Frank Holmes and Denis Laviolette: The Future of Mining is Here
Frank feels that high-frequency trading should really be called high-frequency research. It’s the capacity to read and analyze information very quickly and make decisions. What can take months or years of study can now be done with data processing and machine learning in minutes. There is an evolution in quant-based ETF’s, and they are shown to outperform.
Denis talks about his background at Pinetree Capital and what lead him to start Goldspot. He felt that there was a better way to look at data. He wanted to bring high-quality data science, machine language, and A.I. into the mining space. The power of data is an untapped market that can be used to unlock deep value in exploration and investment data.
Goldspot has intrigued Frank in the way they apply A.I. to all of the data that is out there. Exceptional athletes have gifts that others don’t have, and Gold Spot is similar in the way they can look at data. Machines can analyze multiple layers of information in ways that people can’t.
They built a set of tools to look at existing data, and then they extrapolate and find those patterns in other data sets. For example, they can look at these relationships to find similar geology in new exploration regions. The industry has been spending money on new technology, but they have been failing to analyze that data properly. Goldspot can unlock the value of that data, and they teach companies how to do that.
Time Stamp References:
0:45 – Frank introduces Goldspot, Denis, and their tech.
4:00 – Quant based ETF.
6:00 – Professional sports and A.I.
8:45 – Canada becomes a leader in this field.
9:30 – Denis begins the presentation.
10:00 – What got Denis into this field.
12:00 – Looking at the mining history of Nevada.
13:30 – Datasets and looking for patterns.
15:50 – Where they get their revenue.
17:40 – Finding key investments.
24:00 – Visualizing management teams and people.
26:00 – Analyzing all of the metals over time.
28:00 – How the market is changing.
Talking Points From This Week’s Episode
• Why machine learning is not going away.
• A.I. can unlock hidden information quickly.
• They work with investment and geological data.
• They have an exceptionally talented team.
He states that their technology isn’t that revolutionary; they are utilizing a lot of existing tools and some of their own. Goldspot’s strengths lie in their talented team. They can find the best opportunities in the space and focus in on what is essential.
Frank E. Holmes is the Independent Chairman of GoldSpot Discoveries Inc. and is also Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Global Investors, a leading mutual fund and asset management firm. He is a much sought out thought leader in both the technology and mining space and a pioneer in using a quant-approach to investing. He is a regular guest in business media. His Frank Talk CEO Blog is one of the most widely read in finance.
Denis Laviolette is President, CEO & Director of Goldspot Discoveries. Having over ten years of experience in exploration, mine operations, and capital markets. Worked in Northern Ontario (Timmins, Kirkland Lake, and Red Lake), Norway and Ghana and took on a diverse array of tasks, including grassroots exploration, start-up mine management, and advanced mine operations.
Worked as a Mining Analyst with Pinetree Capital Ltd. and now serves as a Mining Analyst and V.P. of Corporate Development for ThreeD Capital Inc. President of New Found Gold Corp. and Director of Xtra-Gold Resources Corp., Northern Sphere Mining Corp., and Tartisan Resources Corp. He has a BSc in Earth Sciences (Geology) from Brock University.