The Elements of Innovation Discovered
The Elements of Innovation Discovered
To further enhance the capacity of its ExoSphere mineral exploration platform, Fleet Space launched its two most advanced satellites aboard the SpaceX's Transporter 12 mission on Jan. 14.
Ma'aden will leverage the satellite-enabled ExoSphere technology to explore for minerals below the sands of the Saudi Shield.
Fleet Space's innovative Geodes collect and streamline geophysics data before transmitting it to the company's low-earth-orbit satellites.
Fleet Space Technologies' LEO satellites collect streamlined geophysical data directly from ground-based sensors and relay that information to a ground station to quickly create 3D subsurface maps of the area scanned.
Continuing its rocketing growth and the adoption of its cutting-edge mineral exploration technology by some of the world's largest mining companies, Australia-based Fleet Space Technologies has entered into an agreement with the Saudi Arabian Mining Company, or Ma'aden, to deploy its satellite-enabled and AI-enhanced ExoSphere platform to accelerate the expansion of mineral resources in Saudi Arabia.
While not as well-known as its global peers, Ma'aden is the largest mining company in the Middle East and, based on a market cap of approximately $50 billion,is amongst the top ten globally,
Earlier this month, Ma'aden announced the discovery of copper and gold on two of its projects in the Arabian Shield, a geological area along the east side of the Red Sea enriched with copper, gold, rare earths, tin, tungsten, uranium, and other minerals and metals.
Ma'aden says its recent discoveries and expansions of known mineralization on its Wadi Al Jaww and Jabal Shayban projects indicate the emergence of an exciting new potential gold and copper district on the Arabian Shield.
Ma'aden CEO Bob Wilt said the copper and gold discoveries are the product of "the world's largest single-jurisdiction mineral exploration programs."
"We have committed to establishing mining as the third pillar of the Saudi economy, in line with Vision 2030," he continued. "These announcements and the progress we continue to drive forward with at pace is indicative to the reality that that has now become."
Unveiled by the Saudi government in 2016, Vision 2030 is focused on diversifying the Middle Eastern nation's economy away from oil, while also improving the quality of life for its citizens and making the nation more efficient and transparent.
Mining has emerged as a primary area of focus when it comes to diversifying the Saudi economy.
"The focus that the kingdom has placed on accelerating the mining and minerals sector has created significant opportunities for growth and development," Wilt added.
To seize these opportunities, Ma'aden plans to leverage Fleet Space's ExoSphere to accelerate the discovery and expansion of mineral deposits below the sands of Saudi deserts.
"Integrating leading-edge, world-class exploration technologies is a central pillar to Ma'aden's ambitious growth strategy," said Wilt.
Ma'aden will leverage the satellite-enabled ExoSphere technology to explore for minerals below the sands of the Saudi Shield.
To help mining companies accelerate the discovery of mineral deposits hidden below Earth's surface, Fleet Space has bundled its constellation of low-earth-orbit satellites, AI, edge computing, and geophysics into its cutting-edge ExoSphere mineral exploration platform.
In essence, ExoSphere is a 21st-century upgrade to the geophysical techniques that have been used for decades to find hidden mineral deposits through the use of sensors to provide 3D images of the rocks hidden below the Earth's surface. "This technique works like a medical MRI, producing images of subsurface rock formations instead of the human body.
While traditional geophysics are highly effective mineral exploration tools, they can be cumbersome to deploy and the gathering and processing of the geophysical data can take weeks, sometimes months.
Fleet Space's integration of LEO satellites, sensors, and AI streamlines geophysical data collection and analysis much easier, and the transformation of that data into 3D images that geologists can use to pinpoint the best places to drill for mineral deposits near-instantaneously.
Fleet Space's innovative Geodes collect and streamline geophysics data before transmitting it to the company's low-earth-orbit satellites.
These advantages begin with Fleet Space Geodes, which are hand-transportable, wireless, and battery-powered geophysics sensors that are easy to deploy. Once sufficient data is gathered by a grid of Geodes, these sensors use edge computing to partially process the raw information before transmitting the data to Fleet Space satellites.
This streamlined data is then relayed to a ground station that is able to deliver nearly real-time 3D mapping of mineral systems and AI-powered drill targeting with near-zero environmental impact.
This speedy delivery and data processing provides geological teams at remote mineral exploration projects access to real-time actionable insights.
"Real-time 3D subsurface data acquisition, processing, and AI-powered insights in a single workflow represents a paradigm shift in the future of mining – providing a platform to identify high-quality targets in days while maximizing the ROI (return on investment) of every drilling campaign," said Fleet Space CEO Flavia Tata Nardini.
Rio Tinto, Barrick Gold, Gold Fields, and AngloGold Ashanti are among the growing lineup of global exploration companies that are leveraging the ExoSphere platform to accelerate the discovery and expansion of mineral deposits.
Ma'aden's deployment of ExoSphere to help unlock Saudia Arabia's mineral potential will add another of the world's largest mining companies to Fleet Space's rapidly expanding list of clients.
To keep pace with growing demand, Fleet Space recently launched Centauri 7 and Centauri 8, its most advanced satellites so far.
"As an end-to-end solution designed to complement modern mining operations, ExoSphere enables the most ambitious exploration strategies by unlocking faster, more precise targeting decisions at scale in the world's harshest exploration conditions," said Nardini.
Fleet Space Technologies' LEO satellites collect streamlined geophysical data directly from ground-based sensors and relay that information to a ground station to quickly create 3D subsurface maps of the area scanned.
The advantages offered by ExoSphere fit well with Ma'aden's aggressive mineral exploration across the Arabian Shield.
"We've been making significant investments in exploration in recent years, with the launch of the world's largest single-jurisdiction mineral exploration programs," said Wilt.
Under a memorandum of understanding with Fleet Space and Tahreez, a Saudi smart solutions provider and subsidiary of Alturki Holding, Ma'aden plans to leverage ExoSphere's vertically integrated exploration platform to unlock the exploration mineral potential of the Arabian Shield and drive progress toward Vision 2030.
Ma'aden's adoption of ExoSphere highlights Saudi Arabia's commitment to diversifying its economy, with mining poised to contribute significantly to GDP growth.
"This collaboration reflects a force multiplier for the Kingdom's dynamic mining sector and another bold stride for Vision 2030," said Tahreez Managing Director Francesco Fidicaro. "By combining the latest advances in AI and space with Ma'aden's sector leadership, this powerful new initiative reinforces KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) on the forefront of the global mining value chain and outlines a potential path to accelerate sovereign mineral discovery."
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.
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