Fleet Space discovers massive lithium deposit using AI and satellites

Startup Fleet Space announced yesterday that it has used its satellite-powered AI system to expand the reach of an already huge lithium deposit in Quebec.

Finding a mineral resource is not easy. Only about three out of 1,000 potential deposits eventually become commercially viable, and it can take years to prove this through drill samples. Fleet Space says its approach can help guide drilling operations, reducing decision times from weeks to days.

The startup currently has a small constellation of satellites in orbit that use an array of sensors, including electromagnetic and gravity, to map the subsurface. Fleet Space then feeds this data into its software platform, which can provide a new drilling location in as little as 48 hours.

Cisco’s project currently estimates it can produce up to 329 million metric tons of lithium oxide. Fleet Space said results from the lithium deposits could extend beyond Cisco’s current limits, saying the region has « area-scale potential. »