Drill core (cut in half) inside diamond drill core bit
Annual Data and Maps
The Lands and Minerals Division compiles data related to private exploratory borings, or drill holes, in Minnesota. Provided here are data and maps pertaining to exploratory borings in Minnesota since 1987.
If you have questions please contact:
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
tel. 651-296-6157
tel. 888-646-6367
Did you know?
- Mineral exploration drill holes make up less than 1% of all drilling in the state.
View slide » - Drill holes are sealed according to state law.
Visit Department of Health to learn more » - It costs an estimated $100,000 to drill 1,000 feet of drill core ($100 per/ft). This is an estimate and includes costs such as: geologist, site selection, geophysics, salaries, and drilling costs.
- Only 2.6% of all state leased parcels had exploration drilling completed on them according to an analysis of exploration drilling on state metallic minerals leases over 50 years.
View analysis » - The average size of a drill pad is 70'x70' which is approximately 1/10 of an acre in extent. At this size it would take 400 exploratory drill pad sites to fill a 40 acre footprint.
Learn more
Mineral Exploration Process »
Mineral Exploration Regulations »
State Oversight of Metallic Mineral Exploration Activities »
Exploration by Year
- 2023
Exploration drilling in 2023
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2023
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2023
NotesExploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Talon Nickel (USA) LLC 60 Nickel Aitkin Teck American Inc. 15 Cu+Ni+PGM+Co St. Louis NewRange Copper Nickel LLC 18 Cu, Ni St, Louis North Star Manganese 32 Mn Crow Wing ^Hibbing Taconite Co. 2 Iron St. Louis ^Cleveland Cliffs MN Land Development Co. 39 Iron St. Louis ^United States Steel Co. - Minntac 8 Iron St. Louis Total 174
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM+Co indicates Copper, Nickel, Platinum Group Metals, and Cobalt.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2022
Exploration drilling in 2022
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2022
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2022
NotesExploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Talon Nickel (USA) LLC 68 Nickel Aitkin Teck American Inc. 10 Cu+Ni+PGM+Co St. Louis Vermilion Gold LLC 18 Gold Itasca, St. Louis ^Arcelor Mittal Minorca Mine Inc. 9 Iron St. Louis ^Glacier Park Iron Ore 3 Iron St. Louis ^United States Steel Co. - Minntac 16 Iron St. Louis Total 124
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM+Co indicates Copper, Nickel, Platinum Group Metals, and Cobalt.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2021
Exploration drilling in 2021
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2021
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2021
NotesExploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Talon Nickel (USA) LLC 108 Nickel Aitkin Teck American Inc. 6 Cu+Ni+PGM+Co St. Louis Vermilion Gold LLC 29 Gold Itasca, St. Louis ^Cleveland Cliffs MN Land Development Co. 1 Iron St. Louis ^Hibbing Taconite Co. 2 Iron St. Louis Total 146
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM+Co indicates Copper, Nickel, Platinum Group Metals, and Cobalt.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2020
Exploration drilling in 2020
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2020
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2020
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Encampment Minerals, Inc. 2 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Talon Nickel (USA) LLC 19** Nickel Aitkin ^Arcelor Mittal Minorca Mine Inc. 4 Iron St. Louis Total 25 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals
**Count includes seven wedged holes, also known as daughter holes, child holes, branch holes, or wedges. A wedged hole is drilled when the drill bit is purposely deflected out the side of a parent (existing) hole.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2019
Exploration drilling in 2019
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2019
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2019
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties AngloGold Ashanti Minnesota 55 Gold Itasca and St. Louis Encampment Minerals, Inc. 2 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Vermillion Gold 6 Gold Itasca ^Hibbing Taconite Company/Cleveland Cliffs 4 Iron St. Louis Total 67 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2018
Exploration drilling in 2018
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2018
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2018
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties AngloGold Ashanti Minnesota 99 Gold Itasca and St. Louis Kennecott Exploration Co. 4** Cu+Ni Aitkin Polymet Mining Inc. 18 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis ^ArcelorMittal Minorca Mine Inc. 26 Iron St. Louis ^Cleveland Cliffs Minnesota Land Development LLC 6 Iron Itasca ^Hibbing Taconite Company/Cleveland Cliffs 3 Iron St. Louis Total 156 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals
**Count includes three wedged holes, also known as daughter holes, child holes, branch holes, or wedges. A wedged hole is drilled when the drill bit is purposely deflected out the side of a parent (existing) hole.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2017
Exploration drilling in 2017
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2017
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2017
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties AngloGold Ashanti Minnesota 29 Gold Koochiching Kennecott Exploration Co. 12 Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin Vermillion Gold LLC 14 Gold St. Louis Total 55 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals- 2016
Exploration drilling in 2016
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2016
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2016
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Twin Metals Minnesota LLC 1 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Kennecott Exploration Co. 30** Ni+Cu Aitkin Total 31 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
**Count includes eight wedged holes, also known as daughter holes, child holes, branch holes, or wedges, and one extension. A wedged hole is drilled when the drill bit is purposely deflected out the side of a parent (existing) hole.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2015
Exploration drilling in 2015
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2015
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
The map and table do not show 8 drill holes completed for iron ore in the biwabik iron formation.
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2015
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Encampment Minerals, Inc. 9 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis and Lake Kennecott Exploration Co. 17 Cu+Ni Aitkin and Carlton Vermillion Gold LLC 7 Gold St. Louis ^ArcelorMittal 8 Iron Itasca Total 41 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2014
Exploration drilling in 2014
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2014
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
The map and table do not show 40 drill holes completed for iron ore in the biwabik iron formation and 17 drill holes completed by MnDOT for highway projects.
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2014
Exploration Company or Agency Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties DMC USA LLC 5 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis and Lake Kennecott Exploration Co. 12 Cu+Ni Aitkin Twin Metals Minnesota 9 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake ^Hibbing Taconite Co. 17 Iron St. Louis ^Mag Mining LLC 12 Iron Itasca ^US Steel Corp. 11 Iron Itasca MnDOT 17 Iron - Condemnation drilling; highway 53 relocation St. Louis Total 83 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2013
Exploration drilling in 2013
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2013
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
The map and table do not show 10 drill holes drilled by US Steel for iron ore in the biwabik iron formation.
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2013
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties DMC USA LLC 24 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Encampment Minerals 1 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Kennecott Exploration Co. 39** Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin Minerals Processing Corp. 4 Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin Teck American Inc. 72 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Twin Metals Minnesota 104*** Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis and Lake ^US Steel 10 Iron St. Louis Total 254 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
**Count includes one wedged hole, also known as daughter holes, child holes, branch holes, or wedges. A wedged hole is drilled when the drill bit is purposely deflected out the side of a parent (existing) hole.
***Count includes five wedged holes.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2012
Exploration drilling in 2012
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2012
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
The map and table do not show 11 drill holes drilled by Hibbing Taconite and 1 drill hole drilled by ArcelorMittal in 2012.
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2012
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Cooperative Minerals Resources 4 Manganese Crow Wing DMC USA LLC 27 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Encampment Minerals 5 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis HTX Minerals 1 Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin Kennecott Exploration Co. 29 Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin Twin Metals Minnesota 131 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis and Lake ^Hibbing Taconite 11 Iron St. Louis ^ArcelorMittal 1 Iron St. Louis Total 209 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2011
Exploration drilling in 2011
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed in 2011
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
The map and table do not show 10 drill holes drilled by United States Steel in 2011.
Table: Exploration Drilling in 2011
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties Cardero Resources 11 Iron and Titanium St. Louis Cooperative Mineral Resources 4 Manganese Crow Wing Duluth Metals 8 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Encampment Minerals 7 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Kennecott Exploration Co. 6 Cu+Ni+PGM Aitkin and Carlton MMG USA 2 Cu+Ni+PGM Brown and Blue Earth Prime Meridian Resources 3 Cu+Ni+PGM Koochiching Twin Metals Minnesota 133 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis and Lake ^United States Steel 10 Iron St. Louis Western Metals 4 Cu+Ni+PGM Lyon and Renville Total 188 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.- 2005-2010
Exploration drilling between 2005-2010
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations between 2005-2010.
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
Table: Exploration Drilling 2005-2010
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties ACME-OCHS Brick and Stone 19 Kaolin Clay Brown, Redwood, and Renville Cardero Resources 36 Iron and Titanium St. Louis Duluth Metals/Twin Metals 205 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Encampment Minerals 37 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake and St. Louis Franconia Minerals 50 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake and St. Louis Kennecott Exploration Co. 124 Cu+Ni+PGM, Zinc, Lead Aitkin, Carlton, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, and Stearns Lehmann Exploration 14 Gold Itasca and St. Louis ^Mesabi Nugget 3 Iron St. Louis Minerals Processing Corp. 11 Cu+Ni+PGM, Zinc, Lead Aitkin and Carlton PolyMet Mining Corp. 234 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Teck American Inc. 137 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis ^United States Steel Corp. 49 Iron Itasca and St. Louis Western Metals LLC 5 Cu+Ni+PGM Lyon WMC 5 Cu+Ni+PGM Renville and Yellow Medicine Total 929 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.
^Iron exploration when it is done outside of a mining area described in a permit to mine.Table: Exploration Drilling 2005-2010 By Year
Exploration Company 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total ACME-OCHS Brick and Stone 16 3 19 Cardero Resources 36 36 Duluth Metals/Twin Metals 10 72 72 2 49 205 Encampment Minerals 24 13 37 Franconia Minerals 4 7 16 12 11 50 Kennecott Exploration Co. 19 15 52 17 21 124 Lehmann Exploration 4 10 14 ^Mesabi Nugget 3 3 Minerals Processing Corp. 11 PolyMet Mining Corp. 107 61 66 234 Teck American Inc. 22 115 137 ^United States Steel Corp. 8 28 7 6 49 Western Metals LLC 5 5 WMC 5 5 Total 135 17 194 322 46 215 929 - 1999-2004
Exploration drilling between 1999-2004
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed between 1999-2004
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
Table: Exploration Drilling 1999-2004
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties BHP Minerals International Inc. 3 Iron St. Louis Encampment Minerals 6 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake Kennecott Exploration Co. 25 Cu+Ni+PGM, Zinc, Lead Aitkin, Carlton, Morrison, and Stearns Lehmann Exploration 28 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake and St. Louis Rendrag Inc. 1 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Wallbridge America LTD 3 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake WMC 1 Cu+Ni+PGM Renville Total 67 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.Table: Exploration Drilling 1999-2004 By Year
Exploration Company 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Total BHP Minerals International Inc. 2 1 3 Encampment Minerals 6 6 Kennecott Exploration Co. 3 11 11 25 Lehmann Exploration 2 12 7 6 1 28 Rendrag Inc. 1 1 Wallbridge America LTD 1 1 1 3 WMC 5 1 1 Total 6 14 8 9 12 18 67 - 1993-1998
Exploration drilling between 1993-1998
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed between 1993-1998
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
Table: Exploration Drilling 1993-1998
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties American Shield 5 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Cominco 16 Cu+Ni+PGM, Zinc, Lead Aitkin, Carlton, Lake of the Woods, St. Louis, and Wilkin Exmin Corporation 8 Diamond Beltrami, Koochiching, Marshall, and Roseau Great Lakes Exploration 1 Cu+Ni+PGM Carlton Lehmann 2 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Phelps Dodge 3 Cu+Ni+PGM Roseau Total 35 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group MetalsTable: Exploration Drilling 1993-1998 By Year
Exploration Company 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 Total American Shield 4 1 5 Cominco 1 9 5 1 16 Exmin Corporation 2 1 5 8 Great Lakes Exploration 1 1 Lehmann 1 1 2 Phelps Dodge 3 3 Total 6 5 11 5 6 2 35 - 1987-1992
Exploration drilling between 1987-1992
- Download map of exploration drill hole locations completed between 1993-1998
- Associated table with drill hole information; County, Township, Range, Section, Company, Drill Hole Name, Depth (if known), and Date Drilled.
- Additional information for individual boreholes can be found using DNR's Drill Core Library web map.
Table: Exploration Drilling 1987-1992
Exploration Company Number of
Drill HolesTarget
CommodityCounties American Shield 1 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Bear Creek 1 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis BHP Minerals International Inc. 5 Gold Koochiching and St. Louis Coca Mines 19 Gold St. Louis Cominco 1 Base Metals Norman Exmin Corporation 30 Diamond Beltrami, Benton, Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Koochiching, Lac Qui Parle, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Redwood, Renville, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, and Wilkin Exxon 2 Cu+Ni+PGM Roseau and Beltrami FMC 2 Gold St. Louis Great Lakes Exploration 5 Cu+Ni+PGM, Zinc, Lead Carlton Hibbing Taconite Land Co. 31 Iron St. Louis INCO 12 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Kennecott Exploration 1 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Kerr-McGee Corp. 8 Gold Koochiching and St. Louis Lehmann 14 Cu+Ni+PGM and Gold Itasca (Gold), Lake, and St. Louis Meridian L&M Co. 18 Gold Itasca Newmont Exploration Ltd. 134 Gold Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, Marshall, Norman, Roseau, and St. Louis Noranda Exploration 27 Gold Beltrami, Itasca, Norman, and St. Louis Normin Mining Co. 27 Cu+Ni+PGM Itasca and Koochiching Phelps Dodge 2 Cu+Ni+PGM Lake of the Woods Resource Exploration 10 Cu+Ni+PGM St. Louis Rhude and Fryberger Inc. 11 Gold St. Louis Total 361 Notes
The Target Commodity is an interpretation for this summary table.
Cu+Ni+PGM indicates Copper, Nickel, and Platinum Group Metals.Table: Exploration Drilling 1987-1992 By Year
Exploration Company 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Total American Shield 1 1 Bear Creek 1 1 BHP Minerals International Inc. 1 3 1 5 Coca Mines 19 19 Cominco 1 1 Exmin Corporation 4 7 4 11 4 30 Exxon 1 1 2 FMC 2 2 Great Lakes Exploration 5 5 Hibbing Taconite Land Co. 31 31 INCO 12 12 Kennecott Exploration 1 1 Kerr-McGee Corp. 6 2 8 Lehmann 5 2 3 4 14 Meridian L&M Co. 12 6 18 Newmont Exploration Ltd. 9 19 20 9 72 5 134 Noranda Exploration 3 5 1 10 8 27 Normin Mining Co. 4 6 16 1 27 Phelps Dodge 2 2 Resource Exploration 6 4 10 Rhude and Fryberger Inc. 7 4 11 Total 45 84 67 41 117 7 361
1987-2023 Chart
Number of private exploratory borings, or drill holes, drilled in Minnesota (1987-2023)
Chart displaying number of exploration drill holes per year (1987-2023).
