How to Choose the Right Basemap for a Mining Map

Use the Light basemap for NI 43-101 reports and regulatory filings, Satellite for investor presentations that benefit from terrain context, Topographic for access and infrastructure maps, and Dark for digital dashboards and social media. When in doubt: Light for print, Satellite for slides.

Example mining map created in Exploration Maps — A finished map exported from Exploration Maps — the kind of output this guide walks you to.

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Quick reference

Basemap	Best for	Avoid when
Light	NI 43-101 figures, permitting, any printed document	You need terrain or vegetation context
Satellite	Investor decks, location maps, showing access and topography	The document will be printed in black and white
Topographic	Access roads, infrastructure planning, field maps	The audience is non-technical investors
Dark	Websites, social posts, on-screen dashboards	Print of any kind — dark backgrounds waste ink and lose detail

Light — technical reports and regulatory filings

A neutral light-grey canvas that makes data layers the star: claim boundaries, drill collars, and labels all read clearly, and it photocopies and prints without losing information. If the map is going into a technical report, a permit application, or anything a regulator will read, start here.

Satellite — investor presentations and location maps

Real imagery gives an audience instant context — terrain, vegetation, lakes, existing roads and disturbance. It answers the questions investors actually ask ('how remote is this?', 'is there access?') before they're asked. Pair it with white or light-coloured boundaries and labels so they hold contrast against the imagery.

Topographic — access and infrastructure maps

Contour lines and elevation shading make this the right choice when the story is physical: road access, proposed drill pads, powerline routes, camp locations. Field crews also find topo maps the easiest to orient with.

Dark — digital-first content

High contrast makes coloured layers glow on screen — striking for a website hero, a social post announcing results, or an on-screen dashboard. Never print it.

Add context to any basemap

Whichever basemap you pick, two overlays sharpen the story:

Context overlay — roads, water bodies, and towns at low opacity
Reference Labels — place names that orient a reader instantly

One deck, one basemap

If a presentation includes several maps, keep the basemap consistent across all of them — switching styles slide-to-slide reads as sloppy. Pick per document, not per map.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which basemap is best for an NI 43-101 technical report?

Light. It prints cleanly, keeps data layers legible, and matches the neutral presentation regulators and QPs expect in report figures. Use Satellite only for a supplementary location/access figure where imagery adds real information.

Can I change the basemap after styling my layers?

Yes — basemap and data layers are independent, so you can switch any time. Do check label and boundary contrast after switching: white labels that pop on Satellite can disappear on Light.

Which basemap should I use for a drill results news release figure?

Satellite or Light. Satellite gives context for a property-scale figure; Light is safer for a tight collar-map figure where grades and hole IDs must be unmissable.

Do the basemaps work at any zoom level?

Yes, all four cover the globe at property to continental scales. Satellite resolution varies by region at very tight zooms — remote northern properties may show coarser imagery than populated areas.

Is there a blank/no-basemap option for clean claim plats?

Use Light at low opacity or crop tightly — its neutral grey reads nearly blank in print while keeping just enough geographic anchoring.