Startup Fleet Space announced yesterday that it used its satellite-powered AI system to expand the scope of an already massive lithium deposit in Quebec.
Finding a mineral resource isn’t easy. Only about three in 1,000 potential deposits end up becoming commercially viable, and it can take years to prove it by drilling core samples. Fleet Space says its approach can help target drilling operations, reducing decision time from weeks to days.
The startup currently has a small constellation of satellites in orbit that use a range of sensors, including electromagnetic and gravity-sensing, to map the subsurface. Fleet Space then feeds that data into its software platform, which can provide a new location for drilling in as little as 48 hours.
The Cisco project is currently estimating that it could produce up to 329 million metric tons of lithium oxide. Fleet Space said the results of lithium deposits might extend beyond Cisco’s current boundaries, saying the region has “district-scale potential.”