On The Rocks

Join Emily King and guest Jon Mortensen, Global Chief Technology Officer for Enterprise Asset Management for IFS, as they explore the intersection of technology and the mining industry. From discussing the crucial role of software solutions in asset management to addressing sustainability challenges, delve into how innovation is reshaping mining operations worldwide.

In a recent panel featuring experts from Prospector and VRIFY, financing trends impacting mining took center stage. While rising costs strain margins industry-wide, promising signals appear on metals integral for clean energy technologies. Government incentives and partnerships across battery/EV supply chains likewise bring new tailwinds.

Ana Gabriela Juarez is on a mission to change perceptions of the mining industry. Through her new children's book and advocacy work, she's inspiring women and youth to get involved!

On this episode of the On The Rocks, Ana discusses how she's making an impact in mining. Her book "Ana's Adventure at the Mine" aims to get kids excited about geology and mining careers.

"I think there was a need for it," Juarez shares about what motivated her to write the book. She incorporates aspects of growing up in Guatemala and pulls from her experience working in mining and women's empowerment.

On this episode of the On the Rocks Podcast, host Emily King visits with Pete Nowicki, the COO of Arctic Digital Mining. They discuss an innovative new approach to gold mining called digital mining. Developed by Arctic Digital Mining, this model uses blockchain technology to tokenize gold reserves while leaving the gold in the ground.

In this episode of On the Rocks, we are joined by Libby Sharman, BHP Xplor Technical Lead, and Samuel Robb, Vice President of Bronzite Exploration Corp.! Dig into how the BHP Xplor program is transforming mineral exploration through its unique accelerator model, collaboration, and new approaches. 

Bronzite Exploration was part of the inaugural cohort of the BHP Xplor program. Sam and Libby provide valuable insights into how the program helped advance exploration companies, and how this might signal positive changes underway in the sector. 

Historically, junior exploration companies have been wary of sharing too much information, both with other explorers and with major mining corporations, fearing their ideas or districts might be taken. However, the BHP Xplor program fostered openness and collaboration between the cohort companies. 

Despite being competitors, the members of the cohort were willing to discuss challenges and exchange knowledge. 

"There is this degree of openness that [BHP] Xplor fostered, which is not very common in the Juniors industry, but it's extremely helpful." Sam noted. 

This helped dispel misconceptions about major miners always wanting to scoop up explorers. Libby explained that BHP aims to create partnerships, not conflict. The key is communicating early and recognizing everyone ultimately wants to see new discoveries being made. 

Another area where BHP Xplor had significant impact was emphasizing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors in exploration. The program framed ESG issues like community engagement as non-technical risks that can make or break projects regardless of geology.

Promoting community engagement and public education in the early stages of mineral exploration could drastically change the outcome of a project. Libby points out that building trust and understanding local priorities is crucial. 

BHP Xplor exemplifies positive changes that are happening all around the mining industry, especially in mineral exploration. There is greater recognition that including diverse perspectives makes for better science and business. The old models of operating in secrecy and isolation are slowly transitioning!

"I hope we're changing the way people think about how to do exploration," Libby says. Judging by the success of the previous BHP Xplor cohort, it seems that change is already underway! 

BHP Xplor sets an optimistic tone for the future of responsible and innovative mineral exploration. With industry leaders like these paving the way, the prospects look bright! 

If you have an exciting exploration opportunity and are ready to fast-track your path to discovery, BHP Xplor wants to hear from you! You can click here to learn more about the program, or click here to apply!  

This episode of On the Rocks has been brought to you in partnership with BHP Xplor. 

On this episode of On the Rocks, host Emily King chats with Charlee Johnson, the BHP Xplor Program Lead!

The mining industry is not typically known for being fast-moving or innovative. However, BHP's Xplor program is looking to change that, disrupting how major mining companies interact with junior explorers and startups.

BHP Xplor is a unique, six-month accelerator program for early-stage explorers looking to fast-track their geologic concepts and become investment ready. But what sets it apart in the mining industry? Learn more in this episode of OTR! Pour a drink and let's dig in!

Tune in to the latest Monthly Mining Roundup livestream replay! This month we dug into Critical Minerals, as well as their importance and uses! Alessandra also gives us a great overview of her time at MINPRO! Be sure to follow us on LinkedIn to keep an eye on upcoming livestreams and events! Resources: - Critical Minerals 101: thenugget.prospectorportal.com/what-are-critical-minerals-mining - Free Lithium Report Download: https://www.prospectorportal.com/lith... - Free Cobalt Report Download: https://www.prospectorportal.com/coba... - Free Uranium Report Download: https://www.prospectorportal.com/uran... - Uranium Information: https://thenugget.prospectorportal.co...

In this episode of the On the Rocks Podcast, host Emily King chats with Alicia Eastman, the president of InterContintental Energy and host of the Everything About Hydrogen podcast! 

Emily and Alicia dive right in on discussing the origin of InterContinental Energy, and "Green Hydrogen" - that is hydrogen that is made from renewable energy sources. We get to learn about what this process looks like, as well as infrastructure needs, and obstacles to overcome. 

So how does this all fit into the mining industry? Renewable energy sources rely heavily on the global supply chain of mined materials. Without these mined materials there would be no way to create green energy sources such as wind turbines, and the recent disruptions to the global supply chain have proven the need for reliable sources of these materials. 

Emily and Alicia also dig into how incorporating renewable resources and hydrogen directly into the mine site infrastructure could not only benefit the mines by providing clean, reliable energy to reduce their carbon footprint, but it could also benefit the surrounding communities by providing a lasting economic source after the mine has ceased operations. 

Be sure to tune in to the full episode to learn more!

Have you ever stopped to think about the roads, sidewalks, and houses that make up your daily surroundings? These structures are an essential part of our society, but would not exist without aggregates! Aggregates are crushed stone, sand, and gravel that are used in many construction and infrastructure projects, but they are often overlooked or forgotten when discussing the mining industry. 

In this week's episode of On the Rocks, we chat with Chris Summers, CEO of Burgex Mining Consultants, about the importance of aggregates and the mining industry! 

Chris and Emily dig into the importance of getting younger people involved in mining and geology, and expressing the importance of mined materials in our everyday lives. We learn a little about Aggregate 101, and discuss Mineralocity, an online tool Chris and his team created that has over 7300 aggregate mining projects mapped across the USA! 

While aggregate projects might be often overlooked, many still face the same challenges as metal mines, including NIMBYism and permitting. Chris shares his thoughts on what "right" can look like for an aggregate mine, and what technology and equipment can be put into place to help mitigate these problems. As we move forward with the future of mining, many new and exciting tools are coming around to help make mining cleaner, safer, and more efficient, which could help mining projects and societies co-exist better. 

Be sure to tune into the full episode to learn more, and leave us a comment on what you thought! 

In this episode of On the Rocks Podcast, host Emily King sits down with Zainab Usman, the Director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and author of "Economic Diversification in Nigeria: The Politics of Building a Post-Oil Economy". Zainab and Emily dig into the discussion of managing natural resources in different countries and economies, especially those rich in oil and mineral commodities. 

One of the key themes discussed in the episode is similarities and differences between countries that are rich in oil and gas versus mined commodities. Examples include:

• Similar - These are all non-renewable, natural resources, and important to many economic and industrial activities. 
• Similar - Revenues tend to be quite large, generated by exports, and typically captured by the government. Because of this, there is a strong external dimension, meaning the economies are vulnerable to the volatility to the international pricing of these commodities.
• Different - The process of extraction is very different. The enclave nature of oil extraction and production can be very dissociated from the rest of the economy, and the jobs created can be very minimal. The mining sector also has an enclave nature, but it tends to be more labor intensive and have more people engaged. 
• Different - The scale of revenues generated tend to be different, with crude oil the scale of revenues tend to be much larger than the mining sector due to the dynamics of the global market.

Zainab also challenges the idea of the "resource curse", due to many countries that have been able to successfully manage their natural resources for economic growth. The key, according to Zainab, is to identify the broader challenges that need to be addressed and get the diagnosis of the problem right. 

For this special release episode of On the Rocks Podcast, guest host and Prospector's Head of Corporate Development, Gautam Iyer, sits down for a chat with James Sykes, CEO of Baselode Energy, to discuss all things uranium and nuclear energy! Dig into common misconceptions, exploration opportunities, and the possible future of this industry! 

Uranium is an essential element in our everyday lives, serving as a fuel for nuclear energy and powering various industries. It's an attractive alternative to fossil fuels in the clean energy space, due to its almost zero carbon emissions. Unfortunately, common misconceptions about this fuel source have prevented many nations from adopting this vital source of energy in the past. However, recently more nations are embracing this technology as a way to meet their CO2 reduction goals. 

Gautam and James also dig into the famous Athabasca Basin in Canada, and what makes it different than other uranium deposits globally. James discusses his Athabasca 2.0 thesis, and how it might be a game changer in the uranium mining industry. He also lets us in on the cool technologies coming into the nuclear energy space! 

Be sure to tune into the full episode for a radiating good time, and lodes of great information! Prospector also recently released our 2023 Uranium Resource Report as a Free Download, so be sure to check that out! 

Discover Baselode Energy and other great uranium mining projects and companies on Prospector! 

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors are increasingly becoming an important part of mining investment decisions. For investors, ESG provides a way to understand the degree of uncertainty and to manage and minimize that uncertainty. Meanwhile, for mining companies, it helps them to create value and ensure that their plans to mine, process the metal, and sell the product are accurate.

This week on On the Rocks, host Emily King sits down with Allison Coppel, an ESG in Mining Investments Expert, to discuss the various roles of ESG in the mining industry. 

The Environmental factor (E) in mining is mainly about water, climate, air, waste, biodiversity, and tailings. The Social factor (S) covers safety, health, labor relations, supplier relationships, training, human rights, and diversity and inclusion. Governance (G) is about the company's trustworthiness, legal compliance, political contributions, and board of directors. All these factors are essential to manage and minimize uncertainties and create value creation opportunities.

ESG is important to the mining industry because it enables mining companies to protect and enhance the environment, ensure safety for workers and good relationships inside and outside the company, respect human rights, create a business where people and communities grow and are happy to do so, be transparent about how the company is run, and follow the law. These are basic expectations of society, particularly when talking about an investment that is going to be there for 10, 20, or even 100 years. Unfortunately, for years, a number of these concepts have been ignored, misunderstood, and thought of as a mere asterisk to the “real plans,” not core components of investment decisions.

Investment decisions can happen throughout the mine life – in early exploration, each stage of project development, during operations expansions or upgrades, closure. And they can be from an investor, an operating company, and may be an M&A. The key is to disaggregate ESG, define what is material to the investment, and then integrate as it makes sense.

Be sure to tune in to the full episode to learn more!

On the latest episode of the On the Rocks, we had the pleasure of chatting with Doug Wicks, Program Director at ARPA-E, about his rabbit hole interest in geologic hydrogen and its potential as a primary energy source!

In this episode, we delved into geologic hydrogen 101. Doug outlined the different "colors" of hydrogen, and discussed what makes geologic hydrogen so fascinating. It could even be a game-changer in the energy industry.

We also talked about the challenges associated with mining hydrogen, including the energy sources required and the environmental impact. Doug shared his vision for a future where geologic hydrogen could become a primary energy source, and what it would take to get there.

As part of his work at ARPA-E, Doug is reaching out to students to talk about the future of mining and the challenges and opportunities it presents. He emphasized the need to transform the mining industry and bring it into the 21st century. However, he acknowledged the challenge of reaching beyond the "bubble" of those already interested in energy technology.

Overall, it was a fascinating conversation about the potential of geologic hydrogen and the work being done to make it a reality. If you're interested in the future of energy, this episode is definitely worth a listen!

This week on On the Rocks, all that glitters is not gold - it’s diamonds! Host Emily King sits down for a chat with Eira Thomas, the President and CEO of Lucara Diamond to discuss diamond 101, Eira’s journey into the diamond mining industry, and much more!

Diamonds have always been a valuable commodity, not only because of their high monetary value but also because of the sentiment attached to them. Today, there are fewer than 25 active diamond mines in the world, and investing in diamonds can be a great way to get started investing in mining.

What makes a diamond though? Diamonds are made of carbon and formed deep within the earth’s mantle over millions of years. Kimberlite pipes then bring the diamonds to the earth’s surface through volcanic eruptions. Diamonds are the hardest known naturally occurring substance on Earth, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale. Fun fact - the word “diamond” comes from the Greek word “adamas”, which means “unconquerable” or “indestructible”!

Eira and Emily discuss industrial versus gem quality diamonds, and how processing and sorting methods are changing and evolving with new technologies. Lucara has been working to create better alignment along the diamond value chain, and providing a secure, online marketplace called Clara for consumers to buy diamonds directly. This innovative approach connects with ESG by providing consumers with assurance of diamond provenance, allowing companies to work directly with communities to understand their needs and ambitions.

“Every mining company wants to do the right thing at the end of the day, and create benefits that are lasting for the communities in which they operate, but the most important thing is to understand what their priorities are and to work with those communities to find ways to meet those needs and priorities.”

Lucara is not only working with their local communities in Botswana, but also recently worked with a woman-led jewelry company, Shiffon, to bring ethically sourced diamonds to their newest jewelry line which celebrates the Women’s Tennis Association and 50 years pay parity in women’s sports!

Dig in to the full episode below to learn more!

Cyanide is a chemical commonly used in gold mining to extract gold from ore. Although many people are aware of its use, they may not understand how the process works or the risks involved in using it. Proper management and monitoring can help decrease the risk of using cyanide for extraction.

This week on On the Rocks, we are joined by Benedikt Kirchgaessler, the founder and CEO of CyanoGuard, a company that specializes in monitoring and managing cyanide. Through his research and practical experience, he realized the importance of monitoring and managing the use of cyanide in mining. CyanoGuard has a range of customers from different industries, including almond producers and breweries, although most of the customer base is the mining industry.

Despite its widespread use, the way cyanide has been used in mining has not changed in the past 20-30 years. This has had an impact on interactions within the mining industry and the way cyanide is used as a product.

"As we went to the mines, we saw the need is for re-automating [process control] and helping the miners make the right decision"

To adapt to new challenges and become more sustainable and efficient, the mining industry needs to adapt new digital technologies and processes. Digital process control will have a huge impact on All-in Sustaining Costs (AISC) in the future.

Understanding the use of cyanide in mining and the importance of monitoring and sustainability is crucial. By embracing digital technology and investing in digital process control, the mining industry can change for the better!

We hear it repeatedly on the On the Rocks Podcast - people within the mining industry want to improve public perception of how mineral exploration and mining is done. However, very few people are actually successfully improving that perception, especially through social media. So, how can mining companies get the word out of the echo chamber and into the public?

One company leading the charge in this regard is Geologize Ltd. Founded and led by Dr. Haydon Mort, Geologize specializes in teaching communication skills for geoscientists, with a particular focus on using social media platforms to improve public perception of the earth sciences and mining industry. Recently, the company released Practical Geocommunication 3.0, the latest update to its popular series of courses.

In this episode of the On the Rocks Podcast, Emily and Haydon discuss the importance of communicating outside of the mining industry, and how improving mining social media can help improve share price as well as public perception. During the episode, Haydon provides valuable tips for mining companies looking to improve their public perception through social media.

A huge thank you to Ridgeline Minerals, Golden Rim Resources, and Lomiko Metals for volunteering to be examples on the podcast! Check out these companies and more on Prospector!