A mining shovel takes a bite out of a rock face. For decades, the only way to know exactly what was in that bucket was to send a sample to a lab and wait, sometimes for days. Plotlogic, a Brisbane-based startup, has spent the last six years building a sensor and AI system designed to deliver that answer in under fifteen minutes [Home - Plotlogic].
Its OreSense platform combines LiDAR and hyperspectral imaging with proprietary machine learning models to scan and classify rock material in real time [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF]. The output is a spatially precise data layer that tells mine operators the location and composition of ore as it is being dug, turning a pile of rubble into a quantified asset. For an industry under pressure to boost yield and minimize waste, the promise is a fundamental shift from periodic sampling to continuous, automated assay.
The hardware and AI wedge
Plotlogic’s differentiation is a full-stack integration of specialized hardware and software. The system uses vehicle-mounted or stationary sensors to capture high-resolution LiDAR for geometry and hyperspectral imaging for material signatures [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF]. This raw sensor data is then processed by the company’s AI models, which have been trained to identify specific minerals like lithium, silver, and sulfur from the spectral fingerprints [TechCrunch, March 2022].
The technical wedge is speed and granularity. Traditional grade control can involve manual chip sampling, assay labs, and a lag of hours or days before planners know what they are working with. OreSense is built to deliver a quantitative, meter-by-meter breakdown of an ore block or stockpile in a timeframe that fits within a standard mining shift [Solutions - Plotlogic]. This allows for immediate decisions on ore routing, blending, or waste sorting, a process the company says integrates into daily geology workflows without disrupting production [Plotlogic Case Study: Covalent Lithium Mt Holland Operation].
A founder's insight and a CEO for scale
Andrew Job founded Plotlogic in 2018 while completing a PhD at the University of Queensland. His background was in mining operations, not software, which shaped the product’s development around the practical constraints of a working mine [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF]. The company’s early technical validation attracted a seed round from DCVC in 2021.
As Plotlogic moved from pilot deployments to commercial contracts, its board executed a classic scaling playbook. In 2023, Steve Lennard, previously the Chief Operating Officer, was appointed CEO to lead global expansion [Plotlogic, Unknown]. Founder Andrew Job transitioned to Chief Strategy Officer, focusing on long-term product and growth. The leadership team now includes commercial and finance roles, supporting a reported headcount of 32 [Plotlogic Management Team | Org Chart, RocketReach.co].
Funding and strategic investors
Plotlogic has raised over $50 million across three rounds, with capital increasingly coming from investors with strategic ties to heavy industry and climate tech [Mining.com.au, September 2023]. The Series B in July 2023 was co-led by Galvanize Climate Solutions and SE Ventures, the venture arm of Schneider Electric [The Wall Street Journal, July 2023]. The cap table tells a story of aligning with partners who can provide both capital and industrial credibility.
2021 Seed | 5 | M USD
2022 Series A | 18 | M USD
2023 Series B | 28 | M USD
Key investors include:
- BHP Ventures and Bentley iTwin Ventures, providing mining and industrial software expertise.
- Galvanize Climate Solutions and Main Sequence Ventures, linking the efficiency gains to decarbonization and critical mineral supply chains.
- DCVC and Innovation Endeavors, offering deep-tech venture building experience.
This investor mix reflects a bet that optimizing mine yield is not just a productivity tool but a sustainability imperative, reducing waste and energy use per ton of metal produced [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF].
Traction with tier-one miners
The most concrete signal of product-market fit is the customer list. Plotlogic’s disclosed users include some of the largest names in global mining: BHP, Anglo American, Glencore, Vale, and South32 [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF]. Deployments range from lithium operations like Covalent Lithium’s Mt Holland site to tungsten mines such as EQ Resources’ Mt Carbine [PERPLEXITY SONAR PRO BRIEF].
For these customers, the value proposition breaks down into specific operational gains:
- Grade control. More precise, real-time data improves the accuracy of ore/waste boundaries.
- Ore sorting. Enables automated systems to divert low-grade material earlier in the process.
- Recovery optimization. Provides a feedback loop to adjust processing plant parameters based on actual feed composition.
- Dilution monitoring. Quantifies waste rock that inadvertently gets processed, a major source of cost and energy waste.
The company was named Cleantech Asia-Pacific Company of the Year in 2023, a reputation flag that underscores how its technology is being framed within the broader energy transition [Plotlogic - News & Analysis, Crunchbase].
The scaling challenge
While the sensor fusion and AI processing are proven in controlled deployments, the real test is consistent operation at scale across hundreds of vehicles in harsh, dusty, and remote environments. The system’s accuracy depends on the quality of sensor data, which can be degraded by mud, extreme vibration, or inconsistent lighting. Maintaining model performance across geologically diverse sites,from copper porphyries to lithium brines,requires continuous retraining and validation, a non-trivial data operations challenge.
Furthermore, mining is a conservative industry with long capital cycles. Displacing established assay labs and manual workflows requires more than a faster result; it requires changing procurement habits and integrating deeply with legacy mine planning software. Plotlogic’s partnerships with Bentley and Schneider Electric (via SE Ventures) are direct attempts to build those integration bridges.
The next twelve months will likely focus on converting pilot projects into multi-year, site-wide licenses and proving the system’s reliability drives a clear return on investment. The company’s roadmap probably includes a Series C round to fund this expansion, especially if it aims to move beyond its current stronghold in Australia and into North American and South American markets.
Sources
- [TechCrunch, March 2022] Plotlogic scoops up $18M to put hyperspectral imaging to work in the mines | https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/21/plotlogic-scoops-up-18m-to-put-hyperspectral-imaging-to-work-in-the-mines/
- [The Wall Street Journal, July 2023] Mining Tech Startup Raises $28 Million Amid Critical Minerals Rush | https://www.wsj.com/articles/mining-tech-startup-raises-28-million-amid-critical-minerals-rush-96226c65
- [Mining.com.au, September 2023] Plotlogic on preferred pathway following Series B | https://mining.com.au/plotlogic-on-preferred-pathway-following-series-b/
- [Plotlogic, Unknown] Home - Plotlogic | https://plotlogic.com/
- [Plotlogic, Unknown] Plotlogic Appoints Steve Lennard as CEO to Drive Global Expansion | https://plotlogic.com/plotlogic-appoints-steve-lennard-as-ceo-to-drive-global-expansion-of-sustainable-mining-technology/
- [Plotlogic Management Team | Org Chart, RocketReach.co] Plotlogic Management Team | Org Chart | https://rocketreach.co/plotlogic-management-team-email-format_5b9c11c6f2c6c4702b3c6b5b
- [Plotlogic - News & Analysis, Crunchbase] Plotlogic crowned Cleantech Asia-Pacific Company of the Year | https://www.crunchbase.com
- [Plotlogic Case Study: Covalent Lithium Mt Holland Operation] Plotlogic Case Study | https://plotlogic.com/