Dig Deep

In this episode, we speak with Gilbert Clark, CEO of Meridian Mining, a mineral exploration and development company focused on unlocking high-value copper, gold, silver and other metal resources in Brazil. Meridian’s flagship asset is the advanced Cabaçal Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide project in Mato Grosso.    We discuss Meridian’s recent resource milestones, how the company is positioning itself for execution and growth, the de-risking of the project, skills within the Brazilian mining industry, an update on the Brazilian mining industry and what the outlook could look like as it moves toward becoming a meaningful copper-gold producer in a critical global market. KEY TAKEAWAYS Gilbert transformed Meridian Mining from a manganese-focused company into a high-value copper and gold explorer by leveraging the historical data of a decommissioned BP/Rio Tinto project. The Cabaçal project is uniquely positioned as a "brownfield restart," meaning it has established infrastructure and historical production data that significantly mitigate geological, metallurgical, and permitting risks. Mato Grosso offers a mature mining environment with affordable hydroelectric power, established logistics from the agricultural sector, and a supportive local community and government. The greatest risk to the industry is "generational change" and a lack of skilled engineers. Meridian addresses this through deep local university partnerships and a culture of independent decision-making BEST MOMENTS "We are a fundamental building block of everyone's daily going about their business. It is mining." "For me, as a reasonably experienced private equity investor in natural resources, my fundamental concern is risk. If I'm going to deploy capital, do I risk it?" "My greatest concern long-term... is demographics. You’ve got to extract as much knowledge from the 45-to-50-year-old guys and transfer that into the 20-year-old men and women." "There’s a fundamental rule in mining: You go to work with ten fingers and ten toes, and you go home at night with ten fingers and ten toes." GUEST RESOURCES https://meridianmining.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/meridian-mining/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzVr6ILYF_Ax2hI6oBoCaOw https://x.com/meridianmining VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In today's episode, we speak with Gerard Wood, founder of Turbo Leadership Coaching and Wood & Media, and someone well known across the mining and industrial sectors for his practical, no-nonsense approach to leadership, culture, and performance. Gerard has spent decades working alongside leaders, frontline teams, and tradespeople, helping businesses close the gap between strategy and execution. Many of you will know him as the author of 'Simplifying Mining Maintenance', a book that challenged how our industry thinks about reliability, accountability, and systems. Our conversation centres on Gerard’s new book, 'Only Tradies Improve Reliability', due to be released in late-February which takes those ideas further, focusing on leadership, culture, and the often-overlooked role of tradies in building high-performing organisations. We’ll be unpacking why this book needed to be written, what prompted Gerard to write it now, and how leaders can extract real, practical value from it in their own businesses. We’ll also explore why Gerard cares so deeply about tradies, how leaders can recognise when cultural change is required, and how this book builds on the foundations laid in Simplifying Mining Maintenance. If you’re a leader looking to improve performance, engagement, and culture, particularly in operational environments, this is a conversation you’ll want to stay tuned for. KEY TAKEAWAYS While technical reliability tools (like RCM or RCA) are essential, they are ineffective without a positive trades culture. True reliability is built on the floor, not just in an office. Reliability issues often stem from "normalised" defects. Tradies and leaders may stop noticing problems because they have become part of the daily environment, requiring a shift in standards to correct. High turnover is a primary indicator of a poor culture. A healthy environment is one where leaders genuinely care for their teams and employees feel valued enough to speak openly about problems. BEST MOMENTS "If you can't talk about the problems openly and honestly, you have no ability to improve." "Reliability of equipment... is all centred around getting the culture around trades to be effective and doing good quality work." "Culture is not something that you just let happen. Because if you just let it happen, you may not get the one you want." GUEST RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerard-wood-146a3212/ https://gerardwood.com.au/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Jeremy Gray, CEO of Chancery Royalty and a seasoned mining executive, shares insights on the evolving mining landscape. He discusses how he's successfully managed multiple companies by focusing on strong leadership and shifting to a royalty business model, which he finds less stressful. Gray highlights the importance of gold and tungsten in today’s market, driven by changing global dynamics, including China’s supply shifts. He provides bullish predictions for gold and silver prices and reveals his strategy of acquiring secondhand mines to maximize investment efficiency.

In this episode, we chat with Michael Rawlinson, one of the most experienced and well-known figures in mining finance and our industry. Michael’s career spans multiple decades and cycles, from growing up in a mining family to early roles in investment banking and equity research, co-founding Liberum, senior roles at Barclays, and now a portfolio career as a non-executive director across the mining sector. Few people have seen the industry from as many angles: advisor, analyst, investor, and board member and in this conversation, we’ll reflect on how mining, capital markets, and leadership have evolved, what’s genuinely different about the current cycle, and what still hasn’t changed at all. KEY TAKEAWAYS Michael’s extensive career was heavily influenced by growing up in a mining family and witnessing the inherent volatility of the industry firsthand across Africa. The mining industry has undergone a massive shift from a "Wild West" mentality to a highly regulated environment where ESG and safety standards are fundamental to operations. Modern mining finance has transitioned from a reliance on traditional London equity markets to more sophisticated private equity firms and the robust superannuation system in Australia. Despite technological advancements and new ESG requirements, the industry remains governed by 20-30 year "metronomic" cycles of supply and demand BEST MOMENTS "The world of mining is the oldest, most boring, most basic of industries, and in a sense, it never changes. It is the most volatile sector there ever was... the cycles are brutal, they are relentless." "We’ve gone from a Wild West to having better safety, environmental, better governance, and regulation. It’s overall a better place, a smaller industry in terms of people and share of GDP, but the tons grow for most commodities." “The globalisation of Britain has actually just meant that money's gone elsewhere." "The next 20 years, for the people who’ve learned the skills in these technical industries, they’re going to do well... This is revenge of the high-viz vest land." GUEST RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-rawlinson-244750101/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

We're joined by Tom Elliott, the founder of Hotspur Helium, who holds the largest multinational primary helium portfolio globally.  We discuss what Hotspur Helium is building and the ambition behind the company, before stepping back to look at why helium has become such a compelling focus for investors and operators alike. Tom shares insight into the critical uses of helium — from healthcare and advanced manufacturing to space and technology, and the demand trends reshaping the global supply landscape. We also discuss how Hotspur Helium thinks about where to operate globally, what differentiates the company in an increasingly competitive space, and where it currently sits in its growth journey. Finally, we dive into the commercial realities of helium projects, including off-take interest, project economics, payback potential, and what the outlook looks like over the coming years. This is a practical, forward-looking conversation about a niche commodity that plays an outsized role in modern industry, and how Hotspur Helium is positioning itself within that opportunity KEY TAKEAWAYS Hotspur Helium differentiates itself by targeting "elephant" prospects—large-scale deposits (at least 5 BCF of recoverable helium) in the Middle East and Southern Africa, rather than the smaller pockets often found in North America. While 95% of global helium is currently a byproduct of the oil and gas industry, Hotspur is focused on "primary helium" exploration. This ensures a stable supply that isn't subject to the volatility of LNG market prices. Helium is irreplaceable in high-growth sectors, specifically semiconductor manufacturing, MRI scanners, and space exploration. Each SpaceX launch, for instance, consumes roughly 6% of daily global helium production. Since its founding in 2024, the company has acquired 20,000 square kilometres of acreage. They aim to finalise surface exploration in 2026, begin drilling in 2028, and bring the first helium online by 2030. BEST MOMENTS "Hotspur Helium... holds the largest multinational primary helium portfolio globally." "Someone said to me the other day, 'Oh, so you're elephant hunting.' And that's essentially what we're doing... we're the first people through the door and we're able to acquire the best acreage."  "Right now, is helium the tail on the dog or is it the flea on the end of the tail of the dog? Right now, given the size of the LNG industry, it's pretty small... " "It's an extremely lucrative commodity... worth something like 200 to 300 times that of natural gas” GUEST RESOURCES Web: www.hotspurhelium.com Email: info@hotspurhelium.com  LinkedIn (Hotspur): https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotspurhelium/ LinkedIn (TE): https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-elliott-230731316 VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode we chat to Jamie Strauss, CEO and co-founder of Digbee, a company working at the intersection of mining, capital markets, and sustainability. Jamie has spent decades observing the mining industry through multiple cycles—booms, busts, and long stretches where the sector struggled for relevance with investors and the broader public. In this conversation, we’ll step back from short-term commodity noise and dig into the deeper structural questions facing mining today: what the industry keeps getting wrong, why ESG has become such a polarising concept, and where sustainability and credibility genuinely translate into financial value rather than narrative. We’ll also explore some uncomfortable truths about mine development and operation, the most under appreciated opportunities hiding in plain sight, and what ultimately breaks if the sector continues to rely on the same playbook as it heads toward 2026. We talk about execution, trust, and whether mining can evolve fast enough to meet the world’s growing dependence on its outputs—without losing its licence to operate along the way. KEY TAKEAWAYS The mining industry often suffers from optimism bias, where management teams underestimate risks and overestimate timelines for project completion Despite skepticism surrounding ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives, there is a growing recognition that responsible mining practices can lead to lower operational risks To regain trust, companies must communicate transparently about their operations and sustainability efforts, demonstrating accountability and responsibility to investors, communities, and regulators. Companies that effectively integrate sustainability into their operations tend to outperform their peers. By focusing on responsible practices, these companies can reduce risks and enhance their market position BEST MOMENTS "Every cycle, the industry convinces itself that this time is going to be different."  "The biggest problem with that in the current market is most of the money is coming from private equity, and they have seven-year lives, typically."  "The industry has done a terrible job of communicating this... We have just not proven it."  "If you can begin to demonstrate how you're taking care of your workers... you tend to end up with less problems." GUEST RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiestrauss/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/digbee/ https://digbee.com/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, we chat with Paul Barrett, CEO of Rome Resources, a company working on the front lines of tin, copper, and zinc exploration at a time when critical minerals have never been more in focus. We’ll unpack what it really takes to operate in the DRC, how Rome has kept momentum through regional uncertainty, and where newly raised capital is being deployed as the company looks toward 2026 and beyond. Paul will also share his views on value creation from potential partnerships or integration with bigger players, to Rome’s own path forward, along with insights from his career and the experienced team behind him.  And with global M&A heating up in the mining sector, we’ll explore whether consolidation may be part of Rome’s future, and how shifting demand for tin and other metals could reshape opportunities ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS Rome Resources operates in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which presents unique challenges such as regional instability and complex regulatory requirements Rome Resources recently raised £2 million to fund a drilling program targeting deeper, wider intercepts of tin and copper. The company aims to complete this drilling by early 2024, with plans to update resource estimates shortly thereafter. The tin market is expected to remain strong due to its critical role in technology and manufacturing, while copper demand is also projected to grow, particularly in infrastructure projects The company is exploring potential partnerships, particularly with nearby Alphamin, to enhance value creation BEST MOMENTS "The level of scientific rigour put to drilling holes in the ground for mining is much, much less... I'm trying to bring some of that science in, especially some of the stratigraphic work." "We have a dialogue with IRH on that particular project... extracting Kalai and putting it through Alphamin's facility will not require much in the way of modification." "The tin market is a fascinating market... it's quite small... and of course that then means that it's quite volatile in terms of price reaction to supply hiccups." “We’re concentrating really on adding that value, taking that a bit deeper and seeing where we get to with this next drilling program." GUEST RESOURCES https://romeresources.com/ https://x.com/Rome_Resources https://www.linkedin.com/company/rome-resources-ltd/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In todays show, we're joined by Farhad Abasov, Chairman of Millennial Potash, a listed miner who are advancing the Banio Potash Project in Gabon, West Africa, a large, low-cost potash deposit strategically located on the Atlantic coast. Farhad is a veteran mining executive with over $3B in exits. We dig into the real impact of China’s production drop, the rise of Africa’s Atlantic potash corridor, and how Millennial just delivered a 275% jump in Measured and Indicated resources. Farhad breaks down what +100 metres of cumulative potash thickness means for solution mining, how far the system could extend beyond the 5% drilled area, and the toughest technical challenges posed by ERCOSPLAN. We also look at how the U.S. DFC-funded Feasibility Study evolves with this new data, what risks have now been de-risked, and what it means for future supply into Brazil, the U.S and Africa. KEY TAKEAWAYS Millennial Potash has reported a 275% increase in measured and indicated resources, raising the total from 1.7 billion tons to over 6 billion tons, indicating a substantial potential for the Banio Potash project. The project is strategically located on the Atlantic coast of Gabon, allowing for competitive shipping costs to key markets such as Africa, Brazil, and the Eastern seaboard of the U.S The Gabonese government is actively developing infrastructure, including a new port and power facilities, which will support the potash project and enhance operational efficiency. The thickness of the potash deposit, exceeding 100 meters in some areas, will allow for larger caverns, further reducing operational costs. BEST MOMENTS "We think that the drilling that took place last year and this year removes a lot of that technical risk. Now we know that the resource is large, capable of producing at a significant scale." “This was a major milestone for us... we did not expect that it would go up this much. We basically took the resource from 1.7 billion tons all the way to over 6 billion tons." "We think this is going to have a huge impact on supply, specifically for Africa, Brazil, and the Eastern seaboard of the U.S." "We have very good understanding of the southern part of the property... we think that mineralization actually is quite continuous." GUEST RESOURCES Millennial Potash Social Media Links Website: https://millennialpotash.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/millennial-potash-corp X: https://x.com/MLPotash Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MLPotash Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ml_potash YouTube www.youtube.com/@MLPotash Ticker Symbols: (TSXV: MLP | OTCQB: MLPNF | FSE: X0D) Email: ir@trxgold.com Tel: (437) 224-5241 VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this episode, we chat with Stephen Mullowney, CEO of TRX Gold, who are a listed mining company with its flagship project, the Buckreef Gold Project in Tanzania. Stephen’s going to unpack the human side behind Buckreef’s rapid growth: the moments that forced him to rethink his approach, the wins that mattered more to people than markets, and the misconceptions outsiders still hold about this industry. We explore how leaders handle unpopular decisions, where the real bottlenecks are at site level, the technologies reshaping operations and the ones that haven’t lived up to the hype. We’ll also look beyond production metrics to ask a bigger question: what does success truly look like for TRX in the next five years, and how sustainable is its current growth path? KEY TAKEAWAYS Effective leadership in the mining industry involves understanding the human side of operations, making decisions that prioritise long-term success over short-term gains, and empowering team members to contribute to decision-making processes. Many people mistakenly attribute a mining company's success solely to commodity prices. While prices do play a role, a strong focus on operational efficiency, growth, and cost discipline is crucial for sustainable success, regardless of market fluctuations. Mining operations face numerous bottlenecks at various stages, from drilling and blasting to crushing and milling. Identifying and addressing these bottlenecks is essential for maintaining efficiency and productivity. The mining industry is gradually adopting new technologies, particularly in areas like exploration and communication. BEST MOMENTS "Mining is a commodity space, and a lot of people give credit for success based on the commodity price, but if you don't keep a good focus on growth and cost discipline, it doesn't matter what commodity price you have." "There's always a bottleneck, and there's always a problem, and it's always in a different spot. Mining has so many little things along the process timeline that can knock you down." "I think technology is really going to help us on the exploration side. We're doing studies now to identify new structures, and competing technology can be good there." "I think the model of not diluting has been good for TRX at Buckreef, and it could continue. I don't see any reason why it can't." GUEST RESOURCES ●      Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TRXGoldCorp ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/trx-gold-corporation/  Email: ir@trxgold.com Tel: (437) 224-5241 VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

We're joined by Kurt Budge, CEO of Leading Edge Materials are a European-focused company at the forefront of the energy transition, developing projects in critical raw materials that are essential to the future of clean energy, electric mobility, and advanced technologies. In this episode, we’ll get an overview of Leading Edge Materials and discuss how today’s shifting geopolitical landscape creates unique opportunities for companies strategically positioned in the critical minerals space. We’ll also explore the broader outlook for rare earth elements and natural graphite, and where Leading Edge is focusing its efforts across its three core business areas. Kurt shares why the Norra Kärr project in Sweden is considered so vital to Europe’s supply chain resilience, and we’ll look ahead at what’s next for the company as it helps build a more sustainable and secure materials future for the region. KEY TAKEAWAYS Leading Edge Materials is a Canadian company focused on critical raw materials projects in Europe, including a graphite mine in Sweden and a heavy rare earth project called Norra Kärr, which is vital for Europe's supply chain resilience. The ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly between the U.S. and China, have heightened the urgency for Europe to diversify its supply chains for critical raw materials Rare earth elements, particularly heavy rare earths, are crucial for defence applications and the energy transition, making projects like Norra Kärr strategically important for Europe’s industrial and military capabilities. The permitting process for mining projects in Europe is often slow and complex, which has hindered the development of critical projects like Norra Kärr BEST MOMENTS "What we've seen in the rare earth space, specifically in geopolitics this year, is a trade conflict between the US and China... the drive for diversification is more important than ever to build... resilience on a single supplier of critical raw materials." "Norra Kärr is the most advanced heavy rare earth project in Europe... it has this long history of other groups saying this is strategically important to Europe." "If you want a mine to produce, you can't just turn a tap and stop the critical raw materials flow. We are talking probably a minimum of 10 years from discovery to a built mine that's producing." "We need to take responsibility for putting these supply chains together... the Critical Raw Materials Act is great legislation, but we need to do more and we need to do it now." GUEST RESOURCES https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurt-budge-b75287/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/leading-edge-materials-corp/ https://www.leadingedgematerials.com/ VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ X:              ⁠https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson⁠  YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast⁠  Web:        ⁠http://www.mining-international.org⁠ CONTACT METHOD ⁠rob@mining-international.org⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/⁠ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/