Geobotanical prospecting is the process of determining where an ore deposit is potentially located based on the vegetation patterns of a geographical area. It has been shown that certain plants often grow where there is a specific ore deposit beneath. What is grown on the ground correlates with what is present underground. While this method is not exact, it may be a good indicator.

Example:

The plant Athyrium yokoscense, is known as the tough plant because it tolerates and thrives in conditions where there are high levels of heavy metals. It particularly withstands higher levels of zinc, copper and cadmium and can often be seen growing next to mine sites. In the prospecting stage, if Athyrium yokoscense were found in the absence of much other vegetation, one may suspect that there are high levels of heavy metals in the area and may want to continue investigating further.

Figure: Some types of vegetation are good initial indications there might be a deposit worth exploring nearby.