The mining industry is experiencing a surge in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) as companies like BHP Group Ltd. focus on acquisitions over greenfield exploration due to high costs and risks. Despite copper's price decline, its future shortages are a concern. BHP's Oak Dam project is a rare large-scale greenfield copper prospect, but the company continues to expand through acquisitions, such as the Filo copper project. AI offers potential in identifying new deposits, but geopolitical and regulatory challenges remain significant hurdles.