Core Lithium (ASX:CXO) has signed a 12-month contract with Fleet Space Technologies for the space company to provide its ExoSphere satellite-based mineral exploration services.
The partnership is effective from May 2023 and follows Core Lithium’s recent opening of the Finniss Lithium Mine, and capital raising with a strong focus on exploring its lithium projects. It also follows completion of successful large-scale survey trials at Core’s Finniss Project.
The contract will see Fleet’s pioneering satellite-based mineral exploration system, ExoSphere, deployed across Core’s tenements in the Northern Territory. Core was also successful in applying for the co-funding of a tenement-wide deployment of ExoSphere at its Shoobridge Project in 2022, under round 15 of the Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program.
ExoSphere sustainably accelerates critical mineral exploration by scanning the Earth with advanced, low-impact sensors, Geodes, connected to the cloud through Fleet’s low-power satellite network.
Commenting to Mining.com.au on the sidelines of the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney, Fleet Space Technologies Director of Planetary Geophysics Gerrit Olivier said ExoSphere is one-of-a-kind technology.
“Since the method is entirely passive, it only requires the use of compact wireless seismic stations. The other difference between Fleet and the others is the real-time aspect. Due to the speed of acquisition one can also scan 1000s of kilometres square with a single nodal array in one year at relatively low cost per kilometre square.
Our custom devices, called Geodes, perform part of the data processing in the field and transmit the pre-processed data to our low Earth orbit satellites for further processing in the cloud. Depending on the local conditions, this typically enables us to create a 3D model of the subsurface in less than 4 days and enables you to scan large areas quickly with adjustable resolution.
“This is a major breakthrough for the technology and is dramatically widening its application”
This is a major breakthrough for the technology and is dramatically widening its application. ExoSphere by Fleet decreases the amount of drilling needed and allows customers to survey areas more quickly based on the rapid real-time processing technology.”
Olivier adds that that ExoSphere enables direct detection of pegmatites, which could increase the probability of success in drilling, resulting in less drilling, less costs and time spent on discovery and less environmental disturbance.
“Relative to other geophysical methods, ambient seismic noise tomography (ANT) is a relatively new approach that is proving to be very effective for certain deposit types. The method recycles the background vibrations (or ambient noise) that can be recorded everywhere on Earth to produce a 3D model of the subsurface. The method returns a model of the subsurface seismic velocities, in particular the speed at which shear waves travel through the rock.
In a 3D model, one can often differentiate between different lithologies, identify faults, and identify regions of anomalous seismic velocity that can serve as drill targets. Depending on the setting, pegmatites may have a significant velocity difference to that of the host rock. If this contrast is present, the pegmatite should show up as a body with a velocity contrast in our 3D model.”
Matt Pearson, co-founder and CEO of Fleet Space Technologies notes that the new contract with Core Lithium marks a huge step forward, not just for the respective companies but for Australia’s entire mineral industry.
“Global demand for high-grade lithium is growing exponentially, driven by rapid developments in electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage. Core is at the forefront of developing this critical resource, through its flagship Finniss Project near Darwin.
We’re delighted that having proved so successful in its trials this year, our pioneering satellite-based technology, ExoSphere, will be fully deployed on Core’s tenements across the NT. This is a fantastic opportunity to support and accelerate Core’s vision to become a major lithium producer.”
Core Lithium Exploration Manager Andy Bennett explains that the miner is one of the first companies to embrace Fleet’s ExoSphere technology, and the first to use it successfully in lithium exploration.
“Core sees huge potential for ExoSphere to provide robust new targets, and focus drilling into the most prospective areas. Core considers that ExoSphere is an innovative new approach to exploration and looks forward to continuing a successful partnership with Fleet Space.”
The agreement follows successful results of a collaborative trial between Core Lithium and Fleet Space Technologies at the BP33 prospect. In August 2022 the company jointly announced the successful conclusion of survey trials. Core Lithium described the results of the trial as ‘an outstanding success’, noting an ‘excellent correlation with the pegmatite body interpreted from drilling to depths in excess of 500m’ and stating that ‘a number of previously unknown targets have emerged – a major boost for exploration.’
Core is using ExoSphere to accelerate its lithium exploration activities, in line with its vision to provide high-grade lithium for electric vehicle (EV) and renewable energy storage applications worldwide.
The successful discovery of lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel is therefore essential to the global transition to clean-air mobility. Global EV demand cannot be met unless the pace of discoveries dramatically increases. The World Economic Forum states that the world’s battery capacity must grow 40 times larger than today to meet capacity demands.
Developed by Fleet Space at its headquarters in Adelaide, Australia, ExoSphere is a pioneering exploration system that delivers detailed, 3D subsurface images in days rather than months required using conventional techniques. An array of satellite-enabled geophones, called Geodes, use edge computing to analyse ambient seismic noise collected by Ambient Noise Tomography (ANT). Geodes are up to 10 times more sensitive than existing nodal geophones, increasing both accuracy and depth of results. This data is then rapidly processed and transmitted through Fleet’s low power satellite network.
Crucially, what ExoSphere can do for Core, by enabling direct detection of pegmatites, is to increase the probability of success in drilling, resulting in less drilling, less cost, less time to discovery and less environmental disturbance.
The contract includes the Geodes, planning and deployment support, and real-time processing and delivery of 3D shear velocity models for one year.
Mining.com.au is an official media partner of IMARC.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Core Lithium Ltd
