Botswana Diamonds (BOD), an exploration company listed on AIM, has embarked on an AI-driven program to enhance its search for diamond deposits and potentially other minerals in Botswana. The company holds exploration licenses in Botswana and South Africa.
In the next four to six weeks, BOD expects to receive initial results from this program, which is currently analyzing a vast database covering 95,000 square kilometers. This database represents the second-largest diamond exploration dataset in Botswana.
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AI Speeds Up Exploration
Chairperson John Teeling explained that the sheer volume of data makes timely analysis by humans nearly impossible.
AI technology can process vast amounts of information quickly, identifying inconsistencies or gaps that might otherwise go unnoticed.
BOD’s extensive database includes 375,000 kilometers of airborne geophysical data, 606 ground survey results, 228,000 soil samples, and 32,000 drill hole logs.
The company is utilizing Planetary AI Explore, a technology developed in collaboration with International Geoscience Services. This system combines semantic technology with machine learning to enhance mineral exploration.
Semantic technology, a branch of AI, focuses on understanding and representing data in a way that computers can interpret similarly to humans.
This allows the AI system to analyze geological data much like a geologist would, identifying prospective mineral zones based on specific models.
The AI system not only processes large datasets but also learns to identify and correct logical gaps, functioning more efficiently than traditional methods. Teeling believes this innovative approach will uncover new, drillable targets that were previously overlooked.