prospector

/ˈprɑspɛktər/
noun
  1. A person who searches for valuable minerals, such as gold or silver, in the ground.
    • A lone prospector discovered a rich vein of silver in the mountains.
    • Many prospectors traveled west during the gold rush hoping to strike it rich.
    • The prospector spent months panning for gold in the river.
  2. A person who looks for something valuable or promising, such as business opportunities or talent.
    • He was a prospector of ideas, always searching for the next big innovation.
    • The startup hired a prospector to find new markets for their product.
    • She worked as a talent prospector for a major film studio.