Geophysics and Geoscience
More CapEx headed toward future-facing practices
The cyclicality of metal prices means that geophysical and geoscientific firms must remain commodity-agnostic. In mid-2023, lithium exploration was topping all stakeholders’ agendas, with the James Bay area seeing an unprecedented claims rush, and new technologies were sought to explore for spodumene. A year later, with lithium hitting its lowest point since 2020, service providers offering geo-related work have shifted their focus (lithium pegmatite cannot be detected by geophysics solely for instance). One trend appears to be sustained, however: Miners’ growing appetite to invest in technologies that could save them time and, therefore money.
Artificial intelligence promises…
New technologies such as AI have significantly reshaped Québec’s exploration scene in recent years. Indeed, the province is home to Montréal’s AI Institute, MILA, the world’s largest academic Deep Learning (DL) research center. Earlier in the decade, MILA pioneered a movement with the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) to enhance mineral exploration in the province. This collaboration allowed Québec miners to leverage deep learning methods to analyze seismic and borehole data, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of identifying mineral resources deep underground. In 2023, KPI Mining Solutions partnered with MILA to develop AI-based, stochastic optimization solutions for the mining industry, with a promise to provide a “significant increase in profitability.”
Such promises would attract the attention of any mining company’s CEO, and much of Québec is witnessing an increase in AI-driven exploration. Emperor Metals is advancing Canada’s next high-grade gold deposit in the district of Southern Abitibi. Within a year, John Florek and his team built a first-ever conceptual model for the Duquesne West project, a project that had been sitting idle for 12 years. Florek explained how the tool – in the right hands – could revolutionize exploration: “AI increases productivity, makes an impact on the business, and advances decision-making – it is like having 20 geologists on your team but without the salary expenses. You have to have trained geological personnel to get the appropriate models, and you can create models of many different scenarios overnight, which was not possible in the past.”
Given the high failure rate of new technologies, high metal prices are a good opportunity for majors to try out new tools. In 2023, Agnico Eagle reported using AI to optimize regional targeting and produce enhanced 3D geological models, while Glencore leveraged fuzzy logic (an AI technique) to stabilize SAG mill behavior at its Raglan nickel mine. Overall, the demand for advanced geophysical interpretation and integrated modeling services is particularly notable. Scott Napier, global director of consulting at Mira Geoscience, a firm delivering multi-disciplinary 3D and 4D modeling and data management solutions for mineral exploration, said: “Companies are increasingly willing to invest in technologies that enable them to unlock the full potential of their data, leveraging historical information and cutting-edge analytical tools to make the best geoscience-based business decisions.”
“AI enhances the automation and efficiency of data analysis. It enables the combination of remote sensing data with geophysics, geochemistry, and geology to better manage uncertainties and improves the identification of exploration targets through advanced analysis.”
Santiago Mayor, President and CEO, Geomatic World
…human intelligence guarantees
While AI made its way out of the drawing board and into the Boardroom, replacing the human brain is not (yet?) on the cards. For instance, both the exploration team of major Agnico Eagle and the geologists of explorer Cygnus Metals will still depend on drill core samples of rock dating back billions of years to determine the potential of mineral deposits. With progress in core scanning technology and AI, instead of relying only on visual observations, which can vary between geologists, core scanning technology allows for better data interpretation. The data then produces resource models that are more complete and reliable, leading to better mine planning and exploration targeting. As put by Nadine Veillette, the president of Abitibi Geophysics, who gradually integrated AI into its toolbox: “Even though AI helps us a lot, I am not worried about it taking over from humans. Mining exploration is complex, and every situation is different. While AI helps us crunch through all the data, it is still up to us humans to make sense of it all.”
Santiago Mayor, president and CEO of Geomatic World, a firm that has pioneered the application of AI to mining exploration, explained: “AI and machine learning now allow for the reduction of time factors and human errors, as algorithms can determine geological exploratory potential within minutes based on predefined parameters. However, the computer cannot make decisions on its own; human intervention, with expertise in exploration, remains essential.”
Réjean Girard, CEO and general manager of IOS Services Géoscientifiques, who has been active in helping Australian newcomers starting up critical mineral projects in Québec, concurred: “We continue to rely more on natural intelligence than artificial ones.”
On the academic side, Isabelle Demers, professor and director of the Research Institute of Mines and Environment at UQAT, noted that the institute is increasingly using AI to try and predict the future. “We are using numerical modeling to foresee how the climate will evolve and impact built structures, and we are thus using computerized tools to predict the future,” she explained.
Despite the temporary slowdown in exploration activity, more projects are being built in the province, which will contribute to driving demand for geophysical and geoscientific services.
“The demand for advanced geophysical interpretation and integrated modeling services is particularly notable at present. This involves integrating geological and geophysical data sets and leveraging modeling efforts to optimize outcomes.”
Scott Napier, Global Director of Consulting, Mira Geoscience
Article header image courtesy of IOS Services Géoscientifiques