drafts and offering constructive criticism and advice on the chapters on geochemical and geophysical prospecting respectively.