Leveraging AI to Identify Platinum in Australia

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made significant strides in the mining industry, particularly in the discovery of platinum group elements (PGE) in Australia.

In a groundbreaking partnership, Earth AI and Legacy Minerals have leveraged AI technology to identify the first igneous PGE-nickel-copper mineralization in the Lachlan Fold Belt, New South Wales. This innovative use of Earth AI’s deposit targeting system has pinpointed valuable resources within LGM’s Fontenoy project, marking a notable advancement in mining exploration technology.

The collaboration between Earth AI and LGM has already yielded impressive results, with diamond drilling uncovering a 34-meter intersection grading 0.5g/t PGE, including a high-grade segment of 10m at 1.2g/t 3E PGE. This exploration initiative, part of an exploration alliance agreement signed in May 2022, commits Earth AI to invest up to $4.5 million over two years in the Fontenoy and Mulholland projects. Prior explorations at Fontenoy primarily searched for shallow nickel laterite deposits without testing for PGEs or igneous-related mineralization, underscoring the novelty of this AI-driven approach.

This AI-driven exploration has not only discovered significant nickel sulphides around the Ordovician Moonbilleen gabbro but also initiated a diamond drilling program targeting these finds along with historical copper-gold intersections at Fontenoy.

These efforts have revealed strong nickel-copper-PGE surface anomalism south of the discovery intersection, which is now prioritized for further exploration. LGM’s Managing Director, Christopher Byrne, highlighted the role of AI in this discovery, noting the potential for further significant findings within the ultramafic belt that hosts the Fontenoy Project. This pioneering work represents a new frontier in mining, utilizing AI to uncover resources in regions previously not known for such mineralization.