A Rock and A Hard Place

This week I am joined by Rob Karpati, Senior Advisor at The Blended Capital Group in Toronto, Canada. Rob is a pragmatic finance leader with thirty plus years of multinational experience, focusing his efforts in the last few years on responsible mining and the artisanal mining sector. In this first episode with Rob, we speak more broadly about stakeholder engagement which is a central component of sustainable development in the mining sector. Rob provides some insights and advice on what successful engagement looks like and how we can work together to turn potential conflict and differences into opportunities for collaboration and achieving our shared energy future. Rob also speaks about human security challenges in the mining sector, which seeks to highlight venerable and working communities who are integral to the mining process and the social license to operate. Finally, we end our discussion talking about indigenous communities and their proximity to many key mineral resources. Rob provides some insights on how we can ensure these communities receive the benefits they deserve and ensure an equitable outcome for the stewards of the land.

Join me for part two of my conversation with Erika Ilves, Head of Strategy & Business Development at The Metals Company as we discuss some of the opportunities of deep-sea mining and the real challenges and obstacles still being dealt with politically, socially, and economically in the field. Erika also provides some insights on how we can begin to engage in thoughtful discussions on where we source our metals and the immense challenges of a metal-intense energy future. With our options limited and timelines for net-zero and energy goals drawing closer, society will need to find answers to these global challenges surrounding mineral supply chains.

Join me on this exciting episode as I speak with Erika Ilves, Head of Strategy & Business Development at The Metals Company, about the fundamentals behind deep-sea mining. We start out discussion off by learning about what deep-sea mining is and the diversity of mineral resources in the ocean. Erika informs viewers on the different types of metal resources found within these deposits and why TMC has decided to focus its efforts on deep-sea nodules. We also discuss the techniques and processes behind extracting nodules from the ocean floor. Erika also begins to discuss the opportunities and challenges that are presented with moving forward with deep-sea mining, busting some of the common myths often have about this type of mining. Most importantly, Erika emphasizes the increasing demand for metals necessary to support the energy transition and why TMC believes deep-sea mining provides a unique alternative to land-based mining operations. Be sure to check out part two next week as we dive deeper into the politics of deep-sea mining and the environmental discourse around the subject.

Join us for part 2 with Hugh Brown as we identify some of the common challenges in ASM he has observed throughout his travels. We also learn more about how his photography attempts to bring humanity to these important issues, rather than dismissing the reality of millions who depend on the sector to survive. Hugh also provides some commentary on the common ASM myths he often hears and tries to explain how the reality of these challenges are much more complex and difficult to address than simply removing our supply chains from these countries.

Join us this week as we have Hugh Brown on the podcast, a best selling documentary photographer passionate about telling stories about the artisanal and small-scale mining sector. In this episode, we talk about the power of photography in telling stories about the people involved in this sector and how it is often the case that the images we see in the news and across the world focusing on ASM are typically used for political purposes rather than calls for action to reform and provide opportunity for the millions that depend on the sector. Hugh also provides some of his personal thoughts on how ASM is discussed in politics and the political obstacles communities face when it comes to sourcing metals. While many calls to action have been made, Hugh provides a critical review of these western countries as his travels have shown a much more complex and concerning reality on the ground. Finally, Hugh provides some common myths about the ASM sector, which he hopes to bust and find ways to open up the public's imaginary around the way these communities can be empowered for a better future rather than negatively targeted for current labor practices. These issues are highly controversial, but Hugh brings in his wealth of travel experience and connection with local communities to try to cut through the rhetoric and really understand how his work can bring awareness of these communities and the true potential they possess in being a key part in the global energy transition.

Join us for another episode with Courtney Onstad, a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. In this episode we discus some of the best practices and methodologies that should be implemented in the geoscience communication space. Courtney also emphasizes the critical importance of early education and making good impressions with kids who may grow up to solve our future energy and mining challenges. We also discuss the role of mineral literacy organizations and their role in engaging with communities about their natural resources to emphasize why we mine and how it can be done sustainably through community involvement and monitoring. Finally, Courtney shares some thoughts about where the academic field of geoscience communication is headed next and the gaps which need to be filled by young professionals and thought leaders in the mineral and mining sphere.

On this episode, I am joined by Courtney Onstad, a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, studying geoscience communication. Her research focuses on how science communication theory can inform geoscience communication practice, particularly in informal educational settings. Courtney first defines the concept of geoscience communication and how we can best implement it in a variety of academic, professional and public settings. We also discuss the importance of K-12 education and support when it comes to engaging in dialog about critical minerals and the energy transition. Without strong K-12 support, there will continue to be a gap in workforce development in the geoscience and mining field. Finally, Courtney discusses the difference between science communication and the gaps in literature between science communication and the world of geoscience. The clear take away? How scientists talk about their research and engage with both the public and policymakers is crucial when developing the future workforce and ensuring that critical mineral policy is well informed and promotes sustainable practices for the future.

Join us for another conversation with Dr. Lynda Lawson, Senior Fellow at Queensland University’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). In this episode, Dr. Lawson highlights the roles of women in ASM and the gendered impacts in both the LSM/ASM sectors. The role women play in mining across many of Dr. Lawson’s field locations are incredibly important, not just from sorting, processing, and mining, but also through rehabilitation to improve former mining sites. Dr. Lawson also highlights some of the serious challenges and unexpected opportunities of empowerment mining provides women. The gendered impacts in mining are important to highlight, especially when trying to formalize the ASM sector and improve ESG challenges in global mining communities. As stated in the first episode, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is that we do not vilify these communities, rather we must take serious action and care when speaking about these issues and the negative impacts our broader policies may have on populations dependent on mineral resource extraction. These are not easy conversations, but they are essential in developing a sustainable mining future.

Join us for a timely discussion about the artisanal and small-scale mining sector with Dr. Lynda Lawson, Senior Fellow at Queensland University’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). In this episode we provide a clear definition and description of artisanal mining, small-scale mining, and large-scale mining and the various environmental, social, and governance challenges behind them. Conversations in the news and public discourse have vilified the ASM sector, with photographs of children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo becoming talking points for politicians when discussing critical mineral supply. Dr. Lawson will point out the important role ASM plays in many communities across the globe and the negative effects that popular commentary have on efforts to improve and reform this sector. With millions of people employed by the sector, serious efforts have been made to formalize and find avenues to support local communities who are involved in local mining.

Join us for the second episode with Dr. Anna Broughel as we discuss the importance of not only educating future mining engineers but also international affairs students and political scientists about the mineral challenges facing society. We explore why it is essential that educational institutions in Washington D.C. teach about the mineral security nexus and the upstream challenges behind the energy transition. Anna also emphasizes the importance of energy communication, or the ability for energy economists and thought leaders to be able to traverse both the policy and technical aspects of their work. Finally, Anna concludes with some remarks and words of advice for future energy leaders and why CELI provides young professionals with a strong network to support their future career.

Join myself and Dr. Anna Broughel, Director of Energy Leadership at Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), VP of Communications at the U.S. Association of Energy Economics, and adjunct lecturer in energy economics at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University as we discuss the importance of energy leadership and the nexus of energy policy and material demands. It is essential that aspiring young professionals recognize that all of our energy policies have material demands which can be caught up in political, social, and economic obstacles. Achieving our lofty energy goals requires us to think upstream and recognize that many of these products start in the ground with minerals, which are the building blocks of our shared energy future.

In episode two of my conversation with Simon Jowitt, we explore the ongoing geopolitical challenges facing the extractive sector. Whether it is global pandemics, competition with China, human rights challenges, or political insecurity in key mining regions, supply chains are facing increased political attention. It is becoming increasingly difficult as a geologist and mining engineer to be fully isolated to larger political dynamics at play across the mining sector going into the future. Simon also talks about his recent research looking at quantifying global critical mineral supply and some of the gaps and key pieces of evidence his team found during the process.

Join us for season four of A Rock & A Hard Place! In this first episode, I sit down with Dr. Simon Jowitt, associate professor of economic geology at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. We look at the field of economic geology, or the scientific discipline concerned with the distribution of mineral deposits, the economic considerations involved in their recovery, and the assessment of the reserves available. Simon also discusses some of his latest work on looking at the impact of COVID-19 on the mineral supply chain and how the global pandemic and geopolitical tensions with China may change the way we think about raw materials and their supply chains.

Join us on this episode as we speak to Libby Pritchard, the Occupational Health, Safety and Sustainability Director for the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association (NSSGA). In this episode we will discuss the role of aggregates (stone, sand, and gravel) in society and how they will literally "pave" the way for the infrastructure necessary to facilitate the energy transition. Whether it is the roads that you will drive your electric vehicle on, the construction materials for the smart cities of tomorrow, or the grit in your toothpaste, aggregates are an essential part of the mining industry. Libby emphasizes that aggregates have a very unique role given their predominance in the domestic extractive sector and their local community impact. Unlike metal operations, aggregates have to be mined locally as the economic costs to ship and transport become too expensive after 30-50 miles from the mine. This puts aggregate operations as key local players in helping inform the public about the role of mining in society and reducing NIMBY domestically.

Join us for part two with Corby Anderson as we discuss the challenges of NIMBY, or "Not In My Backyard," which threatens the successful development of mines and facilities to help reduce foreign influence in material supply chains. Corby also talks about his past work in Ukraine and how disruption to critical supply chains in the region have brought increased awareness around energy independence and mineral supply chain vulnerabilities. Finally, Corby talks about whether or not a fully integrated and independent material supply chain could be possible and if it is truly desirable in a global economy.

Corby Anderson, director of both the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy and the Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling at the Colorado School of Mines, joins us once again to discuss some of the generational workforce gaps in the mining sector and the "timeline problem" of domestic critical mineral development. For over 30 years, the US disinvested in the skills necessary to take on todays critical mineral challenges. Now, as universities and geological surveys across the country are tasked with leading the research and producing the workforce to meet national demands, a major timing problem is presenting itself. US policies and government announcements are moving in the right direction, but as Corby notes, it will be highly unlikely for the US to achieve these goals in the limited timespan given as geopolitical tensions across the world rise and regional power dynamics shift. The time to act was yesterday, so today and tomorrow require strong action and mining education to develop a strong domestic mining sector.

In Part 2 with Adam Simon we discuss several components of effective geoscience communication and some of the current research projects Adam is involved with at the University of Michigan. We also discuss some of the current issues around the perception of mining, permitting timelines, and general NIMBY challenges which could impact the successful implementation of recent political announcements. Finally, we have a brief conversation about the geopolitics around mineral supply chains, specifically the Ukraine conflict and rising tensions with China over Taiwan.

Join us for season 3 of A Rock & A Hard Place! Dr. Adam Simon joins Thomas Hale to speak about the current challenges of labor shortages in the mining sector and the importance of educating new generations about the essential role mining plays in society. Dr. Adam also speaks about one of his personal passions, the history of mining and how it shaped the future of the industry.

Our host Thomas Hale continues his discussion with Dr Sarah Carmichael, professor at the Department of Geological and Environmental Science at Appalachian State University. They cover the often unexpected political bipartisanship both for and against mining, the legal loopholes exploited by some irresponsible mine operators, and the need to engage with communities respectfully in areas with potential for mineral extraction.

Our host Thomas Hale is joined by Dr Sarah Carmichael, professor at the Department of Geological and Environmental Science at Appalachian State University. They discuss biological mineral formation, the untapped potential of microbiology in helping us fight climate change, and how to teach of students about the past, present and future of mining in Appalachia and beyond. Follow us on Twitter