A.R.S. § 27-251.01: Definition of exploration

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires, "exploration" means activity conducted on state land, including activity on state reserved minerals, that is covered by an exploration permit issued pursuant to this article to determine the existence or nonexistence of a commodity type, including geological, geochemical or geophysical surveys conducted by qualified experts and drilling, sampling and excavating, together with the costs of assay and metallurgical testing of samples from state land.