Geology practices powered by Artificial Intelligence could be about to take off, with one Canadian based started securing Series A Funding from a major Bill Gates-backed fund.

The startup, GeologicAI, boasts that it has technology that can help mining exploration companies be more efficient in their search for precious pay dirt – including proprietary core sample scanning hardware, advanced machine vision, and AI analysis.

“GeologicAI has spent the last few years proving out its technology across a variety of mineral types and geologic environments, with both junior and major mining companies, and throughout the exploration, development, and operating segments of the mining ecosystem,” GeologicAI chief strategy officer Yannai Segal told BetaKit this week.

“We’ve now demonstrated success with many customers and are ready to bring this much-needed technology to mining companies across the world.”

The GeologicAI technology uses high-resolution imaging, XRF and hyperspectral data to analyse rock samples.

“Without sufficient quantities of key minerals like copper, nickel, cobalt, and lithium, the transition to a clean energy economy simply cannot happen,” said Carmichael Roberts, business lead at Bill Gates-backed Breakthrough Energy Ventures, quoted in Mining Magazine last month.

“GeologicAI’s multi-sensor core scanning robots and AI-assisted analysis are a powerful combination, and we believe their technology will significantly accelerate key mineral discovery and recovery.”

More on the GeologicalAI technology below: