Dig Deep

In this episode, we chat to Gerard Barron, CEO & Chairman of DeepGreen, a company aiming to source the metals the world needs for a sustainable future with less environmental and social impact. Gerard is an entrepreneur with a track record of building global companies in battery technology, media, and future resource development, both as a chief executive and strategic investor. Gerard became involved in the early development and financing of DeepGreen during its formation in 2011, and in the last few years has stepped into the role of Chairman and CEO. Gerard is on a mission to explore the unknown in order to help find a more sustainable future for our planet.  We talk about what DeepGreen is looking to achieve through mining the ocean, and how this compares to mining on land. We also discuss exactly how scalable mining in the ocean can become, and what social and environmental impact this has, if any. This fascinating, intriguing episode shows how ocean mining can play a major role in conventional mining, working alongside the traditional land mining we are all use to. Let me know your thoughts on this, and any other topics presented in the shows, by visiting our website: https://www.digdeeptheminingpodcast.com/contact  KEY TAKEAWAYS Deep Green focuses on exploring and extracting the metals found in polymetallic nodules. Their exploration is sponsored by developing nations, and covers several large-scales areas of the high seas. The areas in which Deep Green operate contain enough deposits to create 300 million electric vehicle batteries. The challenge is in the collecting and refining of these deposits. Everything we do to our planet has an impact in some way. People believe that driving electric vehicles is beneficial, but the materials involved in making them must come from somewhere. In a post-pandemic world, we should expect to see new approaches to environmental concerns, as well as supply challenges. We have seen the clear benefits of a reduction in industry. Governments are actively encouraging development and industry, and battery materials are key to this growth. BEST MOMENTS ’The challenge in the 1970’s was that no-one had worked out who owned the ocean…' ‘Collecting these nodules from beneath sea level is a better thing to be doing than ripping up rainforests’ ’Show me where we, as mankind, can do anything without having an impact’ ‘Mining brings economic prosperity' VALUABLE RESOURCES Gerard Barron LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerardbarron Deep Green - https://deep.green 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 Rick Rule – President & CEO of Sprott US Holdings. Rick is a highly experienced investor and speculator in natural resources. It’s a return engagement for Rick, who appeared in last year’s Episode 32, and revisiting our conversation with him has demonstrated how much the mining world has changed in 9 months. We talk about how the coronavirus has affected mining, resources companies and stocks over recent months, and how mining companies are reacting to the pandemic. We also cover the surge in gold and silver investment with governments around the world continuing to print enormous amounts of currency into existence. We ask Rick how he sees both metals playing out over the short/medium and long term. We also discuss what the mining industry landscape will look like after the threat of Covid-19 dissipates, and the strategies that mining companies will be looking to employ through the decade. KEY TAKEAWAYS The coronavirus has affected mining in two ways. Operations have closed, but others have thrived. It has come at the end of a decade-long period of expansion, the close of which had to happen eventually. The lockdown does provide opportunities. There is ready cash available for investment, and a sudden wealth of projects to choose from. Certain materials, such as gold, are in high demand as quantitative easing spreads. Growth is returning, as it always has, but it will take bravery upon the part of investors, who must keep their nerve during intensely volatile times ahead. Precious metals are now an almost guaranteed safe investment sector, as the production and refinement of them will be the core foundation of much of the world’s economies. BEST MOMENTS ’Ten years of expansion is very long’ ‘Anyone who plays this game must have psychological stamina’ ’The recovery, we suspect, will be dramatic’ ‘Precious metals really are gonna be tough to screw up in the near future' VALUABLE RESOURCES Rick Rule LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-rule-1058921a/ Rick Rule Twitter - https://twitter.com/realrickrule Rick has offered a free complimentary portfolio review to our listeners, and will also give two historical charts that will prove invaluable for any investor. You can take advantage of this offer by visitng:  sprottusa.com/rankings 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 Tanya Matveeva, an experienced exploration geologist in many commodities around the world, working in countries such as Russia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Rwanda, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and Australia. Tanya is passionate about understanding the inner workings of the mining industry, and interested in disruptive ways of changing mining for the better. Rachael’s primary passion is Blockchain and we discuss its many intricacies, how can it improve the mining industry, and the benefits can be to mining companies. We talk about how the properties of blockchain technology make it applicable to mining, and what processes in mining can be improved through using blockchain technology. KEY TAKEAWAYS Data management plays a huge role in exploration geology. Effective data storage allows for better analysis into things such as correlation and forecasting. Blockchain properties differ wildly from traditional databases. They are built around distributed ledgers, shared throughout the entire network. In a public blockchain, all the players have total access to all the information in the ledger. In a private blockchain, the rules about who gets what information are established at the outset by the players involved. Blockchain technology will eventually change the way the world works. At present, its potential is largely unrecognised, but Tanya likens this adoption to the birth of the internet itself. We need to recognise the future unlimited potential. The oil and gas have been quicker on the uptake when it comes to blockchain. This is because oil and gas is a more tightly-integrated industry, and so any generational changes are adopted at a much speedier rate. BEST MOMENTS ’The power of a good database is very exciting to me’ ‘Wherever we have multiple players, blockchain has a place’ ‘Eventually the technology will penetrate everywhere’ ’There is an incredible exchange of information and experience' VALUABLE RESOURCES Kamni Consulting - https://www.kamni.co/ Tanya Matveeva LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-matveeva-763ba537/ Kamni Consulting - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kamni-consulting/ Tanya Matveeva Twitter - www.twitter.com/kamni_chain 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 today episode we chat to Marcus Brewster, an experienced and respected GM who has worked across the world in many countries in South America and Africa, and for the likes of Nordgold, Goldfields and Endeavour Mining. A mining Professional with 23 years’ of open pit and underground experience, Marcus has demonstrated expertise in successfully turning around mine projects, and managing challenging mining operations. Therefore, his opinion on all things successful around mining operations are invaluable. We chat about are the main attributes needed to be a successful general manager, what makes a successful mining operation, and the main attributes needed for any mine to be successful. Marcus continues to explain the major challenges and biggest impacts facing mining operations moving forward, how important the relationship is between senior management in the corporate office, and the key ingredients to a successful relationship. Hope you enjoy! KEY TAKEAWAYS Generational knowledge is the future of mining. We as professionals need to engage with the new wave of graduates who will one day take that knowledge and apply it to the world in new and unique ways. Technical knowledge and an astute mind are the keys to becoming a great general manager. By broadening our knowledge base, we increase our value. Productivity improvement opportunities, hands-on time with the work, and constant communication are the core skills needed to engender trust and create life in any project. Solid strategies and mine-plans are the foundations upon which all projects should be built. But further than that, these strategies need to align with corporate values. Effective succession planning is paying huge dividends now, especially with the Coronavirus situation. Mining projects are among the most stable investments in the world. BEST MOMENTS ‘Leading by example is critical’ ‘You need to get out there. It’s all about visible leadership’ ’The most successful relationships I’ve seen are between teams that respect each other’ ’The word “general” is no exaggeration!' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Marcus Brewster LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-brewster-62193613/?originalSubdomain=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 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 interviews Lucy Crane, senior geologist at Cornish Lithium in the UK, who are currently developing a lithium mine in Cornwall.  Lucy has recently given a TEDx talk on "Mining Our Way to a Low Carbon Future”. Along with discussing this fascinating topic, Lucy and Rob also talk about how the image of mining could be improved, and how Women In Mining UK are helping the industry to achieve that. KEY TAKEAWAYS People outside of the mining industry don’t seem to realise how important it is for the continued extraction of primary materials. These are essential components in all parts of modern society. An image-change for the industry requires a reframing of elements such as the way mining is reported in the media, misinformation, and simply misunderstanding the goals and aims of mining. Crowdfunding is an innovative and popular new way of involving communities in mining exploration. By part-funding projects, they become invested both financially and emotionally. Mining is a delicate balancing act between three factors. We need to provide automation when possible in order to reduce risk. We also need to ensure that local communities are employed, and that costs are carefully observed. “Dirty” is a dirty word in mining. The perception of mining suffers from a huge disconnect between outdated views of how it works, and the modern, technologically-based reality. Women In Mining UK are working to attract the next generation of women in the industry by providing internships, scholarships and funding to find mining's stars of tomorrow. BEST MOMENTS ’The mining industry needs to frame itself as the solution against climate change, instead of the problem' ‘We have a real opportunity to boost Cornwall’s economy, pretty significantly!’ ‘People have a very un-validated view of what mining is’ ‘We need diverse teams, as it provides diverse approaches to problems’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes  Lucy Crane LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-crane-747a6854/?originalSubdomain=uk Cornish Lithium - https://www.cornishlithium.com Women In Mining UK - https://www.womeninmining.org.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 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

Rob’s guest this week is Eugene Antonov, the COO of Trans-Siberian Gold Management. With over twenty years’ experience, consisting of operations and finance on a global perspective, Eugene has helped Trans-Siberian to grow into one of the most valuable and impressive gold concerns in the world. Eugene joins Rob this week to discuss the outlook for mining in Russia, the developments in the Russian mining space in general, and the surprising effect that the Coronavirus has had upon Trans-Siberian’s gold operations. KEY TAKEAWAYS Eugene has over twenty years’ experience in mining, with a special focus on managerial positions with a responsibility for mine-site operations and finance. With a mining and finance background to draw upon, Eugene feels well placed in the industry, as the two paths compliment each other in terms of discipline. Since 2011, Trans-Siberian has produced over 300,000 ounces of refined gold from its main operation in Eastern Russia. Kamchatka is remote, but this means that geographically speaking, it is relatively unexplored. This has led to a wealth of opportunities in the region. On average it takes about three months to deliver the main mining materials from around the world, to the Kamchatka mine. This means effective planning must be employed at all times. Russia is one of the largest producers of gold in the world. It is also one of the largest producers of certain diamond types, and has one of the finest mining labour forces, globally speaking. Coronavirus has affected the global markets significantly. Surprisingly, this has led to savings in the gold industry, who are enjoying an approximate 10% reduction in costs. Trans-Siberian is now better poised for growth both organically and through selective creative acquisitions. .BEST MOMENTS ‘We want profitable ounces’ ‘Growth is part of our strategy’ ‘It’s known for its typical high-grade deposits’ ‘Mining is in the DNA of this country’ ‘We don’t want to acquire ounces for the sake of ounces’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Eugene Antonov LinkedIn - https://ru.linkedin.com/in/eugene-antonov-1504b38 Trans-Siberian Gold - http://www.trans-siberiangold.com Eantonov@tsgm.ru 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 the episode we chat to David Paterson,  an experienced management consultant who help clients to develop corporate strategies with particular expertise in problems involving complex reputation issues. With what is happening in the world with the coronavirus/Covid19, I thought it would be good to have David on the podcast after he reached out to me and wanted to talk about “the importance of communications in a crisis”. We talk about What challenges do you see the coronavirus having on mining companies and what measures should they be putting in place during these times. Also how do you deal with the confusion that arises from shifting information and uncertainty around the facts being put out there and identify three important points about communicating during a crisis. We conclude by talking about what will mining companies learn or how will they adapt to this new way of working once this crisis has settled down. KEY TAKEAWAYS As a consultant for companies in the mining industries, David helps in educating them about the social and political risks circling around mining. He can attest that these kinds of risks are as likely as technical risks, which are more known to cause the closing of companies. Communication is important more than ever in the mining industry. As much as possible, we want to continue providing our service while maintaining the quality all throughout, impressing the stakeholders, and getting the workforce engaged. But, during this hard time—amid the Covid-19 outbreak—it is our utmost priority to put the health and wellbeing of our suppliers, employees, and investors at the very top. Extend your help outside the company, to the vulnerable, to the community. Since we’re in the middle of a crisis, and anything can change any day, it’s best that you already have a core group who are incessant on monitoring updates, resourceful when looking for solutions and flexible for operations. 3 Important Points About Communication Amid a Crisis: Protect your company’s reputation as it is one of the most important assets. Get excellent information to arrive at excellent decisions. Don’t forget about the stakeholders—the suppliers, the employees, and the customers. How do we keep our internal communications strong? Involve each person in the crisis plan. As much as possible, you, as a leader, must be the one to convey news to everyone else so they understand they’re being taken care of. Assure them that everything will go back to normal, and everything is handled even after the crisis. There are many ways in how mining companies can extend help to the community. You can make use of the facilities, equipment, and vehicles. Authorities might need these rescue and relief operations for the affected communities. BEST MOMENTS “One of the key premises I got was, if you look at mining businesses that have shut down prematurely, it’s roughly half and half between technical risks and social & political risks.” “It’s important that we all recognise that people are anxious everywhere and they’re looking for assurance.” “It’s critical that you keep your workforce and other stakeholders focused and engaged… their optimism and moral as high as possible.” “While there are a lot of electronic communication tools available, there is nothing really quite as effective as getting a face-to-face briefing with their leader.” “There’s going to be a lot of rethinking that will go on once we get through this.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes W Resources - https://wresources.com/about-us/the-team/ Michael Masterman Twitter - https://twitter.com/mgmasterman?lang=en Michael Masterman LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-masterman-0863592b/  ABOUT THE GUEST David Paterson is a well-known Management Consultant who helps his clients develop corporate strategies with particular expertise in problems involving complex reputation issues. He has an impressive background in economics and business administration. After completing his undergraduate and graduate studies in Monash University and Melbourne Business School, respectively, David took unique roles to grow his career not only in Australia but also in other countries. David has also worked for Rio Tinto for more than a decade and is now a consultant for mining companies under the Emergent Advisory Company. 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 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 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 - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ Mining International Ltd Official Website - mining-international.org Rob’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/MiningConsult Mining International Ltd Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org Mining International Ltd YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

In this episode we interview Michael Masterman, the Executive Chairman of W Resources, a European mining company focussed on building a world-class tungsten operation. W have three tungsten operations across Spain and Portugal, and are also developing a gold/copper operation in the region. Michael is the co-founder of W Resources Plc, and has an exceptional track record in establishing and financing new resources companies. We talk about W Resources, focussing on their two main assets: La Parrilla in Spain (tungsten and tin) and Régua in Portugal (tungsten), and talk at length about how they are progressing with these operations. KEY TAKEAWAYS W Resources is based in Spain and Portugal and focusses primarily on tungsten and tin, although it does also consist of a substantial gold discovery in central Portugal. For La Parrilla, the key is to get to the design capacity of 2,500 tons of tungsten per annum (200 tons of tungsten concentrate per month).  The mine itself has a low cost because it has a low strip-ratio. This is at about 1.1:1 in terms of waste. This is hugely attractive to potential investors.  There’s a large difference in density between the waste materials and the higher density tungsten and tin. This means that W can use gravity separation to separate the two very efficiently. Planes, trucks and aerospace, account for 30% of all tungsten use. As the hardest metal in the world, it makes for reliable and dependable materials for transport. The key drivers for price and demand in the tungsten market are the growing construction projects around the world, as it is a vital component in tool manufacture. It is also scarce, so supply is limited. .BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s a long-life, low-cost, large-scale project’ ’Spanish mining costs are globally very competitive’ ’Tungsten is the world’s hardest metal’ ‘We’ve got a mine that’s up and running and expanding very rapidly!’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes W Resources - https://wresources.com/about-us/the-team/ Michael Masterman Twitter - https://twitter.com/mgmasterman?lang=en Michael Masterman LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-masterman-0863592b/?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 today’s episode we chat to Richard Lloyd, CEO of Minexia which operates the mining funding platform NR Private Market. Rich is a 25-year mining industry veteran having graduated from the Royal School of Mines in the early 90's, and having worked in gold exploration and mining and then mining investment banking (I guess the rocks are in his DNA…) Rich also sits on a number of mining boards as a non-executive director. After meeting Richard at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town recently, I wanted to get him on the podcast to talk about the financing landscape for junior miners as he has a strong background in this space. We talk about the challenges facing mining juniors in today’s environment and how investors can differentiate between deals, especially during the early stages. We also touch on WRT-to-platform financing and how it can help juniors to raise much needed early stage finance. KEY TAKEAWAYS Post-graduates, and those just starting out in the industry, need to be prepared to put themselves out there, and most importantly travel, in order to find opportunities. Anti-laundering measures are paramount to any activity in mine investment. Heavy regulations see to it that investment channels cannot be used for nefarious purposes. In the main, the mining industry has always been a little slower on the uptake when it comes to technological innovations, such as crowdfunding. Copper is a commodity that has a useful purpose on the investment side, for the reason that by studying its share prices, you can almost use it as an indicator, or as Richard calls it, a “fair-weather commodity” to show where the market is heading. Minexia analyse potential deals using a “Four C’s” system, involving: Country - What are the geo-political risks of the proposed area? Sometimes the high-risk, post-conflict areas can be lucrative. Commodity - Some materials are far easy to assess than others.  Corporate - What does the management structure look like? Is it stable? Are they listed or private? Where are they based? Concession - What does the layout of the project itself look like? There are many unscrupulous funding channels out there. The only way to really combat this situation is to raise awareness. Richard credits methods such as Dig Deep as a good way of raising this awareness. Minexia help junior miners by vetting the deals carefully. Through their broad range of knowledge, and with their team of experts, they can provide swift, accurate feedback. .BEST MOMENTS ‘Gold mines aren’t necessarily found along the M4 corridor nowadays’ ’There are only so many ways you can dig a hole in the ground’ ‘Investing in early-stage mining projects is a little more technical’ ’They call it Dr Copper for a reason’ ‘You don’t know exactly what they’re reading, or what they’re looking at' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Minexia - https://www.minexia.com/about Richard Lloyd LInkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-lloyd-mining-finance/?originalSubdomain=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 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 talk to Dr Kym Morton, MD of KLM Consulting Services, who specialises in mine de-watering design, water control and accurate tailings pore-pressure monitoring, plus many other areas around water management. With 40 years-experience, Kym is an expert in this subject and we talk about the learning of mine de-watering design and the key ingredients to a successful mine water management and risk reduction. We continue by explaining why the best solutions are both top-down and bottom-up around water control, and what challenges the industry faces around their water management plans and tailings dam management, as well as what they need to do to improve and monitor more closely these issues. KEY TAKEAWAYS Having been on both sides of mining operations, Kym recognises the importance of not just having a practical knowledge, but also a method of communicating your ideas to the money men. You need to know three things in order to effectively plan de-watering: Where’s the water coming from? How is it travelling to you? What will you store it in? You need an effective monitoring network in order to see where the water is coming from and where it will be stored. Technology is a huge asset in this. Kym has found that by showing the mistakes made by companies in the past, she can provide a humorous approach to making sure that companies don’t repeat them. The three mantras for mine de-watering control are: Cut off recharge Exploit permeability Start early Much monitoring happens that isn’t relevant to the mining problem. Too much “box-ticking” takes place. The reality is that the monitoring is being done in the wrong places. There will be a lot more activity in the area of tailings dams in the future, mainly because insurers are drawing away from high-risk ventures. .BEST MOMENTS ’It’s necessary to learn how to speak to board members in financial terms’ ‘I hit a glass ceiling in ’89’ ‘What I’ve learned in the last 40 years is how not to do things’ ’They want more bang for their buck’   VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Dr Kym Morton LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kym-l-morton-phd-mba-c-geol-fgs-fsaimm-dic-a6172426/?originalSubdomain=za 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