The Fallacy of the Deep with Mark Arundell

Is the next generation of mineral discoveries really hiding at extreme depths, or have we overlooked opportunities much closer to the surface?In this episode, Sam sits down with returning guest Mark Arundell, geoscientist and geochemical consultant, to challenge one of exploration's most widely accepted assumptions: that bigger discoveries require deeper drilling. Together they explore the "fallacy of the deep," discuss why statistics matter when interpreting exploration success, and examine how integrating geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and modern analytical techniques can unlock value from legacy datasets. They also share insights from consulting, near-miss exploration, and why asking better questions often leads to better discoveries. In this episode:Why the "deeper is better" narrative became so influentialAverage vs. median discovery depths and why the difference mattersThe untapped potential of the first 100 metresUsing modern multi-element geochemistry to reinterpret historic dataHow legacy drill core and pulps can create new exploration opportunitiesThe psychology of exploration and why expensive targets often seem more attractiveWhen deep drilling is justified—and when it is notPractical advice for designing smarter exploration programsAs always, we bridge our intro and geochem sections with Tea Time, where Mark shares a memorable airport security story and Sam offers one of her favorite travel hacks.