How to Export a Mining Map as a PDF

To export a mining map as PDF in Exploration Maps, click the PDF button in the toolbar, choose your page size (Letter, A4, or News Release Figure), enter your email to remove the watermark, and download.

PDF vs PNG: Which to Use

Use PDF for documents that will be printed or submitted to regulators — NI 43-101 reports, permitting applications, environmental assessments. Use PNG for digital use — PowerPoint slides, email attachments, website images, and news release wire service submissions. Both formats export at full resolution with all panels (title, legend, logo) included.

Choosing the Right PDF Page Size

Exploration Maps offers five PDF page sizes: PowerPoint 16:9 (13.33" × 7.5") for presentation-ready PDFs, Letter Landscape (11" × 8.5") and Portrait (8.5" × 11") for North American regulatory filings, A4 Landscape and Portrait for international filings and European investors, and News Release Figure (6" × 4.5") for figures attached to press releases. Choose Letter or A4 Portrait for NI 43-101 appendix maps.

Setting the Export Ratio Before Exporting PDF

Activate the appropriate ratio in the Export section before clicking PDF. For Letter Portrait PDFs, use the Portrait 3:4 ratio. For Landscape PDFs, use Landscape 16:9. This ensures your map fills the page without letterboxing. Pan and zoom to frame your map within the ratio bounds — the dashed border shows the export frame.

Watermark-Free Export

Enter your work email in the export dialog to unlock clean PDF exports with no explorationmaps.com watermark. Your email is stored locally and remembered for future sessions. A 'Download with watermark' option is always available without entering an email if you need a quick draft.

Pixel Ratio for Print-Quality PDFs

Set the Pixel Ratio to 3× in Export Settings for any map that will be printed. 3× produces an image embedded in the PDF at approximately 300 DPI at standard page sizes — the minimum for professional print quality. 2× is sufficient for screen-only use.

Frequently Asked Questions

What PDF page size should I use for a NI 43-101 technical report?

NI 43-101 technical reports are typically formatted on Letter (8.5" × 11") or A4 (8.27" × 11.69") paper. Use the Letter Portrait or A4 Portrait PDF page size. For larger foldout maps included as appendices, use Letter Landscape.

Can I embed a PDF mining map into a Word document?

Yes. In Word, use Insert → Object → Create from File to embed the PDF, or insert the PNG export as an image (which is simpler for most users). For NI 43-101 reports where the map is a separate appendix, the PDF file itself is typically submitted as a separate attachment.

What resolution is the exported PDF?

PDFs from Exploration Maps contain a raster image at the resolution set by your Pixel Ratio setting. At 2× ratio and Letter Portrait size, the embedded image is approximately 200 DPI — suitable for most professional printing. At 3×, it approaches 300 DPI — the standard for high-quality print.