Junior Potgieter interviewed by AI, Technology and Mining Digital magazines on how Viridien’s AI and advanced technologies are shaping mineral exploration

Paris, France | Jun 23, 2026

In an exclusive interview, Junior Potgieter, Global Strategy Head, Minerals & Mining, explained how Viridien’s AI and latest Subsurface Imaging technologies are essential for reducing uncertainty and maintaining efficiency in mining.  

“AI helps explorers work through larger regions more systematically, compare more data types and progress toward new critical-mineral opportunities with greater clarity. It is not a replacement for geoscientific expertise; it is a tool that strengthens it.” 

Junior also highlighted how Viridien combines geoscience expertise, advanced seismic imaging and high-performance computing to reduce uncertainty in complex environments.

“Conventional seismic imaging used in mining is often insufficient for complex geology, but Viridien’s experience – supported by our industry-leading toolbox and global leadership in full-waveform inversion (FWI) – allows us to extract far more value from the same datasets. Our technology improves subsurface definition, helping teams understand geometry earlier, plan drilling more confidently and ultimately accelerate exploration schedules.”
 
The interview also explores how technologies such as Geolucent – our geological machine vision system – enhances safety and efficiency in mining by reducing on-face exposure for mining teams, while providing more consistent and objective geological information.