They’re a junior exploration company based in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia looking to find economically viable deposits of critical minerals in the Asia Pacific region.

Asian Battery Minerals (ABM) is exploring graphite, lithium (lepidolite) and Ni-Cu-PGE sulfide* in Mongolia. Their Oval Ni-Cu-PGE project is a key area of focus. It’s a magmatic mafic sulfide project where ABM believes there’s great economic potential, due to its vicinity to several large metal deposits in China.

Managing Director, Gan-Ochir Zunduisuren, says the area in Mongolia is yet to be explored for this type of deposit.

“Based on our prospecting work, Oval Ni-Cu-PGE project has good potential to host an economically viable deposit,” he says.

As participants in the Xplor program, ABM want to improve their technical and geological understanding of the region. They’re also looking to improve their business, especially across reporting, compliance, communication and networking, and learn from their BHP mentors about the latest technologies and scientific approaches used in mineral exploration.

It's a strategic move that ABM is hoping will help them improve their exploration efforts and provide a better understanding of the sustainability demands on their operations and business.

Discover more about BHP’s 2023 Xplor cohort.

* Magmatic Ni–Cu–PGE sulphide deposits are formed by the segregation and accumulation of immiscible sulphide liquid from mafic or ultramafic magmas.