Rare Mineral Mining Can Leverage AI and Robotics to Support “White-Collar” and “Blue-Collar” Workflows

 

Rare mineral mining is integral in so many areas of technology today, but can technology return the favor by assisting with the mining process?

Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics into the mining industry is revolutionizing the search for rare minerals. Bill Gates’s recent investment of US $20 million in GeologicAI, a startup developing AI-powered robots to analyze and interpret geological data, underscores the potential of AI in this sector. The technology modernizes the labor-intensive process of core logging and enhances accuracy in identifying mineralogy beneath the surface.

This advancement should lower costs and promote environmental sustainability, marking a significant shift in the industry. As various companies continue to explore and invest in lithium and other critical minerals, the role of AI becomes increasingly crucial, offering a more efficient and sustainable approach to mineral exploration. This development is a vital part of the broader conversation on the role of AI in mining for rare minerals and the enhanced capabilities AI and robotics bring to varied industries.

Maria Gini, Ph.D. and Professor at the Department of Computer Science & Engineering for The University of Minnesota provides further context into how AI could prove helpful in mining operations.

Maria’s Thoughts

“Mining, in particular mining for rare minerals, is becoming very important given the need for those minerals for all modern technologies. Robots have been used in mining for a long time, and clearly, they have a place to do in the mining area. You can think about robots as blue-collar workers that do the real job; they go out, go underground, dig materials out, and bring them up. Now what is different compared to some years ago is the role of AI. You can think of AI as a white-collar worker that helps the robots do the task better.

How can you do it better? One way is to think about using the knowledge that we have about geology to try to find and identify as much as possible potential areas where those minerals can be found. The other, which may not be as well-known, is to use AI as a super-smart researcher that tries to think about creative solutions. One of the issues is not only to find those rare minerals, but you also have to separate them because they’re always mixed with others, and to separate them, you have to come up with some process, you know, a chemical process or whatever type of process. And that, in general, takes people to figure out and try many, many different ideas.

Now what AI can do is much more systematic and aggressive in trying to explore many different solutions, try to simulate the outcomes of the solutions, and then try to record the solution that looks the most promising so they can be tested. And this role of AI is really supported in developing science is kind of very, very important. Maybe not as well-known as the role of AI in doing dialogues, but again, extremely important, and there are already very known results for AI discovering new compounds and other things. So again, the combination of AI and robotics, I think, will bring a lot of new and interesting development and applications that can help humanity. Thank you.”

Article by James Kent

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

CensisAI²
Inside the SPD Revolution: Robby Miller on Embracing CensisAI²
April 22, 2025

In this impactful episode of the ConCensis podcast, host Yasmeen Hassan sits down with Robby Miller, Sterile Processing Manager at St. Joseph’s Hospital Medical Center, to explore how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the field of sterile processing. With nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare, Miller shares his journey from EMT to SPD leader, offering…

Read More
emergency response planning
Improving Emergency Response Planning in Schools
April 22, 2025

In this episode of School Safety Today by Raptor Technologies, host Dr. Amy Grosso sits down with Dr. Vincent Iturralde, Chief Operations Officer for North Chicago School District 187. Dr. Iturralde shares insights from his educational journey, emphasizing the need for schools to update emergency response protocols, strengthen communication systems, and prioritize collaboration over…

Read More
AI in marketing
From Queries to Conversations with AI in Marketing Analytics
April 21, 2025

In this episode of the SparkCast, Aby Varma—founder of Spark Novus, a firm that helps marketing leaders adopt AI responsibly and strategically—sits down with Daniel Kravtsov, CEO and Co-Founder of Improvado. Daniel shares his unique journey from Russia to founding a cutting-edge martech company in the Bay Area. Together, they explore how AI agents…

Read More
ESA
ESA Success Requires Strategy, Infrastructure, and Support Beyond Legislation
April 21, 2025

As education savings accounts (ESAs) gain traction across the United States, the conversation is shifting from policy debates to the complexities of implementation. Fueled by post-pandemic dissatisfaction with traditional school models and a desire for more customizable educational options, ESAs are being adopted in a growing number of states, often under “universal” frameworks. But…

Read More