Russia to Assess Mineral Deposits Online
Until now, deciding whether to invest in developing a new deposit was up to geologists, economists, and mine planners. They spent considerable time reviewing documents, visiting sites, and calculating costs. The process was lengthy and expensive. Now, an online service can deliver a preliminary assessment in minutes.
Russia has introduced a digital platform for rapidly assessing the investment potential of mineral development areas. Its developer, RMPI-GS LLC, is offering the mining industry a tool designed to change how investment decisions are made.
A Digital Compass for the Subsurface
To assess a site's value, an investor or mining company enters key deposit characteristics into a dedicated online form. These include the type of mineral resource (gold, copper, nickel, and others), its volume and quality, the complexity of extraction, the availability of nearby roads and power plants, and an estimate of the investment required. The platform compares this information with data on known Russian deposits that the developers have already entered into its database. The database currently covers eight deposits and four metal types.
The platform evaluates each site against more than 40 criteria grouped into five categories: geology (the type and quantity of mineral resources), processing (whether the material can be processed and how difficult that would be), infrastructure (the availability of nearby roads and populated areas), economics (required investment and potential returns), and legal and environmental restrictions (including the presence of protected areas). Each indicator receives a score, which feeds into an overall ranking. The higher the score, the more attractive the site is as an investment opportunity.
Mapping Russia's Mineral Resources
Digitalization of mineral exploration in Russia is advancing along three main tracks: using AI to process geological data and identify deposits, developing platforms to make exploration more efficient, and building specialized tools for economic assessments.
For example, ALROSA has developed an AI-powered system trained on more than 50 years of accumulated geological data. Using a language model, the system can process large volumes of information and identify the most promising areas for diamond mining.
Polymetal Engineering has introduced its Tsifrovoy Dvoynik Rudnika (Digital Twin of the Mine). The platform runs in a standard web browser on any computer. It brings together 3D models, spatial data, panoramic images, and engineering information on mine workings. Specialists can use a single environment to analyze operational processes and take measurements.
The A.P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute (VSEGEI), meanwhile, is working with Russia's entire mineral resource base. Its Tsifrovoy Dvoynik Nedr Rossii (Digital Twin of Russia's Subsurface) integrates data from eight institutions under the Federal Agency for Mineral Resources (Rosnedra) through web services, ranging from the Russian Federal Geological Fund to the State Commission on Mineral Reserves.
Another foundation for building analytical services is the Federal State Information System known as Ediny Fond Geologicheskoy Informatsii o Nedrakh (Unified Fund of Geological Information on Subsoil Resources), or EFGI. It contains more than 530,000 geological reports and documents. Since 2023, geological reports, records of exploration coverage, and deposit passports have been submitted to the system electronically. The digital workflow also covers the review and acceptance of materials, the preparation of maps and extracts, and the maintenance of registers and deposit records, among other functions.
According to a study by Kept and the Tsifra Group, the most sought-after digital solutions among mining companies include dispatch systems (81%), AI-based advisory tools (76%), and integration platforms (75%). Yet most companies (81%) are still adopting digital technologies piecemeal, even as they point to the significantly greater benefits that full, end-to-end integration can deliver.
Outlook: 10 Out of 10
In 2025, private investment in Russian mineral exploration exceeded 420 billion rubles (approximately $5.2 billion), bringing the five-year total close to 2 trillion rubles (about $24.8 billion). Even a partial reduction in the cost of assessing unpromising projects could therefore be valuable to investors. An automated system speeds up the initial screening of deposits, standardizes evaluation criteria, and makes it easier to compare investment options.
The main development priority for RMPI-GS's technology is integration with government geological data resources, particularly EFGI. The more complete the information on a site's geology and infrastructure, the less uncertainty there is in the assessment. The range of minerals covered also needs to expand to include lithium, rare earth elements, iron ore, and coal. The technology could be further improved by incorporating machine learning to identify patterns in geological data and model potential development scenarios.
