Ventures is exploring a new frontier in mineral processing: Biology

Flotation is one of the mining industry’s most important processing methods, underpinning roughly 80% of global copper production. It helps separate valuable minerals from waste material and plays a critical role in determining metal recovery. 

As ore bodies become more complex and demand for critical minerals continues to rise, improving recovery remains a key industry challenge. The chemistry used in flotation today has remained largely unchanged for decades, creating an opportunity to explore new approaches. 

BHP Ventures has participated in a Seed funding round for Giraffe Bio, an Argentina-based biotechnology company using biology and artificial intelligence to develop a new generation of flotation reagents. The investment will support the company’s next phase of growth, including technology development, manufacturing scale-up and industrial validation. 

Giraffe Bio is applying advances in synthetic biology, molecular engineering and AI-driven design to develop mineral-specific biochemical reagents. The company’s platform combines computational modelling, laboratory testing and biomolecule screening to identify molecules that can interact with specific minerals, with an initial focus on copper flotation. 

The technology is being developed to work within existing flotation infrastructure, potentially providing a pathway to adoption should it prove successful at industrial scale. 

“Some of the most interesting opportunities for mining are emerging from technologies developed outside our industry. Giraffe Bio brings together biology and AI to explore a new approach to a longstanding mineral processing challenge, and we’re interested in understanding where that technology could ultimately create value.” 

- Laurel Buckner, Vice President New Business Ventures, BHP 

The investment reflects BHP Ventures’ focus on identifying emerging technologies that could help address fundamental challenges across the resources value chain. By engaging with companies working in fields such as biotechnology, artificial intelligence and advanced materials, BHP Ventures is exploring how innovation from beyond the traditional mining ecosystem could contribute to the future of the industry. 

You can learn more about BHP Ventures and its portfolio here: https://www.bhp.com/about/our-businesses/ventures 

About Giraffe Bio 

Giraffe Bio develops mineral-specific biochemical reagents for mining. The company combines Al-enabled molecular design, cell-free biology, and testing real ore samples to develop finished, drop-in reagents that integrate directly into existing mineral processing operations. Initially focused on copper flotation, Giraffe Bio was founded in 2024 and operates in Argentina and Chile, working with mining partners globally.