Green Exploration Practice Research on the Integration of Low-Load Flight Transportation and Drilling Technology

Driven by the dual constraints of surging resource demand and increasingly stringent ecological protection regulations, the structural drawbacks of conventional mineral exploration models that prioritize exploitation over environmental conservation have become prominent. Green and intelligent exploration have evolved into core trends for the high-quality development of the geological exploration industry. The fluorite ore concentration zones in southwestern Zhejiang feature rugged terrain and fragile ecosystems. Conventional drilling operations are plagued by cumbersome equipment transportation, low construction efficiency, and severe ecological degradation, which hinder the high-quality advancement of mineral exploration. To resolve the conflict between mountainous mineral exploration and ecological protection, this study takes fluorite exploration at the Maoyang Mining Area in Suichang County as an engineering case. Combining field tests, long-term monitoring, and benefit analysis, an integrated green exploration technical system incorporating UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) aerial hoisting, lightweight full-hydraulic drilling, recycled eco-friendly drilling fluid, and in-situ rapid ecological restoration is developed. Engineering practices demonstrate that this integrated construction scheme delivers outstanding performance: it cuts the preparation time for mountain drilling by over 70%, reduces surface ecological disturbance by more than 90%, and boosts monthly drilling efficiency by 25%-30%. The technology significantly curtails comprehensive costs associated with transportation, land occupation, and ecological restoration, thus achieving coordinated improvements in economic, environmental, and social benefits. This technical system fundamentally eliminates large-scale ecological damage induced by traditional exploration, adapts to extremely complex construction conditions including steep slopes and dense forests in southern mountainous regions, and ensures safe and stable exploration operations. The complete set of technologies and construction management experience summarized in this research can serve as demonstration references and technical support for green solid mineral exploration in analogous mountainous areas, bearing substantial practical value and industrial significance for advancing the green, intelligent, and efficient transformation of the geological exploration sector.