Gold Fields (JSE, NYSE: GFI) is set to leverage cutting-edge space technology from Australia’s Fleet Space Technologies to boost exploration efforts at its recently opened Salares Norte gold mine in northern Chile.
The South African miner, which took 13 years to develop the project from exploration to production, is bringing 3D subsurface imaging to the Brecha Principal and Agua Amarga resource areas of Salares Norte. The goal is to uncover new exploration targets within the mine’s vicinity by using Fleet Space’s solution.
Fleet Space Technologies’ ExoSphere, which integrates satellite connectivity, 3D multiphysics, and artificial intelligence (AI), is expected to unify the end-to-end exploration journey and deliver more sustainable outcomes at scale on the path to discovery, said co-founder and chief executive Flavia Tata Nardini.
“We are proud to deploy ExoSphere to further Gold Fields’ data-driven exploration and ESG targets, reinforcing their position on the forefront of innovation and supporting the development of their world-class operation in Chile,” she said.
Located in the Maricunga Belt of the Andes Mountains, between 3,900 and 4,700 meters above sea level, Salares Norte presents challenges due to its remote location, rugged terrain, extreme seasonal conditions and even the presence of a handful of endangered rodents.
First gold was poured in March 2024, marking a significant milestone for Gold Fields. To maintain progress in such challenging conditions, Gold Fields adopted Fleet Space’s ExoSphere solution following its success at their St. Ives operation in Australia. The system’s smart seismic sensors, called Geodes, offer low-impact, rapid 3D subsurface imaging, making ExoSphere a logical choice to support sustainable exploration at Salares Norte.
Gold Fields previously applied ExoSphere technology at its St. Ives gold mine in Australia, where it reached near-zero surface impact from Fleet Space’s smart seismic sensors (called Geodes). By streamlining the data acquisition and processing steps of exploration, ExoSphere offers immediate, actionable insights for onsite teams, dramatically improving the efficiency of operations and reducing the environmental impact of traditional exploration methods.
Fleet Space’s innovations have earned it global recognition, including the 2024 Climate Technology Impact Award at the Banksia Foundation’s National Sustainability Awards.
Salares Norte has incorporated other critical new technologies, including filtered tailings, a method to optimize water use by recirculating over 86% of the resource. This is also a safer technology as it replaces a conventional tailings storage facility.
The mine will also have a solar plant on site, which is expected to cut its annual carbon footprint by over 10,000 tonnes of CO2, Gold Fields said in March.
