A geological core inspection system that includes a table to support core samples for inspection, a robotic geological core inspection system including a core sample sensing system to acquire sample inspection data (including an imaging sensor and a core sample position sensor), a core sample interaction system (including a dispensing system and a scoring system), and a robotic positioning system, and a control and communications system to provide for remote control of the core sample sensing system. The system further including a remote geological core inspection system to receive and communicate remote commands specifying requested operations of the robotic geological core inspection system (the control and communications system adapted to control operation of the core sample sensing system in response to the remote commands to perform the requested operations) and receive and present core data.