Ideon is revolutionizing the way the world unlocks the critical minerals necessary for the global transition to clean energy. Our innovative technology gives mining professionals geological certainty to confidently target, map, monitor, and unlock mineral deposits and other subsurface anomalies. In turn, this reduces the economic and environmental impacts of traditional techniques, such as drilling.
There is no clean energy without mining
The average electric vehicle requires more than 45 kg/100 lbs of nickel and lithium, wind farms require more than 4 tonnes of zinc, and solar arrays need more than 5.5 tonnes of copper.
The energy transition depends on metals. Demand for key resources has outstripped supply, resulting in a global supply chain crisis. We must address a $12 trillion shortfall in metals supply to meet global climate change goals. Over the last 10 years, mineral discoveries and ore grade have declined 75%, with metres drilled per discovery up nearly 200%. Cost per discovery has increased by 400%, and carbon emissions are up over 40%.
The problem is geologic uncertainty
Humans have been mining the Earth for tens of thousands of years. Most near-surface mineral deposits have already been discovered, forcing mining companies to search deeper underground.
With no way to know what lies beneath, those companies drill hundreds of narrow holes, performing geological biopsies and inferring what may lie between those holes. Without geological certainty, these companies are basing billion-dollar decisions on 1% of 1% of ore body knowledge. It’s risky, costly, and unreliable.
Ideon offers the solution
By harnessing a passive energy source from supernova explosions in space (the cosmic-ray muon), we provide x-ray-like visibility down to 1km beneath Earth’s surface. Our comprehensive Subsurface Intelligence platform measures the directional intensity of muons as they penetrate the Earth, transforming this unique data into reliable 2D images and 3D models to help companies target and characterize resources more precisely.
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Muon Tomography for Uranium Imaging
This trial of borehole muon tomography with Orano demonstrated the effectiveness of the technique to image low-grade mineralization and alteration surrounding high-grade compact uranium deposits. Outcomes matched the existing geological model, delineating structural trends and mapping broad alterations surrounding uranium mineralization. Minor variations in density (in the range of 0.1 – 0.2 g/cc) within the alteration zone correlated spatially with the known mineralization halo.
Recognition
A recipient of the Governor General’s Innovation Award 2023, Ideon Technologies has been singled out for our made-in-Canada subsurface intelligence solution. Also this year, we received the Acetech Growth Award in recognition of our rapid scale-up in the tech sector and were named a finalist for Company of the Year (Growth) in the BC Technology Impact Awards. In 2022, we were named Innovative Enterprise of the Year by the Richmond Chamber of Commerce – very meaningful acknowledgement from our host community. The prior year, Ideon was a finalist in the international Mining Cleantech Challenge hosted by the Colorado Cleantech Industries Association (CCIA), and for Company of the Year (Start-up) in the BC Technology Impact Awards.
