A fascinating coming together of satellite networks, artifical intelligence (AI) and 3D mapping is benefiting gold and copper producer Barrick Gold’s copper exploration at its Reko Diq project in Pakistan.
Fleet Space Technologies, an Australian space exploration company, has announced the deployment of its end-to-end mineral exploration solution, ExoSphere, to Reko Diq.
Powered by the latest advances in space technology, AI, and 3D multiphysics, ExoSphere is being used to generate 3D subsurface maps of local groundwater systems and copper porphyry complexes for multiple zones of interest, comprising over 1,150 square kilometres of the Reko Diq project.
Flavia Tata Nardini, Co-Founder & CEO of Fleet Space Technologies, explains: “By applying the latest innovations in space, AI and 3D multiphysics to copper exploration, we demonstrate a more sustainable, scalable path to achieve the copper supply needed for our clean energy future, in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
For Barrick Gold, which operates on four continents in 18 countries, Reko Diq is a strategic part of its copper portfolio and represents one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold projects in the world. The area is one of several volcanic centres in the Chagai mountain range and part of the Tethyan Magmatic Arc which is known to contain significant copper-gold ore deposits of various grades. Production is to begin in 2028.
ExoSphere says its end-to-end architecture unlocks new insights and predictive capabilities to enhance outcomes and streamline operations at every stage of the exploration process. Leveraging Fleet Space’s satellite network in low Earth orbit (LEO), smart seismic sensors enabled with edge computing, and rapid data processing, ExoSphere says it delivers real-time 3D mapping of mineral systems and AI-powered drill targeting with, it claims, near-zero environmental impact.
This process enables a faster and more efficient end-to-end data journey, making exploration activities more dynamic and precise by giving remote onsite teams access to actionable insights in real time.