If there’s ever one thing to be sure about during our time on Earth is that the world will continue to evolve, whether you choose to jump on board or not.
That sentiment is becoming more and more prevalent in the mining and resources sector, along with almost every other industry, as techmakers find all kinds of uses for artificial intelligence (AI) in the modern world.
Speaking to Mining.com.au, Commodity Discovery Fund Researcher Samson Li predicts another well performing year for the technology sector as we move into the Chinese New Year.
Spanning from 17 February through until 3 March 2026, the Chinese New Year is transitioning from the Year of the Snake into the Year of the Fire Horse.
New beginnings is a term often popping up in relation to the Year of the Fire Horse, bringing many rapid changes, fresh opportunities, and overall, a fresh start.
McKinsey & Company reports 88% of people surveyed to utilise AI in at least one business function in 2025, increasing from 78% the previous year.
“All these technologies need batteries, and more importantly the source – electricity. But at the same time, China is serious about limiting carbon emission,” Li tells this news service.
“Therefore, while they will continue to build more infrastructure to enhance their technology development, they will also emphasis clean energy.”
The International Energy Agency lists commodities such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite as crucial components to battery performance. These three commodities also tie into AI technologies, alongside silicon, copper, and rare earth elements, according to Cross Dock Insights.
Lithium neighs for demand
Lithium plays a key function in batteries for its light weight that enables high energy storage in compact forms. When creating the physical hardware and infrastructure required for AI technologies, lithium-ion batteries are in demand to power these systems.
Global consumption of the commodity is expected to continue to be driven for its use in electric vehicles, where China takes the reins, as reported by Mining.com.au.
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) December 2025 Resources and Energy Quarterly indicates that battery energy storage systems being installed globally will contribute to future demand.
In 2024, Australia was marked to extract 36% of the world’s lithium resources, marking the country to have the second highest reserves globally. In that same year, Australia shipped 95% of its lithium ores and concentrate produced to China.
Lithium has seen a 74% increase in its spot price for this year over year, priced at ¥134,500 ($27,909) per tonne as of 6 February 2026, according to Trading Economics.
In China, while the country is kicking off the Year of the Fire Horse, Li explains that the Chinese New Year will bring “lots of fire”, which the Researcher explains is good for technology.
“At the same time, the Fire Horse will bring too much fire into the world, so there will be more wars, intense geopolitical conflicts, emergence of new viruses, and natural disasters,” Li predicts in conversation with Mining.com.au.
AI pulls reins on mining
AI is starting to make more and more of an appearance in the mining sector, with companies implementing autonomous mining to advance workplace health and safety.
IGO (ASX:IGO) is one company following the safety trend, Mining Engineer and WA Mining Club Co-lead for the Emerging Professionals Advisory Committee James Fox tells this news service.
“The tech is improving, which goes hand in hand with safety,” Fox explains.
“The end goal, especially with underground mining, is to make it fully autonomous, no one to go underground so it completely eliminates that risk.
“It’s definitely leading that way, but you’re always going to need your trades. You’re always going to need your auto sparkies, your boiler makers, your technicians.”
As Mining.com.au reported on the eighth day of Christmas, AI is rapidly becoming one of mining’s most-talked about and powerful tools.
As one of humanity’s oldest endeavours, mining is at a point where transformation and technological revolution is essential to meet the growing demands for all commodities necessary to the global energy transition.
AI systems are able to analyse geological, geochemical and geophysical datasets at a scale no human team ever could, speeding up the exploration process exponentially.
Testing grid limits, revenue models, and sustainability goals, AI uptake is set to soar as demand rises, according to S&P Global Energy’s latest Horizons Top Trends report for 2026.
Mining.com.au reports potential AI demand is expected to reach over 2,200 terawatts per hour – roughly equivalent to India’s total energy consumption.
“The Chinese New Year is probably the most important festival in a year to the Chinese,” Li adds in his conversation with Mining.com.au as Chinese culture kicks off celebrations for the Year of the Horse.
The Year of the Horse represents vibrant and fiery energy, symbolising adventure, vitality, and momentum, according to Chinese New Year.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Mining.com.au & Unsplash
