Atomionics raises $12M to scale its mineral discovery technology

[Ben Graham]

Singapore-based tech start-up Atomionics has received a $12.7 million Pre-Series A round to rapidly scale its quantum gravimetry sensors for mineral discovery, which it says could cut costs and speed the development of projects. 

The round was led by Paspalis and includes BHP Ventures, In-Q-Tel, Wavemaker, VU Venture Partners, SG Growth Capital and Alex Turnbull, among others, the company said. 

In February, Atomionics partnered with Rio Tinto Exploration to test a quantum gravity sensor in mineral exploration.  

Atomionics’ Gravio device is a portable, basketball-sized sensor and works like a “virtual X-ray” for the Earth to identify what could lie beneath the ground without ever penetrating the earth or emitting any electromagnetic radiation.  

The quantum gravimetry technology enables high-resolution subsurface mapping at speeds up to ten times faster than conventional methods by combining ultra-sensitive quantum sensors with AI-driven interpretation, it said.  

Inside Gravio, atoms are cooled to extremely low temperatures and then released to fall. At such temperatures, atoms exhibit wave-like behavior rather than behaving strictly as particles. This wave-like nature enables the high-precision measurements that make the experiment possible, according to the company.  

 “We’re taking a critical step towards scaling quantum-driven exploration at a country level,” Atomionics CEO Sahil Tapiawala said in a news release.  “The strategic capital from investors with an interest in both Australia and North America gives us a way to accelerate the deployment of our quantum gravity sensors.” 

We will further use this capital to use quantum sensors to help find copper, lithium and other critical minerals, providing the mining and energy industries with an unprecedented ability to locate and assess resources sustainably,” Tapiawala said.   

In Australia, Atomionics will expand nationwide with the strategic backing of Paspalis, establishing an office and building capabilities across the country. Early deployments and test-bedding opportunities are already underway in the Northern Territory on behalf of Paspalis.  

In North America, Atomionics said it will establish a US office to expand its capabilities, focusing on resource exploration and potential dual-use applications for both commercial and defence sectors. With backing from investors like In-Q-Tel, Atomionics said it will explore opportunities in national security and strategic resource applications, advancing both commercial and government partnerships.  

 “Atomionics’ portable, high-resolution gravimetric sensor could unlock the ability to explore large areas of subsurface terrain quicker and more accurately than previously possible,” BHP’s Vice President Ventures Laurel Buckner said in the release.  

“Our investment in Atomionics supports BHP’s goal of producing metals and minerals that are essential to the global economy, increasing the world’s long-term supply of the essential resources needed to support global megatrends.”