African Mining Week, held from 1-3 October, will highlight the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital tools in optimising exploration and production processes.
The three day event serves as a platform for exploring mining opportunities across the continent and is held alongside African Energy Week in Cape Town.
Investment platform Energy Capital & Power noted in a press statement overnight African mining companies are incorporating AI to streamline operations and meet production targets set by governments.
Diamond explorer and developer Botswana Diamonds is expanding its mineral portfolio with an AI-based nationwide exploration program after launching in August last year.
The company reported in March uncovering potential deposits of greenstone, Mississippi Valley-type lead and zinc, as well as platinum group metals.
As a result, the company is now applying for 11 new prospecting licences.
Botswana Diamonds Chairman John Teeling says during the initial analysis of the database, it was demonstrated that AI technology could be used to identify other unknown minerals opportunities.
“Our analysis so far has identified a series of targets in copper, cobalt, zinc, and gold,” Teeling says.
Meanwhile in South Africa, Kilken Platinum is using AI to optimise operations at its Thabazimbi processing plant, as part of an expansion plan to double platinum group metals production to 83 kilograms per month.
The project has already increased output to 40kg in its initial phase.
Merchant Research & Consulting says that the Bushveld complex in South Africa is the largest platinum group metals supplying mine globally. The complex covers about 66,000km2 and in conjunction with platinum group metals, it is a major source of chromite, vanadium, and titanium.
Platinum group metals comprise six precious metallic elements, namely platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium.
According to Straits Research, the automotive sector accounts for 40% of the global platinum demand and 85% of the global palladium demand, The shift towards hybrid and electric vehicles, which still use platinum group metals, further fuels this demand.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Botswana Diamonds
