mineral exploration in order to satisfy the long-term raw mate rials and energy-related resource require ments of the world's industrial economies mining companies must intensify and ex pand theirexploration efforts yet interested companies are challenged in their quest by rapidly changing social and political conditions throughout the world and by the fact that much of the earth's surface already has been reasonably well explored for the more readily apparent near-surface high-grade mineral deposits implicit in the operation of a mineral ex ploration program is a company's willing ness to commit financial resources to the search for mineral resources which may not be developed for a considerable peri od of time utah's 1976 expenditures for ex ploration were approximately three times greater than those recorded as recently as five years ago the search for mineral deposits spans the globe exploration departments located in san francisco and brisbane australia direct utah's activities which are focused upon the search for energy minerals cok ing coal and some of the base and pre cious metals new projects range from a coal exploration office recently established in the eastern united states to reconnais sance activities conducted in remote areas of southeast asia mineral exploration per sonnel also are located in the western united states canada australia africa brazil and the middle east to maximize its exposure to investment opportunities utah balances its grass roots exploration activities with a con scious and concerted effort to evaluate and acquire properties which have already been identified by others proper evalua tion of and timely action on such opportu nities requires the coordinated involve ment of all disciplines within the company many of utah's current mining operations are a tribute to the success the company has enjoyed in recognizing the attractive economics of known mineral deposits and applying the company's skills toward their development as is the case for all mining concerns the outlook for the long-term profitability and expansion of utah's mining operations is keyed directly to the company's success in locating additional sources of minerals developing them economically and mar keting them effectively to support a worldwide economy depen dent upon energy and mineral resources geologists maintain a constant search for unite materials utah's extensive explora tion program has grown steadily in re sponse to increasing demands for raw materials and energy-related resources