BHP Billiton explores minerals in seven main countries: Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Canada, Australia and the southwestern United States.

The company‘s scheduled mineral exploration expenditures for the nine months through March 2021 were $ 126 million, of which $ 83 million was spent.

To size: BHP Billiton is the world’s largest diversified natural resource company.

The company is among the world’s leading producers of important raw materials, such as aluminum, energy coal, metallurgical coal, copper, manganese, iron ore, uranium, nickel and silver.

BHP Billiton also has significant oil and gas interests.

In Canada, the company is a diamond producer at the EKATI mine in the Northwest Territories.

In potash, BHP Billiton’s interest is through development projects on highly prospective exploration lands largely within the province of Saskatchewan.

To understand: potases include various extracted and manufactured mineral salts that contain potassium in a water-soluble form.

Minerals

In a disaggregated manner, field mineral exploration is focused on advancing copper targets in Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Canada, Australia and the southwestern United States.

In addition, drilling for copper targets is being carried out in the United States, Ecuador and Chile.

The company anticipates further drilling for copper in Peru and nickel in Australia during calendar year 2021.

Metal exploration teams are focused on identifying and gaining access to new search spaces to test the best targets capable of delivering large, high-quality Tier 1 deposits, while keeping research and technology activities aligned with the strategy of exploration of the company.

The exploration activities encompass reconnaissance work in the initial stage through the definition and testing of objectives.

With the addition of nickel to the exploration portfolio, field activities now include Western Australia.

At Oak Dam in South Australia, the third phase of the drilling program was completed in the June quarter 2020, bringing the total meters drilled to approximately 21,500.