How to Make a Drill Results Map

To make a drill results map, import your drill collar CSV, assign the Drillholes role, add callout labels showing hole ID and best intercept, then export as Landscape 16:9 PNG for news releases.

What Data You Need

Prepare the following before starting:

Drill collar CSV with columns: Hole ID, Latitude, Longitude, Total Depth (m)
Assay summary: best intercept per hole (grade × width), for callout labels
Property boundary GeoJSON
Company logo

Step 1: Import Drill Collar CSV

Click the import button in the Layers section and select your drill collar CSV. The Column Mapper opens automatically — assign your latitude and longitude columns. If your columns are named 'Lat', 'Long', 'Latitude', 'Longitude', 'Easting', or 'Northing', they are detected automatically. All other columns (Hole ID, Depth, Grade) are preserved as feature properties accessible when you click a hole on the map.

Step 2: Assign the Drillholes Role

Expand the layer card and select 'Drillholes' from the Role dropdown. This applies standard dark circle markers. Adjust marker size (12–16 px works well for most scales) in the layer styling controls.

Step 3: Add Callout Labels

Click on a drill hole on the map to open the inline feature editor. Enter the hole ID as the title and the best intercept as the subtext (e.g., '15.2m @ 4.8 g/t Au'). Click 'Add / Update Callout'. Repeat for your key holes. For high-priority results, switch the callout type to 'Badge Label' and enter the grade in the badge chip field — this highlights your best holes visually.

Step 4: Add the Property Boundary

Import your property claims boundary as a second layer and assign the Claims role. This provides the property context investors and analysts expect to see alongside drill results.

Step 5: Set Layout for News Releases

Activate the Landscape 16:9 ratio in the Export section — this is the standard format for figures attached to exploration news releases. Pan and zoom so all your drill holes and key callouts are visible within the frame. The Investor — Navy & White theme with a Light or Satellite basemap is the standard for drill results maps.

Step 6: Export

Export as PNG at 2× pixel ratio for email attachments and news release figures. If the news release has a separate map figure requirement (common in Canadian press releases), export as the News Release Figure PDF (6" × 4.5") for print-ready delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What format should drill results be shown in on a map?

The standard format is: '[width]m @ [grade] [unit] [element]' — for example '15.2m @ 4.8 g/t Au' or '82m @ 0.92% Cu'. This is what investors and analysts expect to see in callout labels on exploration drill maps.

How many drill holes should I label on the map?

Label all holes from the current program plus any key historical holes for context. If you have more than 20 holes and the map becomes crowded, use the Priority field (High/Medium/Low) to control which callouts render on top, and only use Badge Labels for your top 3–5 intercepts.

Should I use a satellite or light basemap for drill results?

Either works. Satellite basemaps are popular for drill results because terrain and vegetation help convey the property's physical setting. Light basemaps are better for formal technical reports where the data must be clearly legible. Use the Light basemap for PDF attachments in NI 43-101 reports.

Can I show historical and current drill holes differently?

Yes — import them as separate layers and style them differently. Use filled dark markers for current holes and hollow or lighter markers for historical holes. Name the layers accordingly so they appear as separate legend entries.