US Critical Materials has entered a definitive agreement with VerAI Discoveries to enhance environmentally responsible exploration activities at the Sheep Creek rare earth properties in Montana, US.
The partnership will see the utilisation of VerAI’s AI-based Mineral Targeting Platform for exploration at US Critical Materials’ Sheep Creek rare earths properties.
It aims to increase the probability of mineral detection under covered terrain at the Sheep Creek area of interest (AOI) while minimising environmental impact.
By leveraging VerAI's AI technology, the companies anticipate a significant increase in the mineral discovery success rate, potentially 100-times greater than current industry standards.
US Critical Materials president and US Geological Survey (USGS) former rare earths commodity specialist Jim Hedrick said: “The addition of this AI/ML [machine learning] technology will augment US Critical Materials’ current exploration methodologies.
“AI-assisted mineral exploration platforms are beginning to be recognised by the mining industry and major media outlets.
“The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) also is looking at AI-assisted mining to expedite the search for critical minerals needed for US industry, consumer use, and, most importantly, the US military.”
This AI-powered approach is expected to not only enhance the efficiency of exploration but also set a new benchmark for environmentally responsible practices in the sector.
The Sheep Creek AOI is known for its rich geological features, a fact supported by findings from the Idaho National Laboratory and corroborated by independent geophysical surveys.
VerAI Discoveries CEO Yair Frastai said: “VerAI is spearheading a paradigm shift in the exploration sector. We believe that AI and machine learning are essential tools for revolutionising mineral exploration.
“With this definitive agreement, US Critical Materials is proving its forward-thinking approach by leveraging our advanced AI-based targeting technology to systematically de-risk the economics of discovering concealed mineral deposits.”
