Oxus Metals AI Raises Funding to Transform Mineral Discovery with AI

SINGAPORE, Oct. 30, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Oxus Metals AI, a company with roots at Stanford University, has secured nearly US$36 million in initial funding, valuing the Singapore-headquartered firm at US$180 million. Founded by David Zhen Yin, former director and co-founder of Stanford University's Mineral-X program, the company aims to revolutionize mineral discovery using artificial intelligence (AI) in regions beyond the geopolitical fault lines dividing major powers.

The global demand for critical minerals is surging, driven by the transition to renewable energy, electric transportation, and AI data centers. According to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Global Critical Minerals Outlook 2026, supply from announced copper projects is projected to fall 25% short of demand in 2035. Traditional exploration methods, which take an average of 16.5 years to move from discovery to first production, are inadequate to meet this growing demand. Oxus Metals AI is leveraging AI to address these challenges.

Oxus's proprietary AI platform generates thousands of plausible subsurface models based on available data, allowing for more efficient exploration.

Kazakhstan is emerging as a proving ground for Oxus's technology. The company is working with one of Central Asia's largest mining operators to extend the life of a copper mine that has operated for nearly 80 years. Despite tens of thousands of historical drillholes, the location of additional mineralization at depth remains uncertain. Oxus's platform generates thousands of candidate models, rejects those that conflict with the data, and produces ranked drill targets with quantified risk.

Oxus Metals AI has also signed a memorandum of understanding with Kazakhstan's Ministry of Industry and Construction and Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.

The company's leadership and advisory team includes Dr. Robert Quartermain, a Canadian Mining Hall of Fame inductee and global strategy advisor with over 45 years of experience building and leading public mining companies; Prof. Jef Caers, a Stanford Earth and Planetary Sciences professor and technical advisor; and Dr. Pablo Mejia Herrera, Chief Geologist, a 20-plus year veteran of porphyry copper-gold exploration with a track record of major discoveries at Ero Copper and NorthIsle Copper and Gold.

Oxus Metals AI is expanding its presence in Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Brazil, deploying its AI platform across major mineral exploration frontiers. The company partners with asset owners via joint ventures that combine AI technology, capital, and local execution to fully capture the upside from new discoveries.