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AI Strikes Gold: How Technology Is Reshaping the Future of Mineral Exploration
Coreena Robertson, Expert Exchange Web Summit Vancouver 2025
It wasn't just software and startups making waves at Web Summit Vancouver.
For the first time, The New Energy Track at the summit hosted its own stage in one of the world's most influential tech gatherings—with AI emerging as a powerful force reshaping how we discover the critical minerals that power the modern world.
In Vancouver for the first time, the conference hosted over 15,000 people from 117 counties.
Among the speakers leading this charge was Steve de Jong, CEO of VRIFY an AI-assisted mineral discovery platform. During his session titled 'Striking Gold in the Global Minerals Race' , de Jong emphasized that AI isn't just a buzzword—it's a game-changing tool in the race to secure the world's critical mineral supply.
'There's so much data that sits out there today,' de Jong said. 'There's a whole bunch of discoveries waiting to be made just sitting within that data… I think you're going to see an entire wave of AI discoveries in the very near future.' Steve de Jong, CEO VRIFY Mining Meets the Modern Age
VRIFY is tackling a central challenge in the mining industry: mineral discovery is time-consuming, expensive, and often inefficient. Traditional exploration methods can take over a decade to result in a working mine. But AI is drastically accelerating that process.
'From discovery to building a mine, you'll often hear 15 years. We focus on making the discovery part as efficient as possible,' said de Jong. 'We want to get to a decision point quickly—either this isn't big enough or yes, it is.' Steve de Jong, CEO VRIFY
By layering massive, complex datasets—from geochemistry to satellite imagery to historic drill records—AI can detect hidden correlations that the human brain simply can't compute.
'The human brain can process maybe four or five layers of data. AI can look at 52 layers—and millions of data points—and find the patterns that correlate with something like copper or gold,' he explained. The Myth of 'All the Easy Stuff Is Found'
One of the most disruptive ideas de Jong presented was that many high-value mineral deposits may already be discovered—but hidden in plain sight.
'You often hear, 'All the easy stuff has been found.' We just fundamentally disagree,' said de Jong. 'Until very recently, we've never had the tools to squeeze every little bit of insight out of all the data that's been collected. That's changed now with AI.'
He cited a powerful example from his time leading Integra Gold, where a massive gold deposit was found just two kilometers from two historic mines—missed for decades because it was hidden under a swamp.
'It turned out to be bigger than either of the two mines next to it. But because all the infrastructure was already there, the environmental impact and development timeline was minimal,' said de Jong. A Critical Tool in the Critical Minerals Race
As countries scramble to secure domestic sources of lithium, copper, antimony, and other essential materials, AI-driven exploration is becoming not just a competitive advantage, but a geopolitical necessity.
'Every country in the world is waking up to the fact that they need to supply their own long-term critical mineral supply,' de Jong explained. 'Some of these elements—like antimony—were previously overlooked, but they're essential for things like batteries and defense.'
He shared that VRIFY recently worked on a European project where re-analyzing existing data for antimony—a critical mineral often sourced from China—revealed a previously untapped opportunity.
'By literally changing one input in the AI model, we went from looking at gold to uncovering a whole new antimony potential. It's that simple—and that powerful.' A Tool for Investors, Not Just Geologists
Beyond mining companies, investors are beginning to embrace AI as a due diligence tool.
'I'm not a geologist. And for a lot of investors, it's hard to keep up with the technical language,' de Jong admitted. 'But AI helps level the playing field. Think of it like an audit of a project's mineral potential.'
He revealed that a mining investment fund recently enlisted Verrifi to analyze a prospective project before committing capital—an example of how AI is informing not only discovery but also decision-making.
'It's not about replacing the geology team,' de Jong clarified. 'It's about giving them more insight—and giving investors the confidence that every data point has been considered.' A New Era for Exploration
With AI rapidly maturing and tools like Verrifi showing real-world impact, de Jong is optimistic that the mineral exploration sector is entering a transformative new phase.
'You can't look at today's AI with yesterday's eyes. This isn't the same tech from three years ago,' he said. 'I think we're in a new era of exploration—one that's more efficient, more sustainable, and more accessible.' Steve de Jong, VRIFY
Everything we touch, everything we use—it all comes from the ground. And now, we finally have the tools to understand that better.'
About the Author:
This article was produced for the Expert Exchange following Web Summit Vancouver 2025. Coreena Robertson conducted the in-studio interview with Steve de Jong.
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