The next mining revolution probably won't come from a bigger drill rig.

The conversation around copper usually starts and ends with one question: where do we find more of it? I think that's only half the problem. According to the International Energy Agency, global copper demand is expected to grow by roughly 30% by 2040, yet bringing a new mine from discovery to production still takes more than 16 years on average. The industry is facing an efficiency challenge. For decades, exploration has relied on experienced geologists interpreting enormous amounts of geologica