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A.I. Helped Spot a Copper Bonanza. It Could Transform More Than Mining.

 

Unveiling KoBold Metals' Monumental Copper Discovery in Zambia

The Groundbreaking Find

Last year, a team of data scientists peered into their computer screens in California and uncovered a subterranean treasure. This discovery transported them 10,000 miles across the globe to Zambia, and then a mile down into the Earth. Here, they identified a rich lode of copper, revealed by an AI-driven technology they had been developing for years.

On Thursday, KoBold Metals announced to its business partners that this find is likely the largest copper discovery in over a decade. The mine, once fully operational, is expected to produce at least 300,000 tons of copper annually, translating to billions of dollars in revenue each year for decades.

Independent Verification and Future Potential

The New York Times reviewed an independent, third-party assessment of KoBold’s claims. While this assessment was slightly more conservative than KoBold’s own estimates, it largely corroborated the size of the deposit. KoBold anticipates the value of the mine to grow as they continue to map the full extent of its highest-grade ore.

This is a landmark success for KoBold Metals, a company aiming to revolutionize the search for metals critical to the tech industry and the fight against climate change. The geopolitical significance is profound, as the United States and China increasingly clash over access to minerals essential for manufacturing clean-energy technologies.

The Tech Industry's Growing Demand for Raw Materials

KoBold Metals originated half a decade ago when Silicon Valley's leaders realized their dependence on raw materials. The tech industry’s growth hinges on a substantial increase in the mining of materials like copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel. These metals are crucial for batteries, which power everything from cellphones to electric trucks and backup power grids.

Over two decades, KoBold’s find in Zambia could yield enough copper for 100 million electric vehicle batteries. Connie Chan, a partner at Andreessen Horowitz, noted, “The more you realize how dependent we are on these technologies, the more you ask: How the hell were we so slow to the fact that we needed vast amounts of raw material to make it all possible?”

Innovations in Mining Techniques

The traditional mining industry has struggled to innovate, relying on century-old exploration techniques. The cost of new discoveries has risen while the pace of finds has slowed. The U.S. government also recognized the need to reduce dependence on China for essential resources. China controls a significant portion of the global supply chains for these metals, while the U.S. has relatively few processing plants or mines.

The International Energy Forum estimates that the world will need between 35 and 194 large new copper mines by 2050. This translates to one to six new mines annually, comparable in size to KoBold’s planned operation in Zambia.

Investment and Expansion

Investors from American and European private equity funds, including Silicon Valley giants like Bill Gates and Sam Altman, have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into KoBold. The company already has over 60 exploration projects in various countries and plans to own stakes in the mines themselves, such as in Zambia.

Kurt House, KoBold’s chief executive and co-founder, emphasizes the moneymaking potential of their proprietary technology. The company is investing $2.3 billion into its first mine and is negotiating partnerships with contractors and governments. It is also relying on U.S. government financing for a new railway to export the copper.

Advanced Technology in Mining

KoBold employs cutting-edge technology in its mining operations. Tom Hunt, leading a team of data scientists, uses a muon detector developed by Daniel Snowden-Ifft, a physicist at Occidental College. This device, lowered into drill holes, identifies subatomic particles called muons to send back density readings of the underground world. This technique, although new to mining, has previously been used to locate burial chambers in Egyptian pyramids.

KoBold’s TerraShed database integrates tens of millions of documents, including old mining maps and reports, creating 3D models of potential mineral deposits. “We think we’re mostly done with the easy era of mining,” said Hunt, who joined KoBold after working at Google.

Economic and Social Impacts in Zambia

KoBold’s discovery holds the promise of significant economic benefits for Zambia, a country heavily reliant on copper mining. However, the link between resource extraction and local benefit is not guaranteed. Despite a century of mining, Zambia remains one of the world’s least-developed and most indebted countries.

KoBold’s partners include the Zambian state mining company, which owns 20 percent of the project. The Zambian government is pushing for a larger share to ensure more substantial local benefits. President Hakainde Hichilema emphasized the need for increased revenue to invest in crucial sectors like health and education.

Challenges and Future Prospects

While KoBold’s find is a potential windfall for investors, the social and environmental trade-offs are significant. Mining has historically left waste and environmental damage across Zambia’s Copperbelt Province. Local communities, like the village of Kawama, directly above the ore, have mixed expectations about the new mine’s impact.

The U.S. government views KoBold’s project as a strategic foothold in Africa’s critical minerals market. Washington is partially underwriting a $2.3 billion railway to facilitate copper export to the United States, aiming to counter China’s dominance in the region.

KoBold Metals' innovative approach and significant copper discovery in Zambia mark a transformative moment in the mining industry. By leveraging advanced technology and substantial investments, the company is poised to meet the growing global demand for critical minerals. However, the true test will be ensuring that the benefits of this monumental find extend to the local communities and contribute to Zambia’s long-term development.

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