Dig Deep

In today’s podcast we interview Ricus Grimbeek, President and CEO at Trevali Mining Corporation, a base metals company with four mines in Peru, Canada, Namibia and Burkina Faso.  Ricus is an experienced mining executive with nearly 30 years experience in the resource sector working in Australia, South Africa and Canada during his career. During this interview we chat how Trevali Mining is developing as a company and whats happening in the zinc market with the price of zinc decreasing. We also cover how technology is playing its part in the company and the realities of climate change on the industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ricus began as a coal miner before breaking away to study mining in South Africa. He also spent a few years in corporate functions. This varied background has given him a rare insight into the many facets of the mining industry. Safety, health and sustainability are of paramount importance to Ricus and Trevali. In his opinion, safety should be guaranteed for all employees and the communities in 3which they operate. Ricus recommends a full practical knowledge of the mining business from the ground up, to anyone who wishes to enter the industry, including aspiring executives. The best advice Ricus offers to those wishing to jump from operations to corporate, is not to do it too early. Not only will the personal upheaval be too much, but it’s good to get as much on-the-job knowledge as possible. Trevali is one of the top zinc producers in the world. Ricus classifies this as one of the greenest metals, and one that will be more important in the future. Climate change has had long and short term impacts around the world. Places that are seeing water supply under threat are no longer as attractive to the industry, as it is such a key component in operations. Mining needs to lead by example, and show that good can come from their operations, whereas public perception may lead many to believe that it is environmentally detrimental. Processes such as underground mining can be beneficial. .BEST MOMENTS ‘From a young age I’ve been passionate about sustainability’ ‘You can’t tell governments and communities what to do. You have to be really good at listening’ ‘Don’t progress too early in your career’ ‘We’re not starting from ground zero’ ‘As an industry we need to take a step back’ ‘I’m very excited about what’s possible' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Ricus Grimbeek LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricus-grimbeek-41a916b/?originalSubdomain=ca Ricus is going to be speaking at the upcoming Mines and Money Conference from 25th -27th November and as Dig Deep The Mining Podcast is a partner to this event, then as a subscriber, you can take advantage of 25% discount by using the code DIG25 at check out. Mines and Money London is the world’s largest mining and investment show, bringing together over 2000 mining and investment professionals. With ever more volatility in the markets, M&M London is looking at a record year’s attendance. Evidenced by their headline attendees and speakers including Robert Friedland, and Black Rock's Evy Hambro.  If you are interested in attending this year's event, with over 150 exhibiting mining companies, 600+ investors, leading tech contributors and expert facilitators, then take advantage of 25% discount by using code DIG25 at check out. Book your tickets now and hope to see you there. London Mines And Money - https://london.minesandmoney.com ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

In this podcast, we interview Mike Jones, MD of Impact Minerals, an exploration company listed on the ASX with four extensive tenement holdings within Australia, (NSW, QLD & WA) featuring significant potential for high-grade mineral deposits of gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper and nickel. We discuss the Australian mining market and what challenges it faces as the market is buoyant, and the progress of Impact Minerals and what they are looking to achieve. KEY TAKEAWAYS The mining industry in Australia is extremely busy today. This is mainly due to a huge surge in gold and lithium, which led to money being poured into producers.  A few huge discoveries in Victoria and in Western Australia, have led to the mining industry there turning a corner, and becoming sought after by investors. With the five-year downturn, mining in Australia has seen a large downturn in new recruits, especially amongst young people. Technology is fine, but there’s no substitute for human instinct. Blackridge is the main focus for Impact Minerals right now. It is the conglomerate host of gold projects and so acts as the epicentre of activity. Aside from normal operation challenges, the main issues affecting Impact are around technology. Advancements have meant huge challenges in data and applications, but also have increased productivity immensely. Over the next decade, Mike wants Impact to attract more value, which will allow the company to expand and to seek out wealthier resources. Persistence is the key in exploration. .BEST MOMENTS ‘It was a big step to take’ ‘I could probably run a mining company as badly as these people can!’ ‘Each of the cycles is different’ ‘It takes time, and time is money’ ’The amount of data generated is extraordinary’ ‘Hopefully I’ll be a yacht in the Mediterranean!' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Impact Minerals - https://impactminerals.com.au Mike Jones LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-jones-48831615/?originalSubdomain=au info@impactminerals.com.au ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

Todays guest is Patrick Cheetham, Chairman and MD of Sunrise Resources, a mining company who acquire, explore and develop mineral projects, and who are currently developing a project to mine natural pozzolan and perlite in Nevada, USA.  We talk about the uses of natural pozzolan and perlite and how Sunrise Resources are developing the project in the US. KEY TAKEAWAYS Patrick’s background is in geology, and always found the subject fascinating. This stood him in good stead when he went to college, and subsequently was recruited by Western Mining in Australia. Sunrise began as a diamond exploration concern. After working in this market, Sunrise realised that raising capital was difficult, and so broadened its focus. Pozzolan is one of the most important deposits in the world and acts as a naturally occurring cement, and has numerous invaluable uses throughout the industrial world. Perlite has the additional property of popping when heated to high temperatures. This is used in horticulture to aerate soil, and is also used in insulation. Sunrise’s main consumers are ready-mix companies, who use pozzolan in concrete, which is a vital ingredient in fly ash. Pozzolan has a value similar to cement in terms of money. It doesn’t stand huge transport differences, and is mainly used in the USA. Mine permitting is key for Sunrise in the future, which will allow for production to begin in earnest when 2020 arrives. Agreements with utility providers, and sourcing water for projects are also high on the agenda. .BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s not as easy when you don’t have the money behind you!’ ‘Perlite pops like popcorn’ ’The Pantheon dome is still the world’s largest expanse of concrete’ ’There’s no natural pozzolan produced in the UK’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Sunrise Resources - https://www.sunriseresourcesplc.com Patrick Cheetham LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-cheetham-444a782/?originalSubdomain=uk https://www.mining-international.org/#one ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3    

Today’s podcast is with Andrew Reid, COO of Hastings Technology Metals, an ASX-listed leading Australian rare earths company with two rare earths projects in Western Australia. Rare earths are critical in the manufacture of a wide variety of new consumer and industrial technologies and these range from flat-screen TVs and energy-efficient light bulbs to hybrid cars, wind turbines and military hardware. In this episode, we talk their Yangibana Project and what they have achieved so far and what part this mine will play in the rare earth’s space which is significant outside of China.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  I spent my first ten years working in mining in Australia and then spent time in Africa.  You need a diverse range of skills to work as an expat. You will work alongside others with both low and high-level skill sets and need to understand that for some education may be lower.  Working as an expat is not for everyone the conditions can be difficult but I developed into the person I am with the skills I have as a result of my experiences.  Hastings Technology was kickstarted in earnest in 2014 with an exploration program and the technical staff realised early on that the initial investigations were coming back with rare earth and in particular neodymium and praseodymium resources at Yangibana.  Rare earths are on the periodic table and they always appear together.  When you mine rare earths, you get them together and as a result, you need a complex processing plant.  We are designing a processing plant that will nominally take about million tonnes of ore feed a year.  You have to extract from the ground and then concentrate the elements to an economic level, separate them into a powdered oxide and further down the line into forms that can be turned into the final products.  Powered magnets are a major component in the tsunami of electric vehicles we are seeing coming onto the market and Hasting Technology is now very well placed to meet the needs of a growing marketplace.  When we are producing 3,400 tonnes this will be 6-7% of the world’s supply. The project will be in a very good position to be on the leading edge for receiving finance  The rare earths mining market is unique mainly because its dominated and controlled so closely by China and a lot of the market is under long term contracts. The growing electric car sector is a continuing factor in the importance of rare earths as a commodity.  There needs to be better awareness and education for people around rare earths.  We are in very exciting times and Hastings Technology is at the forefront of new relationships. It takes its responsibilities and the opportunities that come with being involved in the technology of electric vehicles very seriously and as the use of permanent magnets globally in technology continues to grow the possible applications are increasing.     BEST MOMENTS  ‘There are many processes that are undertaken before you get to the end product’  ‘We have already received our early works permit and so have been able to build the infrastructure required for the project’  ‘The stamp of approval from the highest environmental group, the EPA is vital to allow the permits to be granted’     VALUABLE RESOURCES  The Dig Deep Mining Podcast  Hastings Technology Metals website     ABOUT THE HOST  Rob Tyson  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 insight to people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from the first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients’ organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.     CONTACT METHOD  Email Rob at rob@mining-international.org   Rob’s LinkedIn            Mining InternationalOfficial Website           Mining International’sTwitter       Mining International’sFacebook   

Mental health is a topic that features heavily in the news these days. In this podcast we interview Michael Weston, an advocate & keynote speaker around mental health providing both the public and workplaces with an insight into his personal life experience, whilst highlighting the importance of mental health and wellbeing. Michael worked in the Western Australian mining industry for twenty years, when one day back in 2013 (ready for work), he was found by his neighbour, unconscious and not breathing.  Whilst Michael survived, he spent the next two years searching for a diagnosis and answers to why he couldn't function as well as he had prior to the incident. As doctors and specialists began investigating further, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and an acquired brain injury (ABI) were diagnosed. The conclusion they came to was that work and a stressful work environment had contributed to his collapse, and so this episode may resonate with many of those who might be suffering similar conditions in the workplace. KEY TAKEAWAYS Michael spent many years working in the mining industry in Australia, in some of the most high-pressured and diverse sectors. But although the stress was high, Michael loved the job. One of the first signs that Michael was not doing well, was the change in his personality. His wife noticed to begin with, and commented that he wasn’t acting like himself. Soon afterwards, Michael was found collapsed, face-down on his driveway. The problem is that many people don’t receive physical warning signs when a collapse is imminent. Lack of concentration, and mindfulness, is often put down to simple fatigue, instead of being treated as a major warning beacon. Ultimately, Michael’s body refused to cooperate with his mind and shut itself down. Michael’s state of mind was seriously deteriorating, and had taken far too much on in the workplace. Anxiety and depression manifest early, and should always be discussed. Treatment should be sought as soon as possible, in order to prevent collapse and subsequent health issues. The first place to admit you’re feeling overwhelmed is at work. Tell your workplace that you are feeling consumed, and be honest.  Finding a work life balance is as essential to lasting happiness as an efficient and healthy workplace. Allowing flexibility, and listening to our staff when they are troubled will save many issues down the line. .BEST MOMENTS ’There was a bit of gold at the end of the tunnel’ ‘Red isn’t always bad’ ‘I need to get to work. I’m going to be late for a meeting…' ‘We were all under the pump’ ‘You’ve got to put your hand up for help’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes www.michaelweston.com.au Michael Weston LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelweston1/?originalSubdomain=au Michael Weston Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWestonBrainInjury Michael Weston Twitter - https://twitter.com/michaelweston26 ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

In this episode we chat to John Lewins, CEO of K92 Mining Inc, a gold mining producer with an operating mine in Papua New Guinea. We talk about how the company has progressed, how it has achieved its incredible results, and what plans they have for the future.  We discuss what opportunity challenges and opportunity lie within Papua New Guinea, and how the mining industry can develop in the country. KEY TAKEAWAYS With the low, sustaining costs they have, K92 are generating good cash flow, and next year is predicting cashflow in excess of eighteen million US dollars. K92 have exploration on their mining lease, including five diamond drilling rigs; two from the surface and three underground. This allows three thousand a month in diamond drilling from the combined five rigs. Papua New Guinea has some of the best geology in the world, but there are three fundamental challenges there: Climate - Very high rainfall area. Geography/Topography - Many mines are in the highlands or on islands, which makes building mining infrastructure difficult. Community - Eight million people speaking eight hundred languages. PNG has less than two hundred thousand taxpayers out of eight million people, which means that many people there are subsitence farmers. Land is incredibly important, therefore, and so mining can prove very challenging. Jobs are very important. The future is also crucial. Education is highly desirable, and so can prove an effective tool in getting communities on side. .BEST MOMENTS ‘All of the exploration work we want to do is funded from our own cashflow’ ‘We’re looking to take that to five million ounces by Q1’ ’We get about eight to ten metres of rainfall per year’ ‘Land is incredibly important' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes John will also be speaking at the upcoming IMARC Conference in Melbourne from 29-31st October where he will be giving a ‘Mining Spotlight’ project update on K92 Mining Inc. Dig Deep has partnered with the International Mining and Resources Conference event in Melbourne where global mining leaders connect with technology, finance and the future.  Now in its 6th year, it is Australia’s largest mining event bringing together over 7000 decision makers, mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators and educators from over 100 countries to Melbourne for four days of learning, deal-making and unparalleled networking. All Dig Deep listeners can receive 10% off tickets when you register with the discount code DIGDEEP. Visit the website to purchase your ticket: https://imarcmelbourne.com/ ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3    

In this episode, we chat to Darren Stralow, Chief Development Officer at Northern Star, an Australian gold producer with Tier-1 world-class projects located in highly prospective and low sovereign risk regions of Australia and North America, and who have a portfolio of low-cost, high-grade underground gold mines, and who are listed on the ASX.  We talk about the key attributes and major differences about degrees in the past, to the new degrees that should be taught now and beyond, and why and how we can improve the image of mining with the younger generation. KEY TAKEAWAYS The whole mining industry got a wake-up call last year, when there was a sudden and drastic drop in enrolments for mining engineer positions in Australian tertiary institutions. There used to be over 200 mining graduates per year from Australian universities. In 2018, there were under 40 first-year students enrolled in the entirety of Australia. For an industry that contributes so much to the Australian way of life, this was alarming. Automation, digitisation and electrification are all advances that are changing the face of the industry. But we must never lose sight of the fact that this is primarily a people business, and that people can never be replaced. The scientific basics of engineering, mining methods and technology, should form the core of all mining education, as well as the licence to operate, and how mining contributes towards society. We need to show that the industry is progressive. It’s not just digging holes. There are other focus points, and a universe of pursuits that can range from everything from health to science. .BEST MOMENTS ‘We obviously haven’t done ourselves any favours in terms of perception of the industry’ ‘We were doing something wrong when it came to attracting people to the industry’ ’The industry has been changing in recent years’ ‘We can’t lose focus on the fundamentals’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Darren Starlow will be speaking at the upcoming IMARC Conference in Melbourne from 29-31st October where he will be doing a presentation around “The Mining Engineering degrees of the future: How these must differ from the past and include new and relevant skills”.  Dig Deep has partnered with the International Mining and Resources Conference event in Melbourne where global mining leaders connect with technology, finance and the future. Now in its 6th year, it is Australia’s largest mining event bringing together over 7000 decision makers, mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators and educators from over 100 countries to Melbourne for four days of learning, deal-making and unparalleled networking. All Dig Deep listeners can receive 10% off tickets when you register with the discount code DIGDEEP. Visit the website to purchase your ticket: https://imarcmelbourne.com/ ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

Today’s guest is James Campbell, the Managing Director Of Botswana Diamonds, a diamond exploration and development company operating in Botswana and South Africa. James has spent over thirty years in the diamond industry in a variety of roles, and so has accrued during his experiences, a vast and fascinating wealth of knowledge, some of which he’ll be sharing on this week’s episode. The diamond industry is one of the lesser-known, and so this conversation will prove an insightful and endlessly interesting journey into and around the diamond industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS James is drawn to diamonds on an emotional level. To him, diamonds represent all that’s good about humanity. Diamonds are the ultimate gift of love; the ultimate expression of love.  The assessment and exploration of diamond resources is one of the most technically challenging in commodity and resource development. To work in the sector, and to be successful, it is incumbent on operators to be experienced and knowledgeable. In diamonds, you have three different variables that must be measured:  Volume  Mass of the deposit Grade - measured in karats per 100 tons Diamonds are not just for cosmetic use. They are also used for cutting tools (diamond dust), and are currently being used in computing (conductors). This means that diamonds are in ever-increasing demand. Fifty percent of the world’s diamonds are typically sold in America. Fifty percent of those are typically sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The economy there under Trump is doing extraordinarily well, and this is being reflected in the uptake of aspirational items. At the moment, Botswana Diamonds are focussed purely on Southern Africa: South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. These are all relatively close to BD’s base in Johannesburg. James is the sole permanent employee of the company, and sees Southern Africa as the most prospective area in the world for diamond development. The two major countries for diamond development outside of Southern Africa are Russia and Canada. Russia contains the second-largest diamond mine in the world. Canada contains explorations by De Beers and Mountain Province. Also, Canada’s Toronto Stock exchange is extremely robust. .BEST MOMENTS ‘Diamonds are the ultimate expression of love’ ’The diamond market is cyclical, but the diamond market is not just one market’ ‘As economies grow, so too does the demand for diamonds’ ‘Like any mining environment, many of the jobs will be commoditised’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes James Campbell LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesahcampbell/?originalSubdomain=za Botswana Diamonds - http://botswanadiamonds.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3    

In this episode, Rob chats to Sam Retallack, Head of People and Culture at Independence Group (IGO), a leading ASX-listed exploration and mining company based in Perth, who have a strategic focus on high quality assets of scale and longevity including Gold, Nickel/Copper assets in WA and exploration developments in WA & NT.  Sam has been in human resources for a number of years and joined IGO back in 2012, and so has a wealth of experience in workforce culture and a deep understanding of what mining companies need to do to change to develop and grow with this ever-changing world we live in.  We talk about what companies need to do to improve their culture, how they can do it, and the challenges that mining companies face in getting this right? KEY TAKEAWAYS Having come from a very different background to many in the mining industry, Sam has a unique perspective based upon many different forms of business. People and culture is the thing that enables the rest of the business. There is no achievement of strategy without the people. Sam’s role is to oversee the building of the people relations and culture, and believes it is the bedrock of all things they do. The public perception of the mining industry puts many off from joining it. People still see it as a male-dominated, dangerous and very physical industry, which it can be. But things have changed dramatically over the years. Mining now includes a wealth and breadth of different pursuits. Education on this subject is paramount. There are no good or bad cultures. There are only appropriate and inappropriate cultures. Some companies require different cultures, and it’s a case of finding the right people for the right culture in the right business. Strategy and culture need to go hand in hand. People will choose their own culture anyway, which may go against your chosen strategy. It’s difficult to herd your people back into line once this happens. As an organisation, you need complete reviews of what is working and what isn’t, but it needs to be ongoing and organic. The old concept of a post-action review just can’t be done that well or effectively. Mining companies can improve their cultures by looking seriously at two things:  Co-creation - you must ask the questions and listen to the responses from your people. Then grow it with their help. Examine your leadership - If your leaders aren’t emotionally mature enough to embrace co-creation, then you’ll never achieve an effective culture. .BEST MOMENTS ‘I come from a very untraditional mining background’ ’There is no achievement of strategy without the people’ ‘Mining is a sustaining career’ ’There are no good or bad cultures’ ‘People are tribal. Humans are tribal' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Sam Retallack is going to be speaking at the upcoming IMARC Conference in Melbourne from 29-31st October, where she will be on a panel of speakers discussing: What stops us from implementing change in our workforces AND How do we overcome the non-technical issues to achieve business transformation, innovation and a workforce of the future?  Dig Deep has partnered with the International Mining and Resources Conference event in Melbourne where global mining leaders connect with technology, finance and the future. Now in its 6th year, it is Australia’s largest mining event bringing together over 7000 decision makers, mining leaders, policy makers, investors, commodity buyers, technical experts, innovators and educators from over 100 countries to Melbourne for four days of learning, deal-making and unparalleled networking. All Dig Deep listeners can receive 10% off tickets when you register with the discount code DIGDEEP.  Visit the website to purchase your ticket: https://imarcmelbourne.com/ Independence Group - https://www.igo.com.au Sam Retallack - LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-retallack-69151819/?originalSubdomain=au ABOUT THE HOST 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 to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3    

In this week’s show, entrepreneur David Murrin discusses his work around decoding major historical events to forecast global change in today’s world, helping you to make informed decisions that avoid repeating past destructive cycles so that you can create positive actionable strategies for the future.  David has written two books, including 'Breaking The Code of History' which post 9/11, recognises that the world had changed in an instant, and highlights the key process in human social structures that impact on today’s changing world.  Join Rob and David now for this fascinating episode featuring a wealth of hidden agenda. KEY TAKEAWAYS One person’s energy can charge other people’s like a capacitor, but time will decay the charge. If we can survive this peak, then the charge will die down. This is how the world has always seemed to work. David joined JP Morgan because meritocracy was rewarded. He joined the company in order to take risk and win big, and found the risk industry fascinating. Post 9/11, David’s world view completely changed. America’s world influence had peaked, and so the strike against it was even more damaging. David used his newfound knowledge and techniques in the post-9/11 world to more accurately predict the rise and fall of the resource market values, which made him extremely valuable to companies like JP Morgan. It’s usually the commodity price appreciation that leads to conflict. Humans fight over one thing, and that’s resources. We may mask this with religious constructs, but it always boils down to resources. America has to extract itself from the grip of Chinese manufacturing, and Trump has made it clear that this is what he wants. Ultimately, the world will be split between two powers when it comes to resources. A greater trend toward automation is inevitable. Systemisation and the use of AI to find resources underground is definitely coming. .BEST MOMENTS ‘I was standing there among sixty hungry cannibals’ ‘We make decisions as a collective entity’ ‘We’re heading into one of those periods now’ ’There will only be an increase in friction’ ’There is a two way arms race coming'   VALUABLE RESOURCES Email: rob@mining-international.org Website: https://www.mining-international.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theminingpodcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast/videos   ABOUT THE HOST 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 insight into people's experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics. Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specializing in all areas of mining across the globe from the first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our client's organizations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace. 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.