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Novamera: Shaping the Future of Mining with Surgical Precision

When Dustin Angelo and Allan Cramm first encountered the ‘Romeo and Juliet’ gold deposit, it wasn’t love at first sight. Located less than a kilometre from Anaconda Mining’s open-pit operation at Point Rousse, Newfoundland, the steepness and narrowness of this newly discovered high-grade vein made it both cost-prohibitive to access and resistant to mine using conventional extraction methods despite an estimated value of up to $100 million.

What began as a frustrating operational issue evolved into a global opportunity. Angelo and Cramm had previously developed a novel approach of extraction with Memorial University’s drilling program. In 2019, the pair’s solution caught the attention of industry leaders. “That was our big ‘aha’ moment,” says Angelo. “We realized there were miners around the world facing the same issue.” The pair went on to co-found Novamera later that year.

Today, the Ontario startup continues to blaze a trail with its AI-powered Surgical Mining solution. The suite of technologies now includes advanced downhole sensors, dynamic planning software and robotics to target, adapt and access otherwise uneconomic deposits. Thanks in part to a $3.5-million co-investment from DIGITAL, that solution is quickly advancing toward global commercialization.

A New Mining Category

Angelo likens Surgical Mining to the leap from open surgery to laparoscopy: it is faster, cleaner and far less invasive. At the heart of the process is Novamera’s proprietary downhole sensor, which is capable of collecting up to 4,900% more subsurface data than traditional delineation methods. This data feeds into machine learning and AI algorithms to generate digital-twin models of ore bodies and calculate precise drilling trajectories. Once the ore path is established, Novamera deploys its proprietary Extraction System — a combination of a positioning control system, a course correction device, and predictive steering technology — which together minimizes capital expenditures by fitting onto conventional large-diameter drills.

The environmental benefits of this approach are substantial. Surgical Mining can generate up to 95% less waste, 44% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and drastically lower water usage and surface disruption relative to conventional mining. In an era where mining companies face mounting environmental pressures and shrinking margins, the appeal is clear.

“We can’t transition to clean energy without mining,” Angelo says. “Our mission is to provide the tools the industry needs to mine the resources that are critical to a net-zero future, and to do it in a faster, cleaner and more cost-effective way.”

DIGITAL Backing, Global Impact

Angelo says that support from DIGITAL has been “instrumental” to Novamera’s growth. In addition to providing crucial co-investment, DIGITAL’s involvement helped unlock further funding from provincial governments and Atlantic Canada agencies. But the relationship goes beyond dollars. “Having DIGITAL on board acts as a stamp of approval,” Angelo notes. “It’s opened doors for us, not just with other funders, but with industry collaborators.”

The  Data Driven Surgical Mining, project supported by DIGITAL involves Great Atlantic Resources and Maritime Resources in Newfoundland, along with long-time research partner Memorial University. At Great Atlantic’s Jaclyn Main Zone, Novamera is executing a full surgical mining cycle, extracting up to 2,700 tonnes of ore through three 100-metre drill holes. At Maritime, the company is conducting high-resolution imaging.

This DIGITAL initiative showcases both the economic and environmental advantages of Novamera’s system. This initiative is both another example of Canadian innovation taking a lead role in a global imperative: more sustainable mining, and it is opening a significant opportunity for Novamera.  With $6 trillion in untapped narrow vein deposits worldwide, and with the increased urgency relative to securing and getting critical minerals to market, Novamera’s solution couldn’t be timelier.

“DIGITAL has been very supportive, always accessible, and we have a strong ongoing relationship,” Angelo says. “It’s been a mutually beneficial partnership…and we’re just getting started.”

Since 2018, DIGITAL has grown Canadian companies by accelerating the development, adoption and commercialization of Canadian digital technologies and the skilling of Canadian talent with an innovation model led by industry. Through a unique combination of co-investment, cross-industry collaboration, IP creation and digital talent development, DIGITAL has built one of the strongest digital innovation ecosystems in Canada.

“AI holds immense promise for enabling low-impact resource extraction and, in turn, driving the global transition to clean energy and a net-zero future,” said Sue Paish, CEO of DIGITAL. “We’re proud to co-invest with forward-thinking companies like Novamera and support partnerships that showcase Canada’s leadership in AI innovation and commercialization in sectors that represent key economic opportunities for Canada.”

Building Momentum

The past year has been pivotal for Novamera. After early validation with major mining players such as Newmont and Vale, the company found its true niche: enabling junior and mid-tier miners to economically develop small high-grade deposits.

In 2024, Novamera deployed its imaging technology across five field projects, including a mid-tier gold miner and a major producer. These “precursor” projects allowed companies to better understand the geometry of their deposits before committing to full extraction. “It’s a low-risk way to generate high-value insights,” Angelo explains, “and for many of our partners it’s the first step toward a full surgical mining deployment.”

The momentum has already translated into partnerships. Novamera signed a memorandum of understanding with Northstar Gold to apply its technology at the Cam Copper site in Ontario, and a letter of intent with Kuya Silver to extract silver-polymetallic material from near-surface deposits at its Bethania mine in Peru.

Scaling Smart, Staying Focused

As Novamera scales, it’s also building the leadership and impact of the Canadian mining ecosystem.  “We see this as a category-defining innovation and we want Canada to lead it,” Angelo says, adding that DIGITAL has been instrumental in all of these areas.

Demand for minerals is soaring, and the stakes are high. According to one recent estimate, the world faces a 14.6-billion-tonne shortfall in minerals needed to transition away from fossil fuels. Technologies like Novamera’s Surgical Mining offer a path forward, not just to mine more, but to mine smarter, cleaner and more efficiently.

 

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