The Emerging Science of Finding Critical Metals | Mfikeyi Makayi | TED

Summary

This talk highlights the vital role of mining in powering a circular economy, emphasizing the need for advanced exploration technologies to discover critical minerals like copper, lithium, and cobalt. The speaker critiques the mining industry's underinvestment in research and development, showcasing how innovations in AI and machine learning are transforming exploration. The talk also explores how these technologies can optimize mine design, increase sustainability, and reduce waste. Ultimately, it calls for a responsible, data-driven approach to meet the growing global demand for raw materials while benefiting local communities and minimizing environmental impact.

Takeaways

• 😀 Zambia's rich copper mining history shaped the speaker's life and career, emphasizing the importance of mining in building economies.
• 🌍 A circular economy requires electrification of everything, including cars, robots, drones, and computers, all powered by batteries and renewable energy.
• 🔋 Key materials for a circular economy include lithium, copper, cobalt, and nickel, which are essential for clean and sustainable tech.
• ⛏️ To transition to a circular economy, the world needs to build over 400 new mines by 2040, but finding raw materials is the first challenge.
• 📉 The mining industry is underinvesting in exploration, spending far less on R&D compared to other industries like pharmaceuticals and technology.
• 💡 Mining exploration technology has not advanced in the past 30 years, leading to suboptimal ore body discoveries and inefficient mining.
• 🔮 The speaker introduces predictive technology, aimed at locating valuable materials deep underground through AI-driven models.
• 📊 Current mining methods use outdated models that result in inaccurate predictions, while AI can simulate thousands of possible scenarios to optimize mining efforts.
• 💎 AI technology enables better data collection, maximizes information gained from exploration, and helps identify the most promising areas for mining.
• 🛠️ The future of mining involves designing mines with optimized layouts, reducing waste, conserving resources, and ensuring profitability, safety, and environmental sustainability.
• 🌍 The speaker highlights the Mingomba project in Zambia, developed with global talent, as a model for future mining projects that focus on responsibility and sustainability.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker’s talk?

The main theme of the talk is how to use advanced technology, particularly machine learning and AI, to transform the mining industry into a more efficient, sustainable, and responsible sector capable of supporting a circular economy.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of mining in a circular economy?

The speaker highlights that everything we build and use—such as cars, electronics, and infrastructure—relies on materials that are either grown or mined. For a circular and electrified economy, we need more raw materials like lithium, copper, cobalt, and nickel to produce renewable energy technologies and batteries.

What problem does the mining industry currently face according to the speaker?

The mining industry faces chronic underinvestment in exploration and research. For every dollar returned to shareholders, less than a penny is spent on exploration, leading to stagnation in technological advancement and decreasing efficiency in discovering new ore deposits.

How does the speaker compare mining to other discovery-driven industries?

In industries like pharmaceuticals and technology, companies typically spend about a dollar on research and development for every dollar returned to shareholders. In contrast, the mining industry invests less than one cent in exploration for every dollar of return, showing a major imbalance in innovation investment.

What misconception about mineral resources does the speaker challenge?

The speaker challenges the belief that we are running out of mineral resources. Instead, they argue that we do not lack deposits but rather lack information about where those deposits are located.

How does KoBold, the speaker’s company, use AI in mineral exploration?

KoBold uses machine learning to predict the location and properties of ore bodies beneath the surface. Their AI models simulate thousands of possible geological scenarios consistent with available data, helping to identify areas of uncertainty and guide efficient data collection.

Why is uncertainty a major challenge in mining exploration and design?

Because mining involves predicting underground rock properties based on limited surface data, uncertainty is inherent. The distance between sampling points can be vast, making it difficult to accurately model the ore body’s shape, size, and composition.

What innovation has KoBold introduced to improve mine design?

KoBold has developed a mine-design optimization tool called 'KoBold mine,' which evaluates multiple mine designs against various possible ore body geometries. This allows for more accurate planning regarding ore extraction, waste reduction, and environmental impact.

How do better predictions contribute to safer and more sustainable mining operations?

Improved predictions help identify weaker rock zones, minimizing safety risks for workers. They also enable more precise resource extraction, reducing waste, conserving water, and minimizing environmental impact, leading to more resilient and sustainable mining operations.

What is the significance of the Mingomba project in Zambia?

The Mingomba project represents the application of these new technologies in practice. It is designed to be a 'mine of the future' using data-driven methods and is being developed by a diverse team, including local Zambian talent, to set a new standard for responsible and efficient mining.

How does the speaker link mining innovation to global development goals?

The speaker connects mining innovation to the broader goal of achieving a circular and electrified economy that supports global technological advancement while maintaining environmental responsibility and social equity.