Artificial intelligence to drive lithium exploration in NSW – Strategy

Mining sensor technology specialist SensOre has received a New South Wales funding grant to expand its AI and data targeting initiatives for lithium mining on the east coast of Australia.

Lithium is a highly reactive metal used for electric batteries.

The award, worth $322,000, is part of the NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation FundSteam.

The group said its new remote sensing techniques, recently deployed in South Australia, will be tested in areas not currently known for lithium deposits, opening the door to new exploration and mining.

Following the award win, SensOre’s technology will be tested across large areas of New South Wales and is based on AI and machine learning methods that identify lithium-rich granites as sources of economic lithium, tin, tantalum and cesium.

“We are delighted to receive support from the NSW Government for our technology, enabling us to expand our data platform and explore untapped areas for lithium,” said SensOre CEO Richard Taylor.

“Using the latest remote sensing and AI/machine learning methods, we are confident that we will be able to identify new sources of this critical mineral and open up new opportunities for exploration and growth in NSW,” he added.

The project design makes use of new research in remote sensing, combined with applications of large geochemical and radiometric datasets to explore for specific minerals.

Research will be undertaken in two parallel efforts and the targeting exercise will use fused results from both geochemistry and geophysics, using AI and machine learning technology approaches.

The intended outcome will be to create litho-geochemical and mineral prospect maps across NSW for lithium-cesium-tantalum pegmatites which are rocks with interlocking crystals, and other critical minerals.

The NSW Government has established the $130 million Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund to drive investment and support the development of the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector across the supply chain in NSW.

The Fund aims to position regional NSW as a major global supplier and processor of critical minerals and high-tech metals in addition to job creation opportunities and competitive advantages for NSW to establish a viable, valuable and sustainable sector.