US miner KoBold bets on AI to gain edge in DR Congo mineral hunt

Manono, Democratic Republic of the Congo – KoBold Metals, a US mining company backed by tech billionaires such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, is utilizing artificial intelligence to hunt for critical minerals in the remote Congolese bush. The AI-driven explorers, equipped with high-precision GPS units and tablets, are gathering real-time data on the country's vast and largely unexplored subsoil.

The DRC is the world’s second-largest producer of copper and the top producer of cobalt, both of which are essential for clean energy technologies. However, China currently commands a near monopoly in the Congolese copper and cobalt markets.

With strategic partnerships between Washington and Kinshasa, KoBold Metals has obtained 14 exploration permits covering over 3,000 square kilometers to seek out lithium, an essential component in the production of electric cars. The company expects global demand for lithium to more than double by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.

KoBold Metals' AI system analyzes historical geological maps, old drill logs, and satellite imagery to pinpoint areas with high concentrations of lithium. The system then generates predictive models to target drilling efforts. KoBold Metals has invested more than $50 million in the DRC by early 2027 in hopes of making significant discoveries and competing with global mining giants like China’s Zijin.