Botswana Diamonds has announced plans to implement artificial intelligence (AI) software to improve the efficiency of its search for diamond deposits and other valuable minerals in Botswana.
The company, which holds exploration licenses in South Africa and Botswana, anticipates receiving initial exploration results from the new AI methods within the next four to six weeks.
The AI program is currently analyzing Botswana Diamonds’ extensive database, which includes 375,000 square kilometers of airborne geophysical data, 606 ground survey results, 228,000 soil-sample results, and 32,000 drill hole logs. This database is the second-largest diamond exploration database in Botswana.
Botswana Diamonds is employing the Xplore AI program developed by Planetary AI in collaboration with International Geoscience Services.
John Teeling, chairperson of Botswana Diamonds, stated, “Our mineral database in Botswana is simply too vast for timely analysis by humans. Large databases are best analyzed using computer-based models and AI techniques, which can process significant amounts of data quickly. We input the data and build models from our existing theoretical and factual knowledge.”
Teeling noted that the AI technique adjusts to handle inconsistencies or gaps in the data.
The AI program incorporates both semantic technology and machine learning. Semantic technology, a branch of AI, focuses on understanding and representing the meaning of data in a format that machines can process reliably.
This technology allows computers to efficiently analyze data and improve information retrieval and analysis. It helps computers grasp the meaning and context of geological data, which enables the identification of potential mineralization zones based on specific deposit patterns.
Teeling added, “We are in the early stages of using this technique in mineral exploration, but its future potential is enormous.”
