Abstract:  Through ongoing exploration efforts, the distributions of mineral resources within the upper 500 m have been largely mapped across most regions. However, over two-thirds of China’s territory is covered by complex terrain such as marshes, forests, deserts, and medium-to-high mountain ranges. Mineral exploration in these challenging terrains has reached a critical juncture requiring urgent breakthroughs. The airborne-ground-borehole gravity-magnetic multi-parameter detection technology   (encompassing raw field, component field, and gradient field measurements) forms a rapid breakthrough chain of ‘rapid delineation-detailed verification-precise targeting’. This constitutes an effective approach for the rapid and accurate exploration of mineral resources within complex terrain areas. This paper, guided by the exploration requirements for mineral resources in complex terrain areas, systematically outlines research advances in  principles, equipment, data calibration and processing, platform technologies, and inversion methods of  airborne-ground-borehole multi-parameter gravity-magnetic detection. We clarify the complementary hierarchical structure of aerial, ground-based, and downhole detection within the three-dimensional exploration technology system, elucidating its practical application logic and future development trends towards miniaturisation and intelligent operation. This provides technical reference for the upcoming strategic initiatives aimed at achieving breakthroughs in mineral exploration.

Key words: gravity exploration, magnetic exploration, complex terrain areas, mineral resources, data processing, three-dimensional integrated detection systems