Dig Deep

In today’s episode, we chat with Sean Wade, CEO of Power Metal Resources, and Ian Freeman, CEO of Minestarters. Sean has been on the show before, and Power Metal has been building momentum with its diverse portfolio and project incubator model. Ian joins us for the first time to introduce Minestarters, a new platform bringing blockchain and tokenisation into the world of mining finance. In this conversation, we’ll cover the progress Power Metal has made since Sean was last on the podcast, Ian’s journey to founding Minestarters, and how the platform is opening up new opportunities for project funding. We’ll also discuss the challenges with traditional mining finance, how this partnership complements Power Metal’s strategy, and what both companies have planned for the months ahead. KEY TAKEAWAYS Traditional mining finance is often constrained by a scarcity of capital, high costs, and long lock-up periods for investors, which has hindered the ability of junior miners to get projects funded. MineStarters is a fintech business that uses blockchain and tokenisation to create a decentralised finance (DeFi) network, connecting early-stage mining projects to global capital pools, allowing for 24/7 trading and liquidity. Power Metals' strategy is to continue its project incubator model—finding, developing, and crystalising assets—but with the added fintech dimension of MineStarters The partnership is highly synergistic: Power Metals will invest up to £3 million for up to a 49% equity stake in MineStarters, which will generate revenue through deal and platform fees BEST MOMENTS "The world we've been in and are in is is is tough. It's it's reduced very, very substantially. What this is going to do is going to take our model, existing model, and it's going to develop it further." "What tokenisation allows, through this distributed, um, so decentralised finance network that's enabled by the blockchain, it allows us to take this on-chain capital and bridge to the off-chain real-world asset." "I believe that the MineStarters platform, the business itself, will create a tremendous amount of value. 49% of that will be owned by the Power Metal shareholders." "We are very firmly in the space of the project incubator... The idea is that we get started on the projects, we turn them into a company, IPO that business” 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 GUEST SOCIALS  Power Metal Resources X - https://x.com/PowerMetRes LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/power-metal-resources/ https://www.powermetalresources.com info@powermetalresources.com  Minestarters X - https://x.com/minestarters25 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/minestarters/ https://minestarters.com/ https://www.sec.gov/about/sec-launches-project-crypto  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're joined by Jacob Deysel, CEO of Critica, a company that is exploring rare earths in Western Australia. Jacob brings a wealth of experience across multiple commodities and jurisdictions, and is now focused on building a project in Australia at a time when rare earths are front and centre in the global supply chain conversation. We'll be discussing Critica’s roadmap built around Scale, Simplicity, and Speed and what it really takes to deliver on that. We’ll also touch on the challenges of metallurgy and processing, competing in a market dominated by China, and the all-important path to commercialisation and offtake agreements. Finally, we’ll hear Jacob’s personal reflections on leadership, lessons from his career, and what excites him most as he drives Critica forward. KEY TAKEAWAYS Critica is moving beyond just exploration to rebrand as Australia's next rare earth developer, with its flagship Jupiter Project positioned as the largest clay-hosted rare earth deposit in Australia. The Jupiter project is differentiated by its scale, simplicity, and speed. A key technical advantage is its highly homogeneous deposit and a clean flow sheet that achieves 95% mass rejection Critica has mitigated key industry risks by being a well-funded project with a milestone-driven approach to spending. Its location in Western Australia, a Tier 1 jurisdiction with stable government  Critica's goal is not to replace China, but to build a preferred non-China alternative for rare earth supply, focusing on producing a traceable, ESG-compliant feedstock BEST MOMENTS "We are no longer just an explorer in the rare earth space. Under my leadership, Critica is rebadging... and we're moving forward as being Australia's next rare earth developer." "The biggest technical risk that most companies struggle with is metallurgy at scale... We are addressing that through a number of parallel work streams that's running at the moment." "Being a clay deposit have allowed us to reduce the mass upfront by 95%, upgrade the grade, the feed grade from the resource by about 800% before we get to leaching." "We are not replacing China, we are building a preferred non-China alternative in Western Australia... OEMs are really looking for traceable, ESG safe, compliant rare earth feedstock." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  https://critica.limited/ https://x.com/Critica_CRI 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're joined by Kevin Das, Senior Consultant at New Frontier Minerals, who sit right at the crossroads of the energy transition and geopolitics, with a portfolio of heavy rare earths and copper project, including their Harts Range project in the Northern Territory, and their copper asset at their Big One project.   We’re going to get Kevin’s overview of the company, its assets, and why heavy rare earths matter. We discuss the company's appointment of GeoDrill Australia and what that means for their Harts Range project as they move toward their maiden drilling program.   We’ll also explore the company's vision, including the path to fast-tracking copper production at Big One, also look at funding strategies across both projects, and most importantly, why investors should be paying attention now KEY TAKEAWAYS New Frontier Minerals has a portfolio focused on two key projects: the Hearts Range heavy rare earth project in the Northern Territory and the Big One copper project in Northwest Queensland Heavy rare earths like dysprosium and terbium are economically superior and strategically important The Big One copper project is considered the company's most advanced asset. New Frontier Minerals has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a neighbouring company, Austral Resources, to explore the possibility of toll-treating their ore at the nearby Mount Kelly processing facility The company is making progress on both projects. They have recently appointed a drilling contractor to begin their maiden drill program at the Hearts Range project BEST MOMENTS "Not all rare earths are created equal, and when you get one rare earth, you get all 15 of your rare earths." "Rare earths have become a bit of a household name." "If you're going to play copper, it's definitely one of the places to be." "If we can get one of those projects to work through a discovery or development, if not both of them, I think there's definitely going to be a rerating and a real value add for all shareholders." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  X: https://x.com/NewFrontierMin  ·  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/newfrontierminerals/    ·  Registered and Principal Office: 45 Ventnor Avenue, West Perth, Western Australia 6005 ·  Email: info@newfrontierminerals.com https://newfrontierminerals.com/  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're joined by Jody Kuzenko, President & CEO of Torex Gold Resources. Under her leadership, Torex has established itself as a leading intermediate gold producer with a strong footprint in Mexico. We’re going to talk about the successful completion of the Media Luna Project, recent acquisitions, Torex’s approach to operating in Mexico, and the company’s impressive share price performance. We’ll also look ahead at what’s next for Torex over the coming 6 to 12 months. KEY TAKEAWAYS Torex Gold successfully funded its large-scale Media Luna project using cash flow from its existing operations, avoiding significant debt or equity raises. This strategy has led to the company now generating substantial free cash flow, which it plans to return to shareholders through buybacks and a sustainable dividend. The company has demonstrated its capability to execute complex projects on schedule and within budget, as seen with the Media Luna build. This expertise is a cornerstone of their strategy for future projects. Torex is diversifying its portfolio beyond its core Morelos Complex through recent acquisitions. They have secured early-stage exploration assets in Mexico and the US, and a new development project, positioning them as a growing multi-asset precious metals producer. Torex places a high value on its corporate culture, which is described as a place where people "willingly give the best they've got every day". This focus on a supportive and purpose-driven environment has helped the company attract and retain top talent, contributing significantly to its impressive share price performance. BEST MOMENTS "We didn't do a stream, we didn't do a royalty, we didn't do an equity raise. We did the hard work." "We take finite mineral resources and turn them into lasting prosperity by positively impacting the lives of the people that we touch." "I think the view is worth the climb there, 'cause that's where real value is created." "We are a company that believes that you can make a lot of money and deliver a lot of value for shareholders, and do good things in the world." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  https://torexgold.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/torex-gold-resources-inc/posts/?feedView=all https://x.com/torexgold 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're joined by Kevin Smith, Non-Executive Director at IRIS Metals, an ASX-listed company involved in lithium exploration in the historic Black Hills district of South Dakota. With one of the largest hard-rock lithium landholdings in the U.S., IRIS Metals is positioning itself at the heart of America’s drive for a domestic supply of critical minerals. In our conversation, we’ll explore how IRIS is balancing exploration risk with surging lithium demand, and what sets the company apart in attracting capital and partnerships. We’ll also take an educational lens, discussing the unique challenges of developing projects in the U.S. compared to more traditional mining jurisdictions. Kevin will share his insights on navigating the highs and lows of commodity cycles, advice for juniors aiming to transition from exploration to development, and the broader outlook for lithium and critical minerals KEY TAKEAWAYS The company is strategically positioned to be the first and largest lithium producer in the U.S. by the end of the decade, with a quick path to market due to its brownfields project Iris Metals is focusing on brownfields projects on private ground to minimise exploration risk and expedite the transition from exploration to production The lithium market is currently experiencing a downturn, with prices having dropped significantly from previous highs Iris Metals is actively engaging with investors and the local community, emphasising its commitment to responsible mining practices and economic growth BEST MOMENTS "We think that we can be the first and the largest lithium producer in the U.S. to come online here before the end of the decade." "Lithium is an immature market because it's a product that has not been widely used or adopted in industry like copper, lead, zinc." "We have a unique opportunity set, a captive market in audience in customer base. We're one of the few people that can deliver and execute on that." "The path to production is approximately 18 months from here... we think we have some good government support, some good commercial support from large strategic partners." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  https://irismetals.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris-metals-ltd/ https://x.com/IrisMetals 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're joined by Cobus Loots, CEO of Pan African Resources, a company that has grown into a multi-asset, mid-tier gold producer with a market cap of over two billion dollars. Under Cobus’ leadership, Pan African has built a strong reputation for operational excellence, innovation in tailings retreatment, and a forward-looking approach to sustainability and energy security. We’ll be exploring the company’s journey from its roots to where it is today, its recent move to the Main Board, and its strategy for growth both in South Africa and abroad. We’ll also discuss Pan African’s financial performance, its view on the gold market, and how it envisions the future of mining in southern Africa. KEY TAKEAWAYS Pan African Resources has successfully grown into a multi-asset, mid-tier gold producer with a market cap exceeding $2 billion, primarily through strategic acquisitions and operational excellence. The company has differentiated itself by focusing on tailings retreatment, turning historic waste dumps into profitable operations. This approach not only generates low-cost gold but also addresses environmental liabilities. Pan African is committed to energy security and sustainability, having implemented large-scale solar projects that significantly reduce production costs and emissions. The goal is to source over 50% of energy requirements from renewables in the next few years. The company reported a record year with a 6% increase in gold production and significant earnings growth. It is now fully unhedged, allowing shareholders to benefit from the rising gold prices. BEST MOMENTS "We always say that you're actually turning liabilities into profits. Without the expertise, without the capital, these would only be liabilities." “We were the first South African miner to commission a large-scale solar plant at Evander. It makes financial sense and brings down our cost of production." "The opportunity came across our desk, and the geological merits certainly stacked up. We took almost a year to make an investment decision." "The world seems an uncertain place at this point, and the geopolitical situation is obviously driving gold price." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  https://www.linkedin.com/company/pan-african-resources-plc/   https://x.com/PanAfricanPLC  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 Ryan Mee, CEO of Fulcrum Metals, who is an exploration company but has since repositioned itself as a tailings processor, an evolution summed up by its strapline: turning waste into gold. In our conversation, Ryan shares how Fulcrum is seizing this opportunity, not only to unlock value from historic mine waste but also to deliver real environmental and ESG benefits through remediation. We’ll explore the company’s projects in Canada, the opportunities and challenges of operating there, its partnership with Extrakt (extract) and their unique processing technology, and where Ryan sees the future of tailings reprocessing, whether as a niche or a mainstream part of the mining industry. Finally, we’ll touch on what milestones investors and industry watchers should be looking out for as Fulcrum builds momentum in this exciting space. KEY TAKEAWAYS The company has partnered with Extract, utilising their cyanide-free processing technology, which has demonstrated high recovery rates and quick leach times, significantly improving the efficiency of tailings reprocessing. Fulcrum's strategy emphasises environmental remediation by reprocessing tailings, which not only recovers valuable minerals but also helps restore local ecosystems that have been affected by historical mining practices. The company has prioritised building relationships with local communities, including First Nations groups, to secure support for its projects and ensure a social license to operate. With increasing demand for critical minerals and a supportive regulatory environment in Canada, Fulcrum sees significant potential for tailings reprocessing to become a mainstream part of the mining industry BEST MOMENTS "We want to get into a production scenario... tailings, it's already mined material and it's sat at surface. We could literally walk onto the property and understand the properties of the asset a lot quicker." "This is real ESG in practice. It's new, innovative technologies... and you don't know what you're finding in those tailings because no one's ever tested those tailings for anything other than gold before." "We're not creating any more practices which are detrimental to the environment, but actually will help restore the environment. I see it as a bit of a no-brainer." "We're entering a really exciting time for Fulcrum... we've got a huge six months ahead of us, really excited, a lot of really important work and milestones that are going on for the company." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  ●      Social Media Links ○      LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/fulcrum-metals-plc/posts/?feedView=all ○      X - https://x.com/fulcrummetals?lang=en  ●      Website: https://fulcrummetals.com/ ●      Email addresses ○      Investors: fulcrummetals@stbridespartners.co.uk   ○      General Enquires: rmee@fulcrummetals.com 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 Bennett, Managing Director of Medallion Metals, who are on a pathway to transforming the landscape for gold and copper mining in Western Australia with its flagship Ravensthorpe Gold Project. They have been making headlines with a major upgrade at Ravensthorpe, a feasibility study on the horizon, and a transformational deal to acquire the Forrestania operation. We’ll be talking with Paul about how the upgraded resource reshapes the mine plan, the path to a final investment decision, and how existing infrastructure at Forrestania could accelerate the company’s journey to production. KEY TAKEAWAYS Medallion Metals is a pre-production gold and copper producer in Western Australia, with a market capitalization of approximately $230 million and $25 million in cash reserves. The company is focused on advancing its flagship Ravensthorpe Gold Project and aims to produce 70,000 to 80,000 ounces of gold per annum. The recent upgrade of the sulfide resource to nearly one million ounces has reshaped Medallion's development strategy, allowing for a more focused approach on the underground sulfide component A feasibility study is expected to be completed by the end of October, with key work streams including mining study optimisations and metallurgical test work BEST MOMENTS "The Sulfide Development Strategy has been transformational... it’s all about compressing time, compressing capital to get to first production." "We expect that mine life will continue from there... we’ve unlocked the code now and we're getting closer and closer to production." "The cash balance is well and truly funds us through to final investment decision... we’re really well placed in that sense." "We think there's a lot of upside... the deposit's relatively shallowly drilled. It's only drilled to an average depth of 100 metres." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  X: https://x.com/MM8_Medallion Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medallion-metals-limited/ Website: https://medallionmetals.com.au/ Contact: info@medallionmetals.com.au 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 speak to Paul Weibel, CEO of 5E Advanced Materials, the company advancing the Fort Cady boron project in California. We’ll explore Paul’s path into mining and the leadership lessons he’s carried to the C-suite; get a clear update on Fort Cady’s status and key takeaways from the recent Preliminary Feasibility Study; and dig into why boron matters, its market size, the industries driving demand, and what that means for U.S. supply. KEY TAKEAWAYS 5E Advanced Materials focuses on boron extraction from a unique culminate deposit in California, which is the only one of its kind in the U.S. The company has been mining at a pilot scale for 20 months and is preparing for commercial production. Boron is critical for various applications, including glass production, ceramics, and advanced materials like boron carbide used in armour. The market for boron is expected to grow at an average rate of 5-6% annually The company is pursuing project debt financing as a primary means to fund its operations, targeting a $285 million facility from the U.S. Export-Import Bank The U.S. boron supply chain faces challenges due to tariffs and geopolitical dynamics, which have affected pricing and availability BEST MOMENTS "Boron is the fifth element on the periodic table. It has very unique chemical properties... it basically is critical to life as we know it." "This market is growing... on a weighted average basis, that market's growing at about 8%. This diversification is a bit of an insulator to low growth." "There's a ton of upside in this market. It's an oligopoly structure... the second largest producer is not around forever. They have a very defined mine life." "We want to get that agency debt... the USGS critical mineral list is basically the main policy form that gets cheaper agency financing available." 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 GUEST SOCIALS  Ph # - +1 442-221-0225 Email - hello@5eadvancedmaterials.com https://x.com/5EAMaterials https://www.facebook.com/5EAdvancedMaterialsInc/ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtaY2C7EDECuT_RRqDC-pIVcqcKO1tAQd https://www.5eadvancedmaterials.com/⁠ ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/5e-advanced-materials-inc 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 Simon Finnis, Managing Director of McLaren Minerals, a company that’s been making waves in the critical minerals space since its recent listing. McLaren is advancing its titanium project in Western Australia, a region well known for its supportive mining environment. Titanium isn’t always the first mineral that comes to mind in conversations around critical resources, but its applications and strategic importance are growing rapidly. With McLaren positioned right in the middle of that evolution, Simon is here to share insights into the company’s progress, the broader titanium market, and how technology, community engagement, and smart strategy are shaping their journey. KEY TAKEAWAYS While titanium is not often the first mineral associated with critical resources, its applications in industries such as aerospace, medical, and pigments for paints are expanding rapidly, highlighting its strategic significance in the market. McLaren Minerals is advancing a sulphate ilmenite project in Western Australia, with a substantial inferred resource of 280 million tonnes at a grade of 4.8% heavy mineral. The market for sulphate ilmenite has seen a significant price increase, from $75-$85 per ton to $320-$350 per ton, driven by demand from smelters in the Middle East and China, which utilise the product for both titanium and iron production. McLaren is committed to conducting thorough environmental studies and community engagement as part of the permitting process BEST MOMENTS "Titanium metal is light, it's non-corrosive, so it's fantastic for replacement of body parts, but it's also fantastic for aerospace and other applications where you need light, strong metal." "The current market for sulphate ilmenite is between $320 and $350 a ton, so it's a huge change." "If your head grade of your mineral sand is say 6% and you take 25% slimes out, the grade of your ore going into your plant increases." "You've actually just got to do the work. You can't not do the test work that we've done and then expect things to work." 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/