KoBold Metals to review Liberia’s geological archives

KoBold Metals, a US mineral exploration company that uses artificial intelligence, plans to send a delegation to Liberia in the week of 2 November to consult the national geological archives. The visit was agreed during a meeting between Liberia’s ambassador to Washington, Al-Hassan Conteh, and Alan Carroll, KoBold’s head of government relations, according to the Liberian Embassy in Washington.

The delegation is expected to review historical reports, maps, field records and digital archives held by the Liberia Geological Survey. It will also examine ways to preserve, digitise and make these documents accessible. The team is due to meet officials from the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Geological Survey. The embassy said the visit follows an invitation from Samuel J. Summerville, Deputy Minister for Mineral Exploration and Environmental Research.

Geological archives can help companies and governments identify areas that may contain minerals and reduce exploration costs and risks. KoBold also wants to gain a better understanding of Liberia’s geology in the context of West Africa. The company, backed in part by Bill Gates, holds lithium exploration permits in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has expanded its operations in Namibia.

The embassy linked the visit to Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s request for US assistance from Donald Trump at a meeting at the White House in July 2025 to map Liberia’s mineral resources. Ambassador Conteh said he hoped the visit would pave the way for practical cooperation benefiting the Geological Survey, the ministry and the country’s development.