Latest news: AI in mining

Major Drilling Group International (MDI) has collaborated with downhole technology company DGI Geoscience (DGI) and its affiliate company, AI-driven core logging tech innovator KORE GeoSystems (KORE), to bring AI to the drilling sector. 

This partnership is set to enhance Major Drilling's service offering by integrating AI into its operations. 

It combines Major Drilling's drilling expertise and TrailBlazer Rock5 technology with KORE's AI-powered core logging platform. 

KORE president and CEO Vince Gerrie said: “We are thrilled to support Major Drilling with KORE’s cutting-edge SPECTOR integrated technology suite. 

“Our transformative AI-powered digital core logging platform significantly increases productivity, consistency and enhances data insights for our customers.” 

The integration aims to deliver valuable geological data to clients, further supported by DGI's borehole data acquisition services. 

Major Drilling president and CEO Denis Larocque said: “We are delighted to welcome DGI and KORE as our partners. This alliance is a continuation of Major Drilling’s progression in drilling innovation, and also part of our growth strategy as we invest in the future of mining." 

Major Drilling will also take a stake of around 40% in DGI/KORE for $10.91m in cash. 

The seller of the stake is private equity company Canadian Shield Capital. 

This latest partnership is expected to bolster Major Drilling's capabilities in delivering quality data to its mining sector clients. 

DGI president and CEO Chris Drielsma said: “Through our powerful new partnership with Major Drilling, the mining sector can access turnkey geological, geophysical and geotechnical drillside orebody intelligence solutions. We are very excited to be part of this evolution of drill performance, helping maximise the value from drilling through our geoscience solutions.”

Barrick Gold has deployed Australian space exploration company Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere system to bolster its copper exploration efforts at the Reko Diq site in Pakistan. 

ExoSphere, which utilises advanced space technology, AI and 3D multi-physics, is tasked with creating detailed 3D subsurface maps across an area exceeding 1,150km². 

The Reko Diq project is a key asset in Barrick Gold's copper portfolio and is said to be among the world's largest untapped copper-gold resources. 

Situated within the Chagai mountain range, the site is part of the Tethyan Magmatic Arc, renowned for its substantial copper-gold deposits. 

Barrick Gold aims to commence production by 2028, with the project expected to significantly contribute to Pakistan's economy, particularly in the Balochistan province. 

By integrating Fleet Space's satellite network, smart seismic sensors and rapid data analysis, ExoSphere provides immediate 3D mapping and AI-driven drill targeting, all while minimising environmental impact. 

This innovation enables more dynamic, precise exploration and gives on-site teams instant access to actionable data. 

The implementation of ExoSphere at Reko Diq is a testament to the technology's potential to transform data acquisition and processing, thereby enhancing decision-making quality and speed. 

The environmental benefits are also notable, aligning with sustainable exploration practices. 

Following a A$50m ($33.67m) Series C funding round, Fleet Space's valuation has doubled to A$350m. 

The company also has ambitious plans, including deploying a version of ExoSphere to the Moon by 2026. 

In December 2022, Barrick Gold finalised an agreement with Pakistan’s Federal Government and Balochistan’s Provincial Government to resume operations at the long-stalled Reko Diq project.

St Barbara, an Australian mining company, has announced plans to boost gold production at its Simberi mine in Papua New Guinea after harnessing AI-driven algorithms to classify mineralisation. 

The collaboration with Stratum AI has led to the identification of CIL treatable sulphides, which were previously deemed unsuitable for the existing CIL circuit. 

Stratum's AI algorithms will be used to model sulphur and other oxidation indicators, improving the classification of oxide and sulphide mineralisation. 

St Barbara has stated that the anticipated increase in production is a result of additional delineation work on material available for processing and the expected achievement of targeted mining rates and processing plant availabilities. 

The company's primary goal with this modelling is to uncover additional mineralisation that is amenable to CIL treatment, which may have been missed with the current material-type classification methods. 

The AI-based approach is set to allow for the reclassification of 3.7 million tonnes at 1.2 grams per tonne of gold, equating to an additional 143koz of CIL treatable material. 

This represents a significant increase compared with the current mineral resource model material-type classifications. 

The company now aims to increase output to between 70,000oz and 75,000oz for FY25–FY27. 

St Barbara managing director and CEO Andrew Strelein said: “The work achieved with Stratum AI has been highly effective in enabling the Simberi team to delineate more ore, which can be treated with the existing CIL plant. 

“The increased confidence built from the practical application of the AI work in the last quarter has given us the confidence to reclassify our material types under this new method and add 143,000oz of material that can be processed through the existing circuit. 

“In addition, this allows us to plan for a stable annual gold production target over the next three years of 70,000–75,000oz in the lead up to transition to production of a gold concentrate from the sulphide ores.”