The emerging science of finding critical metals | Mfikeyi Makayi
Host Elise Hu introduces a TED Talk by mining innovator Mfakeyi Makai about how the world's transition to electrification and a circular economy requires a massive increase in critical metals like copper, lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Makai explains that while ore deposits are abundant, the mining industry has underinvested in exploration and still relies on outdated methods, so her team at Kobold is using AI and machine learning to model subsurface geology, quantify uncertainty, and design more efficient, safer, and environmentally sustainable mines. She illustrates how their approach guides where to explore, when to stop drilling, and how to plan operations, highlighting the Mingamba project in Zambia as a prototype for the mine of the future.