Follow the Money Friday: The 'AI Mining' Pivot That Smells Like a Vanity Project

As first reported by *Wired*, when a junior mining company pivots from digging holes to 'AI-assisted mineral exploration,' the first thing I look for is the technical talent. In the case of NRED Intelligent Mining (formerly NovaRed Mining), the technical talent seems to be taking a backseat to political optics.

According to reporting from *The Globe and Mail*, NovaRed began as a copper-and-gold exploration company with a precarious balance sheet. In January, the company reported holding only $65,689 in cash—an amount the company admitted would be insufficient to cover expected expenses for the following 12 months. More tellingly, *The Globe and Mail* noted the company generated no revenue.

But the real red flag isn't just the lack of cash; it's the composition of the advisory board. *Wired* reports that instead of recruiting geologists or technical consultants typical of the sector, the company began stacking its ranks with figures tied to the defense sector, MAGA, and international entities. This includes former Department of Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem, who serves as a strategic advisor.

Then there is the case of Katie Zacharia, the short-lived White House press secretary. *Wired* reports that on June 24, the company issued a release stating Zacharia was joining the advisory board to provide "strategic guidance" on exploration projects and "emerging artificial intelligence initiatives." However, Zacharia later told *Wired* that the claim "was fake." Sam Amsterdam, a marketing professional and friend of Zacharia, told *Wired* the release was issued without her consent, though he admitted there had been discussions about her joining. Valentin Saitarli, NRED's CTO and incoming CEO, confirmed discussions occurred but "never materialized."

Despite these denials, *Wired* found that an archived version of the company website listed Zacharia as management as of July. Saitarli told *Wired* the site was being updated.

The company has since announced a pivot away from its flagship Wilmac Copper-Gold Project to focus entirely on "MetalCore," an AI-assisted mineral exploration platform. Saitarli told *Wired* he wants to bring robotics and AI to global mining and beyond, citing ambitions for space hotels and moon weddings.

From a founder-vetting perspective, the lack of domain expertise is glaring. Phil Ehr, a retired US Navy commander and current Democratic congressional candidate in Florida who was brought into the company, told *Wired* explicitly: "I know nothing about mining. I know nothing about commodities." Ehr further noted he was blindsided by the appointment of Noem and Zacharia, eventually stating he could not work with Noem due to her being "so controversial."

**Opinion:** When a revenue-less company with less than $70k in the bank stops focusing on geology and starts hiring people who admit they know nothing about mining, you aren't looking at a tech startup. You're looking at a political vanity project designed to lure investors with buzzwords like 'AI' and 'Robotics' while leveraging the names of government insiders.