Earth AI discovers overlooked mineral deposits in Australia

A mining startup called Earth AI has recently discovered promising deposits of critical minerals in Australia. This includes copper, cobalt, gold, silver, molybdenum, and tin in areas that other mining companies have overlooked for decades. The use of artificial intelligence has helped the company identify these deposits quickly over large areas. Last summer, another startup, KoBold, publicly announced it had found a major copper deposit in Zambia. Although Earth AI's discoveries might not be as large, they indicate that future supplies of critical minerals could come from advanced technology and data analysis. Roman Teslyuk, the founder and CEO of Earth AI, believes that the frontier of mining lies not in new locations, but in new technologies. Teslyuk started the company after studying at the University of Sydney, where he learned about Australia’s mining laws that require exploration companies to submit their data to a national archive. He noticed that this valuable information was not being utilized effectively. Initially, Earth AI focused on software to predict mineral deposits. However, potential clients were cautious about investing in what they saw as untested technology. To build trust, Earth AI began developing its own drilling equipment to validate its findings. The company was accepted into Y Combinator, a startup accelerator, in 2019 and raised $20 million in January 2025. Earth AI’s approach to mining differs from others, as its algorithms can rapidly scan extensive areas for deposits. According to Teslyuk, traditional mining exploration methods are slow and can take decades. With the need for efficiency in today’s fast-paced world, Earth AI aims to speed up the mineral discovery process.