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King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has developed a computational prototype that uses artificial intelligence to reduce uncertainty in mineral exploration in Saudi Arabia and deepen understanding of geological formations beneath the resource-rich Arabian Shield. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on 29 September, the project is led by Professors George Turkiyyah and David Keyes in collaboration with geophysical imaging experts at the University of British Columbia in Canada.
The project attracted the interest of Maaden, Saudi Arabia’s national mining company, leading to a follow-on 30-month research and development contract. The contract provides a pathway for testing and deploying the prototype with actual Saudi geological data.
KAUST says its infrastructure helped researchers develop and de-risk a proof of concept and turn it into a computational prototype ready for industry partners.
The announcement does not disclose the contract value, test sites or accuracy metrics for the prototype, and does not present it as a field-proven exploration method.