The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
Metal Tech News - March 4, 2024
A constellation of Fleet Space low-earth-orbit nanosatellites collect and transmit geophysical data from earthbound Geodes at exploration projects around the world.
A Fleet Space Geoprobe planted into the soil at a mineral exploration project.
Fleet Space Geological Sketch is a new visualization tool that allows ExoSphere users to convey their understanding of the geology and lithology of their project.
Fleet Space's newest enhancements include a machine learning-enabled feature that projects the basement depth of potential orebodies identified by ExoSphere surveys.
Partially processed geophysical data from grids of Geoprobes at mineral project is relayed via satellites to ground stations, significantly reducing the time required to process the data.
Already a powerful tool that is being leveraged by global mining companies such as Rio Tinto and Barrick Gold Corp. to discover mineral deposits hidden below the earth's surface, Fleet Space Technologies' satellite-enabled ExoSphere is now more powerful and faster than ever thanks to the introduction of machine learning.
First introduced in 2022, ExoSphere is a powerful mineral exploration system that combines the connectivity offered by a constellation of low-earth-orbit nanosatellites with earthbound sensors, edge computing, and now machine learning to image potential future deposits of minerals up to 15 times faster than traditional methods.
This technology comes at a time when mining companies are being tasked to deliver an estimated $13 trillion worth of minerals and metals for clean energy technologies over the next two decades.
"Fleet Space is on the forefront of advancing global efforts to leverage advanced space technology as an indispensable tool for accelerating our planet's transition to renewable energy," said CEO Flavia Tata Nardini. "The exploration technologies we've built at Fleet Space – enabled by our proprietary satellite constellation – represent a more sustainable and scalable path to increase the supply of energy transition minerals needed to achieve net-zero."
Due to the effectiveness and need for this critical mineral exploration technology, Fleet Space was recently named as an industrial affiliate of Stanford University's Mineral-X program – a premiere research organization combining deep expertise in geoscience, resource optimization, and artificial intelligence to enable a resilient and decarbonized mineral supply chain.
"The global challenges of decarbonization, supply chain complexity, and the critical mineral shortage require a sustained and collective commitment to innovation to deliver the energy transition our planet so desperately needs," said Jef Caers, professor of earth sciences at Stanford and founder of Mineral-X. "We are thrilled to work with Fleet Space to accelerate the development of a resilient supply chain for the minerals needed for clean energy innovation globally."
ExoSphere is basically the Space Age evolution of airborne geophysics that has been a pillar of mineral exploration programs around the world for decades.
Much like how MRIs or X-rays are used to look inside a body, geophysics utilizes specialized equipment and techniques to image the rocks below the earth's surface. Geoscientists use this imagery to determine where underground bodies enriched with minerals might be located.
Partially processed geophysical data from grids of Geoprobes at mineral project is relayed via satellites to ground stations, significantly reducing the time required to process the data.
ExoSphere uses a geophysics method known as ambient noise tomography (ANT) to map Earth's subsurface to discover deposits of cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and other minerals and metals.
As Fleet satellites circle above, earthbound crews lay out a grid of Geodes, hand-transportable sensors equipped with a satellite transmitter and sophisticated processing unit.
These Geodes can provide data for a full 3D visualization of the subsurface to depths of 1.2 miles (two kilometers).
Once sufficient data is gathered, the wireless and battery-powered Geodes partially process the raw information onsite, significantly reducing the volume of data that must be transmitted.
This practice, known as edge processing, significantly increases the speed of connectivity between internet of things devices and allows more information to be sent while drawing significantly less power.
Once this initial processing is complete, the streamlined data is securely transmitted to Fleet Space's low-Earth-orbit satellite network. These satellites, in turn, automatically relay the information to ground stations, dramatically reducing the time required to process data.
This system can deliver 3D models of the subsurface roughly 15 times faster than old-school geophysical techniques that require all of the data from the survey to be collected and physically transported to a location where it can be unpacked, uploaded, processed, and analyzed.
Fleet says the speed of this imaging now means that thousands of square kilometers of prospective ground can be surveyed in a fraction of the time of traditional methods.
"By harnessing the power of Fleet's ExoSphere technology, we are able to scan the earth in greater depth and detail than ever before," said Fleet Space Technologies Chief Exploration Officer Matt Pearson. "This cleaner, faster and more flexible approach to exploration answers the urgent global requirement to find more than $13 trillion in critical earth transition minerals."
On March 4, Fleet Space introduced new machine learning and real-time data processing enhancements that increase the speed and power of the avant-garde ExoSphere mineral exploration technology.
This includes Geological Sketch – a powerful visualization tool that allows ExoSphere users to convey their understanding of the geology and lithology of their project.
Fleet Space Geological Sketch is a new visualization tool that allows ExoSphere users to convey their understanding of the geology and lithology of their project.
Fleet Space's in-house team of geophysicists can plug in the client's unique insights to refine the 3D model before, during, and after an ExoSphere survey is complete. This added depth of knowledge helps to enhance model accuracy and increase the accuracy when it comes to targeting the drilling to discover and delineate mineral deposits.
ExoSphere will also soon have access to a machine learning-enabled feature that projects the basement depth of potential orebodies identified by the ANT survey.
Referring to how deep targeted rocks are buried; basement depth is an important indicator of the economic potential of a mineral project.
Combining data from the ExoSphere survey with geological and lithographical insights of clients, this tool will offer an efficient way to evaluate and visualize the potential basement depth of a project as part of their data-driven exploration efforts.
Fleet Space's newest enhancements include a machine learning-enabled feature that projects the basement depth of potential orebodies identified by ExoSphere surveys.
Being battery-operated and wireless, Fleet Space Geodes already have the advantage of being deployed without the network of cables needed for traditional surveys. These advanced sensors will soon be equipped with a real-time diagnostics tool that allows the onsite teams to make quick adjustments without the need to remove Geodes from the survey area, which is common with other methods.
These enhancements are building upon a revolutionary mineral exploration technology that earned Fleet Space the honor of being named Australia's fastest-growing company in 2023.
"Technologies like ExoSphere, and the ML-enabled, real-time features we are building for it represent a major leap forward in the potential scale and speed of data-driven exploration while also reducing environmental impact," said Nardini.
Fleet Space's satellite-based and machine learning-enhanced geophysics platform is considered a large step into the future of mineral exploration by the scientists and faculty behind Stanford's Mineral-X program.
"The technology developed by Fleet Space provides critical innovations in geophysical imaging needed to map orebodies with an accuracy not possible with current air-borne and surface methods," said Professor Caers.
A Fleet Space Geoprobe planted into the soil at a mineral exploration project.
As an industrial affiliate of Mineral-X, Fleet Space will engage in joint research on technological innovation to accelerate sustainable mineral discovery in support of the global clean energy transition.
The focus of the research will be on optimizing drill targeting using satellite connectivity and space-enabled geophysical sensors to deliver real-time subsurface insight at scale. Insights from this work are expected to accelerate the success and lower the environmental impact of exploring for minerals critical to the clean energy transition.
"In an era marked by declining success rates in mineral exploration and rising demand for raw materials needed for the energy transition, scalable 3D geophysical methods stand out as the cornerstone for breakthroughs in exploration efficiency," said Fleet Space Technologies Chief Scientist Gerrit Olivier. "We are thrilled to partner with Stanford's Mineral-X, a global leader in this domain, to demonstrate how our real-time Ambient Noise Tomography technology can revolutionize drilling and exploration processes, setting new standards for efficiency and effectiveness in the field."
With more than 16 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration and technology metals.
Reader Comments(0)