From Y Combinator to mining, ft Earth AI’s Roman Teslyuk

This episode of The Northern Miner Podcast dives into a pivotal moment in global mining and commodity markets, beginning with a deep analysis of the recent breakthrough in iron ore pricing between BHP and China's CMRG. The agreement, which incorporates a yuan-denominated index for pricing, marks a strategic win for China's push to internationalize its currency and challenge U.S. dollar dominance in commodity trade. The episode unpacks the geopolitical implications, noting that 51% of the new pricing formula is based on Chinese market data, signaling a shift in global pricing power. Beyond iron ore, the podcast covers a cascade of developments: sulfuric acid export bans from China impacting Chile’s copper production, frantic stockpiling of copper by the U.S. and China amid Middle East tensions, Indonesia’s aggressive expansion in aluminum via Chinese-backed smelters, and growing military involvement in mining regions—from the U.S.-backed $100 million mining guard force in the DRC to coordinated attacks in Mali. The show then shifts to a detailed interview with Roman Tesluk, founder and CEO of EarthAI, a Y Combinator-backed tech company that’s redefining mineral exploration through vertical integration and AI. EarthAI combines AI-driven predictive modeling, in-house drilling, and lab analysis to accelerate discovery, aiming to close the looming supply gap for critical minerals by 2040. The company’s model—drilling nonstop, iterating rapidly, and owning the entire exploration pipeline—represents a paradigm shift in an industry long plagued by slow timelines and fragmented processes. The episode closes with a call to rekindle the romance of exploration and highlight the transformative potential of technology in securing the world’s mineral future.