KoBold CEO to spotlight AI at African Mining Week. Mfikeyi Makayi, the CEO of KoBold Metals Africa, will present at African Mining Week (AMW) in Cape Town, taking place from Oct. [...] Topics. Companies. Mfikeyi Makayi, the CEO of KoBold Metals Africa, will present at African Mining Week (AMW) in Cape Town, taking place from Oct. 14 to 16. Makayi's participation will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and its role in mineral exploration across the continent. KoBold is a California-based mineral exploration company. It is backed by several high-profile investors, including Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. The company uses AI-driven modelling to speed up timelines and reduce labour costs. According to a news release, Makayi will outline KoBold's deployment of its data-modelling platform to "de-risk exploration and accelerate project development." In Zambia, KoBold is already advancing the US$2.3 billion Mingomba copper project, which it says is supporting the country's push to lift annual copper output to three million tonnes by 2031. The company is also working with the Burundi government to digitize geological datasets and apply AI to nickel, copper and cobalt. And in the DRC, KoBold said it plans to invest more than US$1 billion in the Manono lithium project, one of the world's largest hard-rock deposits. Makayi is expected to update delegates on these initiatives. Her involvement at AMW comes as Zambia's Mineworkers Union and South Africa's Labour Research Service warn that AI could sideline lower-skilled workers, despite its exploration benefits. These debates will likely follow the industry into Cape Town - and may resurface when AMW 2026 gets underway.

Libra Energy obtains full ownership of Ontario lithium project. Libra Energy Materials (CSE:LIBR) has obtained 100% ownership of the SBC Lithium Project in Ontario, Canada, following KoBold Metals making a final option payment to privately held Bounty Gold. In June 2023, Libra entered into an option agreement to acquire the SBC lithium project, comprising staged cash payments totalling C$380,000 ($385,397) over three years. The agreement was amended in January 2024 to include additional claims staked by the vendor, with Libra reimbursing the associated staking costs. Earlier this month, the vendor received the final payment of C$114,000, which was funded by KoBold. KoBold, a global explorer backed by investors such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, has the right to invest up to C$33 million over six years to earn a 75% interest in Libra's Kobra projects. The company's Kobra project portfolio includes the Flanders North, Flanders South, and SBC projects. CEO Koby Kushner says the SBC project represents "one of the most under-rated early-stage lithium projects in Canada", with spodumene-rich outcrops extending along a trend exceeding 13km, grab samples returning up to 6.64% lithium oxide, and proximity to key infrastructure. "We believe the SBC area represents a new spodumene belt, and we remind shareholders that our nearby Toivo Project, which is not subject to the earn-in agreement, straddles the same geological subprovince boundary as SBC, yet remains unexplored to date," Kushner says. "Libra is preparing a 2026 work program to get initial boots-on-the-ground at Toivo, subject to ongoing consultations." The SBC Project, spanning 15,670 hectares, is located south of Pickle Lake in Canada. Libra Energy Materials is a Canadian mineral explorer focused on discovering and developing critical minerals necessary for the green energy transition. Images: Libra Energy Materials Now based in London as Mining.com.au's Europe Correspondent, Aaliyah brings years of dedicated reporting mining news. Relocating from New Zealand to Australia before making the leap to the UK, she's built a reputation for sharp storytelling and a genuine passion for the resources industry. When she's not chasing the latest developments across Europe, Aaliyah can be found exploring new cities, enjoying good food with friends, or unwinding by the water.

Breaking ground at Mingomba: A new chapter for the Copperbelt. On 29 April, KoBold Metals and ZCCM-IH officially broke ground on the planned shaft construction at the Mingomba copper mine in Chililabombwe, Zambia. The ceremony marked Mingomba's transition from exploration into full mine development. Officiating at the ceremony was the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. President Hakainde Hichilema, the outgoing U.S. Ambassador Mr. Michael C. Gonzales, the Minister of Mines Hon. Paul C. Kabuswe, The Copperbelt Province Minister Hon. Elisha Mutambo, the Mayor of Chililabombwe, Lucky Sichone, and senior KoBold and ZCCM-IH leadership, including KoBold Global CEO Dr. Kurt House and KoBold Africa CEO Ms. Mfikeyi Makayi and ZCCM-IH Chairman Dr. Phesto Musonda. The event marked the formal start of construction on what is set to become one of the most significant copper mines in the world. The investment is estimated at more than $2 billion, with targeted production of around 300,000 metric tonnes of copper annually and first output expected in the early 2030s. For KoBold and ZCCM, this milestone is the culmination of years of work since starting the Mingomba project in late 2022. At the ceremony, KoBold Global CEO Dr. Kurt House invoked a Bemba proverb to capture the significance of the moment: Imiti ikula epanga - "the little trees become the forest." What began as an exploration project, he said, is taking root as something that will grow into one of the greatest mines in the world. That growth is already well underway. As KoBold Africa CEO Mfikeyi Makayi made clear at the ceremony: "We cannot afford to go slow. We must go fast, we shall go fast, and we will not take shortcuts." Similar projects typically take more than 15 years to bring into production. Mingomba is moving on a very different timeline. Mingomba represents the single largest private investment in Zambia's history and a defining proof point for what KoBold's AI-and-HI-driven model can achieve at scale. Even before formal construction began, KoBold had already contributed over $200 million to the Zambian economy through direct investment, local procurement, and community programmes. Those contributions will grow in the years ahead. With surging global demand for copper from electric vehicles, data centres, and clean energy, Mingomba is built for exactly this moment. The saplings are in the ground. The forest is coming. The speeches from the Groundbreaking ceremony are now available to watch on YouTube: Share the Post: March 12, 2026 May 7, 2025 December 4, 2024