A pilot survey on a microbial mineral exploration method based on so il Bacillus cereus spore counts was carried out across three different gold mi ning regions, which vary in soil type, climate condition and geological setting in northwestern Sichuan, China. B horizon soils from these sites were analyzed for B. cereus spores, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn. The results show that the numbe rs of B. cereus spores generally increased in soils overlying gold mineraliz ation. Specifically, elevated spore counts were found in samples slightly offset from the outcrops of orebodies, whereas soils directly above the outcrops of or ebodies usually contained low spore counts. However, the background counts of B. cereus spores varied from place to place and were complicated by environmen tal and pedological factors, but the relative ratios of spore counts still were indicative of the underlying gold mineralization. A pilot survey on a microbial mineral exploration method based on so il Bacillus cereus spore counts was carried out across three different gold mi ning regions, which vary in soil type, climate condition and geological setting in northwestern Sichuan, China. B horizon soils from these sites were analyzed for B. cereus spores, Au, Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn. The results show that the numbe rs of B. cereus spores generally increased in soils overlying gold mineraliztion. Specifically, elevated spore counts were found in samples slightly offset from the outcrops of orebodies, as soils directly above the outcrops of or ebodies usually above low outcrops of or ebodies usually contained low spore counts. However, the background counts of B. cereus spores varied from place to place and were complicated by environmen tal and pedological factors, but the relative ratios of spore counts still were indicative of the underlying gold mineralization.