The challenge
Expanding the search space to find distant orebodies
Exploration in Australia’s covered terrain is technically difficult and expensive. As major mineral discoveries at the surface are declining, new tools are needed to help the industry explore deeper, with less costs.
Digital advances including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning open up the opportunity to automate processes.
The vast wealth of data on Australia’s geology is also exponentially increasing thanks to the array of new sensors available. Digital advances are an opportunity to turn this data into valuable and practical knowledge.
Our response
AI and machine learning-led approaches
With our colleagues in Data61 we are applying the latest advances in automation, AI and machine learning to develop new digital tools to enable explorers.
Our focus is on enhancing or replacing traditional exploration methods in favour of artificial intelligence and machine learning-led approaches and workflows that significantly increase efficiencies and lower costs.
Data widgets that feed into these alternative tools will also help to improve insights on geology.
We are also developing new automated analysis techniques that take advantage of machine learning to rapidly turn data into practical knowledge and predictions that can be applied in the exploration field.
These new tools aim to automate data collection, interpretation and prediction (with uncertainty) to improve insight, aid decision-making and simplify data. These developments will not only save time but reduce inherent subjectivity in traditional data collection and interpretation methods.