Precision Mining Without Environmental Harms

Cleantech Group Asia-Pacific Company of the Year Plotlogic recognized for sustainable responsible mining

“I am extremely passionate about aiding a transition to a clean economy and building mining practices that do not cause destruction to forests or natural vegetation. With Plotlogic, clients are not just investing in a solution; they are investing in the future of mining. The business is on the path to greater profitability, sustainability, and efficiency, as we pave the way for a brighter and more responsible mining industry.” -- Andrew Job, Founder & CEO Plotlogic

Interview with Andrew Job Founder & CEO Plotlogic

WT: Please introduce yourself to our viewers giving us an overview and the journey to founding Plotlogic.

Job: The Plotlogic concept literally began on the coal face back when I was working as an engineer with a major mining company. I was always challenged by the dilemma of how we can find new ways of generating the resources the planet needs for a cleaner future without repeating the environmental harm of the past.

In 2016 I took the leap from my lucrative career in mine management to do a PhD., which involved developing my concepts about how to retool the mining industry in reducing both environmental impact and financial costs.

More specifically, I looked at using AI and highly sophisticated sensors to derive information about ore bodies and rock samples autonomously and in real time.

I knew from my experience in mine management that if miners get that information with a very high degree of precision and get it in real time, or just post real time, they can optimize operations in key ways: They can reduce greenhouse gases, increase productivity and profitability, improve safety by reducing exposure hours at site and identify potential hazards before they escalate.

We knew there was an extraordinarily strong market, and we were confident in the tech.

Now, in just over five years since its development, our AI-driven OreSense® platform has been further refined, developed, and tested, both at our facilities and at mine sites.

Alongside the tech development we have also been on a commercialization journey. I also completed a Master's in Business and this helped me navigate the world of finance.

That investment of time and effort paid off and we are now grateful that Plotlogic has some great backing via our angel, Series A and Series B funding. A lot of our support has come from firms fostering innovative technologies tackling environmental challenges.

WT: What does the Asia Pacific Company of the Year & the inclusion in the 100 most innovative Companies in the world taking the world closer to net-zero recognition by Cleantech Group mean for Plotlogic?

Job: It is an honour for the entire Plotlogic team. We see both the Cleantech Global 100 listing and the Asia Pacific award as very fitting testaments to our entire team’s steps towards decarbonizing the mining industry, which is under pressure to produce more critical minerals for the clean energy future.

WT: As the world races towards net zero, so too is it scrambling to find the critical minerals needed for solar panels, EV batteries and other renewable technology critical to the global energy transition. How can miners transition into these new areas in a genuine clean energy way?  

Job: There are three key ways in which the mining industry can transition into future facing metals in a genuinely clean way:

• The mining industry runs predominantly on fossil fuels. Depending on the assessment method it accounts for about 3-10% of global emissions, which means it needs to decarbonize.
• The industry now needs to produce more future-facing metals than have ever been produced in the history of humanity to make the clean energy future a reality. Those metals include rare earths, cobalt, copper, lithium, and nickel.
• Mines need to be not just free of carbon but have minimal impact overall on the environments in which they operate.

Additionally, we need to do more than just issue statements about plans in years to come. We need to focus on mining operations today and reduce the carbon footprint straight away, which opens up a leading role for technology and innovation.

WT: Please describe your technology. How does it by-pass traditional drilling?

Job: OreSense® makes mining more precise by fusing vast amounts of data collected by a range of highly sophisticated sensors. These include hyperspectral cameras working near the infra-red part of the light spectrum, in combination with LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), geo-location information and advanced machine learning algorithms. The enhanced precision enabled by OreSense® enables miners to operate with less environmental impact and reduced economic costs.

The OreSense® pit scanning configuration provides flexible uses with options to scan in pit, at stockpiles, rock faces, including underground.

Scanning can be conducted from a vehicle and is performed semi-autonomously and is non-invasive, without requiring any contact with the mining face.

Plotlogic's impact is realized through patented technologies, available in versatile configurations: OreSense Digital Assay, OreSense Pit Scanning, OreSense Over the Conveyor, OreSense Shovel and OreSense Platform. Each configuration offers unique advantages tailored to meet the specific needs of mining operations, ensuring maximum adaptability and efficacy.

WT: What is hyperspectral imaging and how have you adapted this process?

Job: Unlike traditional imaging, which captures data in just three bands (red, green, and blue), hyperspectral imaging involves capturing and processing images at bands across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.

By providing detailed spectral information for each pixel in an image, hyperspectral imaging offers detailed information that is invisible to the naked eye.

This enables precise mineral identification and characterization, enhancing geological accuracy for miners conducting mapping and assaying.

WT: Frustrated junior miners are constantly plagued by lengthy delays on assaying of their drill sites. How is your technology a gamechanger?

Job: OreSense® allows blasthole samples to be digitally scanned in 2 minutes on site, removing the need to transport the samples long distances. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions associated with transporting assays, drastically reduces exposure hours and safety risks for geologists working on site and cuts days of speculation to mere hours, giving junior miners more confidence in their operations.

WT: Tell us about the international interest in your company.

Job: Plotlogic is quickly becoming a global leader in ore characterization, helping customers with international operations to increase output and reduce waste. We have also been attracting financial backing from several global heavyweights for our deployments.

Interest in the technology internationally has grown because it can support mining companies in developing a holistic solution to the highly contentious issue of environmentally sustainable mining.

WT: Would the Plotlogic technology be applicable to other sectors other than mining?

Job: Yes, it has potential in the critical areas of waste sorting and recycling, and agriculture.

WT: Moving forward...what is next?

Job: We aim to further refine and develop our tech with the core aim of helping more miners produce the minerals needed for the clean energy future with minimal economic impact.

We are particularly focused on helping US, South American, and Indonesian based miners reach their decarbonization goals.

We are also hoping to expand our market presence beyond initial regions or sectors to capture opportunities in diverse geographic markets and commodity segments. This could involve establishing regional offices, distribution channels, or partnerships with local stakeholders to navigate regulatory requirements and cultural differences.

Another goal is to successfully commercialize and deploy new technologies across a wide range of mining operations. This involves securing pilot projects with leading mining companies.

While working towards these goals we are demonstrating the value proposition of the technology and scaling up deployment to multiple sites.