Mineral-X Bidra Applied Research Lab

Bidra VC and Mineral-X collaboration's mission is to promote applied mineral research and education for Africa and beyond. Our goal is to develop projects and opportunities for collaboration in strategic areas like mining, energy, geosciences, and AI for Africa. 

Figure: Amar Singh (President of Bidra, right) and Kurt House (CEO of KoBold Metals, left ) announced joining Mineral-X as the founding members.

Phosphogypsum Valorization Program in Morocco

Lab's first project is to contribute towards the valorization of PG, a byproduct of phosphorus mining to produce fertilizers and battery materials.  Commonly, PG is stored in large stacks hundreds of feet high. Overtime, stacks can be an environmental and health hazard if not managed properly. As Morocco holds more than 70% of the world's phosphate reserves, valorizing the PG can fundamentally contribute to the country and the world's sustainable future. Bidra has long-standing support for scientific research that valorizes the PG by converting them into industrial products, such as rare earth elements and construction materials, while sequestering carbon (see TRAVERTINE). Our lab will work at the intersection of geology, chemistry, and AI to accelerate the valorization of PG.

Figure: An example of a large phosphogypsum stack that can potentially cause environmental disasters. Source: TRAVERTINE