Mining companies are encouraged to recognise the role of artificial intelligence and digital tools to improve performance and sustainability.

As the mining sector undergoes a digital transition, this year's African Mining Week (AMW) will emphasise the importance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools in streamlining exploration and production processes.

This, according to AMW, is intended to unlock additional mineral reserves, reduce costs, and improve worker safety.

This comes as African mining projects increasingly use artificial intelligence to optimise operations and meet aggressive output objectives set by governments across the continent.

AMW provides a platform for investigating the complete range of mining opportunities across Africa. The event will take place in conjunction with the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference in Cape Town, which runs from October 1-3.

According to AMW, notable examples of AI producing beneficial outcomes include Botswana Diamonds, which is expanding its mineral portfolio beyond diamonds with an AI-based nationwide exploration initiative that commenced in August 2024.

By March 2025, the business stated that it had located possible deposits of besshi, greenstone, Mississippi Valley-type lead and zinc, SEDEX, and platinum group metals.

To capitalise on these findings, Botswana Diamonds has applied for 11 new prospecting licenses.

John Teeling, chairman of Botswana Diamonds, commented: “During the initial analysis of the big database, it became clear that the AI technology could be used to identify other unknown minerals opportunities… Our analysis so far has identified a series of targets in copper cobalt, zinc and gold.”

In Zambia, U.S.-based start-up KoBold Metals is applying AI to enhance critical mineral exploration and mine development in Zambia.

According AME, in January 2025, KoBold raised $537 million in new capital, bringing its total funding to $1 billion.

It went on to say the company is developing one of the world’s largest untapped copper basins in Zambia, with plans to produce 300,000 tons annually by 2030 from its $2 billion Mingomba Project.

Additionally, AMW said KoBold Metals is exploring the Dumbwa Mine and Konkola West Project, contributing to Zambia’s goal of reaching 3 million tons of annual copper production by 2031.

Similarly, in South Africa, Kilken Platinum is utilising AI to optimise operations at its Thabazimbi processing plant in Limpopo as part of an expansion plan to double Platinum Group Minerals production to 83kgs per month.

“The project has already increased output to 40kgs in its initial phase. Dondo Mogajane, CEO of Kilken Platinum’s parent company Moti Group, emphasized that AI enables real-time tracking of production metrics and ensures strict adherence to safety protocols.

Beyond these projects, AMW added that Rio Tinto subsidiary Richards Bay Minerals is employing AI for ore body modeling, equipment dispatch management and blast control at its mines in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Likewise, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Glencore is reportedly leveraging digital technology to streamline critical mineral exploration as part of its Phase 2 expansion at the KTO copper and cobalt project.

AMW 2025 will feature high-level discussions focused on AI’s impact on industry growth, investment opportunities for technology providers and the broader economic benefits of digital transformation in mining.