Abstract: A method and apparatus for mineral, in particular hydrocarbon exploration in which determination is made of whether substances indicative of a deposit are present in the atmosphere in the form of charges, molecules or clumps of molecules. Intaken air is purged of particles and only small naturally charged molecules or clumps are transferred to, for instance, an inert gas for spectroscopic examination.

Abstract: A sample stream of liquid representative of the environment such as sea water or lake water or drilling mud is subjected to the passage therethrough of an inert carrier gas to entrain chemical components and particulate matter which is then removed from the sample stream for analysis of the chemical components and particulate matter.

Abstract: A method of detecting the presence of a coating of gaseous molecules on the surface of solid particulate material comprising the steps of entrapping the particulate material in a chemically inert carrier gas, heating the said material to release the gaseous molecules adsorbed on the particles, separating the particles from the carrier gas and the previously adsorbed gas molecules, passing the gases to a plasma, and spectroscopically analyzing the light emitted therefrom to detect the presence of the previously adsorbed gas.