Botswana Diamonds launches AI analysis on its vast database

16th Aug 2024 09:59

(Sharecast News) - Botswana Diamonds announced the start of a new programme using artificial intelligence (AI) on Friday, to analyse its extensive diamond exploration database in Botswana.

The AIM-traded company said it was leveraging AI technology to accelerate its search for new diamond deposits, with initial results expected within the next four to six weeks.

It described its database as one of the largest in Botswana, comprising around 95,000 square kilometres of data, 375,000 kilometres of airborne geophysical data, 606 ground geophysical surveys, 228,000 soil sample results, and 32,000 drill hole logs.

In total, that amounted to 380 gigabytes of data across 260,000 files.

Botswana Diamonds said it was employing the Xplore mineral prospectivity technology developed by Planetary AI in collaboration with International Geoscience Services.

Xplore uses a combination of semantic technology and machine learning to process and interpret geological data.

Semantic technology allows the AI to understand and represent data in a way similar to human geologists, identifying potential zones for mineralisation based on specific models.

The firm said the AI-driven approach was expected to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of exploration efforts, uncovering new drillable targets that could have been previously overlooked.

By incorporating AI into its exploration strategy, Botswana Diamonds said it aimed to gain fresh insights into its vast dataset, potentially leading to significant new discoveries in the region.

"Our mineral database in Botswana is simply vast - too big for timely analysis by humans ... over 375,000 kilometres of geophysical data, and 32,000 drill holes logs," said chairman John Teeling.

"Massive databases are suited to analysis by computer-based large data models and artificial intelligence techniques which can analyse substantial amounts of data in a short time.

"We feed in the data and create the models from our existing knowledge both theoretical and factual."

Teeling said the techniques then produce results, adding that where it finds inconsistencies or gaps, it would adapt.

"It is early stages in both our work and the use of the technique in mineral exploration, but the future potential is huge.

"An added exciting bonus for BOD and for Botswana is that the technique will analyse a number of different minerals.

"We have always believed that there are more diamond deposits to be found under the sand - now there is the possibility of other deposits being identified."

At 0816 BST, shares in Botswana Diamonds were up 3.23% at 0.32p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.