Dig Deep

How will the mining industry innovate through the technological revolution that we are currently going through? To answer this and other key questions Rob Interviews Michelle Ash the chief innovation officer for barrick Gold, and the Chair of the Global Mining Guidelines Group. Their conversation moves from how Michelle got into the mining industry to what skills people need to adapt to the rate of technological change within society. If you have thought about possibly working in the mining industry in the future, or want to understand how as an industry they are trying to work together to solve problems through the GMG this is the podcast for you.   Key Takeaways How did you get into the mining industry? I’ve been in the mining industry for 25 years and really I fell into it by accident. I trained as a civil engineer, and then I got picked up as a blast engineer, and seeing your work literally moving mountains was something else. I love the mining industry and I’ve worked all over the world. I loved working in Australia, most recently I worked in Tanzania which I thoroughly enjoyed.   What’s the major differences between the big companies? I’ve worked for both larger and smaller companies. Often in the smaller companies you get a lot more flexibility, and breath in the roles that you take whereas in the bigger companies you are more specialized. With the smaller companies you have to make sure that you squeeze every bit of profit out of the mine because they are a lot smaller.   What would you say the new technological trends are within the mining industry? We talk a lot about industry 4.0 but what it boils down to is around connectivity being faster and better. With satellite comms, and 5g networks being cheaper it allows companies access to high quality computing and communication without the previous scale of costs. There are lots of new technologies that are able to track the health of our employees, and tracking more effectively underground.   What new skills do mining professionals need to learn? We are all going to have to learn a lot more about AI, and Blockchain. If you are younger, I would recommend getting some good coding skills if you want to enter the mining industry. There are some less obvious skills like focusing on humanistic design, especially around agile methods of production I think that universities and companies have to change to reflect these new skills.   Do you think that mining has an image problem? I think technologies will help make it more attractive but they are only enablers. Making sure that people need to get out and know about the mining industry. Some of the Hackathans that we have conducted were around wanting to really engage young people in the problems that we are trying to solve. Young people are the future workforce which means that you have to engage with them.   What should institutions do to attract people into the industry? We have seen a decline in people getting into certain fields like geology. You have to have a multi-level approach, around upgrading company practice and the curriculum. Governments have a great convening ability, getting these groups together to talk about important subjects. I think we have to get into science, mathematics and engineering in schools which are the base of the skills that we are looking for.   What social changes will impact the mining industry? There is greater demands on being less impactful to the environment. This might drive us to create different drilling methods. Those technologies have an impact on how people interact, communicate and learn new things.   What is GMG all about? GMG is an industry association, which is member driven. We have members all over the world from India, to the States and Latin America. We are looking at expanding in China. We also work with mining services industry. We work towards developing guidelines on topics such as automation, remote operations, and KPIs for example. We are currently looking at AI and Dam construction. At GMG we bring groups together to help develop those guidelines.   Why do you enjoy working in the mining sector? I love it because it really does change outcomes for communities. It can go into rural, more struggling places and can build, cities and towns because of the mining industry.   Who have been the most influential people in your career? Lots of people over the years, have allowed me to go abroad for example and others that took a gamble of me when I moved over to the PVC industry.   How do you see the future of mining? I think it has a bright future. The rate of change will continue to accelerate. We will accelerate the implementation of those. We’ll see more and more people working remotely and not in high-risk roles.   What advice would you give someone if they want to take a similar career to you? Certainly getting some experience in new technologies would be ideal. Keeping an open, challenging and inquisitive mindset. Get involved in the industry and understand how the mining industry works.    Best Moments ‘Seeing your work move mountains is amazing.’ ‘I love the mining industry.’ ‘Smaller companies are a bit more flexibility and breath.’ ‘With more Eastern companies there is a bit more talk around strategy.’ ‘Communication speed and price coming down has been vital to the mining industry.’ ‘You can buy sweatshirts now that measure your temperature.’ ‘Robotics is starting to come into the industry.’ ‘We can now remove people from hazardous activities.’ ‘Even accounting software has been improved by technology.’ ‘Blockchain is going to be interesting in the mining industry.’ ‘What will be interesting is when these new technologies come together.’ ‘It’s important to focus on behavioural changes alongside the technology.’ ‘Technology has to be as intuitive as an Iphone.’ ‘Just because we can do something should we, we have to think of the ethics.’ ‘Micro courses online can be really effective.’ ‘We can’t guarantee jobs for life but we can offer people lifelong employable skills for their life.’ ‘We have to let people know that we are thinking about technology.’ ‘We have to show that we are a relevant industry.’ ‘We might see smaller, more remote processing plants due to technology.’ ‘GMG is an industry association, and we’re member-led.’ ‘We really try to repeat work, and be the connector to different work across the world.’ ‘We’d love a greater membership across the globe.’ ‘I’m proud of what the mining industry contributes to communities.’ ‘I’ve worked with fabulous leaders all over the world.’   Valuable Resources GMG - https://gmggroup.org   About The Guest Michelle Ash   Michelle Ash is senior executive who specialises in strategy development and implementation with key skills in technology transformation, innovation, leadership and cultural change within the mining industry having worked for some of the major mining houses, Barrick Gold, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and MMG. Michelle is currently the chair for GMG – Global Mining Guidelines Group who are a network of like-minded companies driving change in the mining industry and shares with us the major technology changes that are happening and changing the mining industry of the future.   Contact Method LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleash/   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 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 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 International Official Website Mining International’s Twitter Mining International’s Facebook

Peter Ledwidge is the managing director for Mako Gold who are exploring and developing assets in West Africa. The company was created in 2015 and has had significant success making 3 discoveries in 3 years. Rob and Peter discuss the success of Mako Gold and its plans moving forward. For a fascinating insight into the world of gold explorers listen in.   KEY TAKEAWAYS How are you developing as a company? We are currently developing 2 flagship projects after reviewing many possibilities. We have been able to move quickly as our previous crew have come back to work with us. We have been able to achieve significant results making 3 discoveries in 3 years. One of the projects began from a  greenfield site, we have undertaken all aspects of the work required and are particularly proud of being able to do this. From the holes we have drilled the results that have come back have been outstanding and we think we have the potential for high-grade deposits. What are  Mako’s reasons for exploring in West Africa and what are the specific challenges? One of the reasons is the artisan miners who are working in this area. If they are mining in the area you know the geology is good and will support deeper drilling but if we can find something shallow then it’s very attractive for investment. What’s your strategy to grow shareholder value? We have already grown it considerably and de-risked. We are methodical but fast in our procedures and complete everything that is required such as sampling to a high standard and you add value to the company by getting the drills turning. Being methodical and moving quickly means our investors get a return quickly which is what all investors want. What are your plans over the next year? We are aggressively drilling, and people are interested in what we are doing. This is giving us a great opportunity to form new associations moving forward.   BEST MOMENTS ‘For us, it’s an endorsement and it brings together us as reputable explorers’ ‘We have been able to achieve significant results’ ‘We think we are doing the right things by our shareholders’   VALUABLE RESOURCES The Dig Deep Mining Podcast    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 International Official Website          Mining International’s Twitter       Mining International’s Facebook

Rob talks to Amanda Van Dyke, the portfolio manager for South River Asset Management, a specialist fund management company.  Amanda discusses her beginnings in the mining industry, the roles of diversity and public relations in improving the perception and profitability of the business, and also her suggestions for wise future investments. KEY TAKEAWAYS   Amanda’s route into the mining industry was somewhat indirect. From a Bachelor Of Arts degree to a job in the Canadian diamond industry, and then to a Masters in International Economics. From here, Amanda took a job as an investment analyst for a firm that did many deals with the mining industry.   Having come from an international background in the industry, Amanda describes the many differences between operations in Canada, London and Antwerp. Investment in London and the UK is more focussed on less-speculative proposals.   Amanda discusses her role in ‘Women In Mining UK’, which she helped to grown from 170 members, to over 1700. In Amanda’s opinion, this is evidence that the mining industry is bigger than most people think. It also includes departments such as finance, insurance, accounting, listings, most of which are operated out of London. This has provided many more roles for all kinds of people and has helped to diversify the industry as a whole.   There is a large correlation between the more successful mining companies in terms of profitability and share price, with female participation at the board level. Diversity can definitely help mining companies to be more successful.   Amanda does not believe that mining is a sexist industry, but does this that perhaps it has become relaxed in its attitudes toward the roles that women can play. She would like to see more forward-thinking in terms of women’s roles going forward.   When looking at the mining industry, most people think merely of geologists and engineers. But this sector represents no more than 5% of the employees in the mining industry.   Mining has a horrible brand and image in the world right now, despite the fact that more commodities are being demanded today than ever before in history. Mining is a primary industry, but unfortunately, it has been badly represented, and this needs to change.   Events such as the Mines And Money London event are always evolving. They’re about taking the pulse of the industry at the time and delivering information about things such as new advances that’ll interest mining companies and investors.   Amanda sees gold, silver, cobalt as commodities that may prove fruitful int he next year, mainly due to their use in technology. Manganese and nickel could also be worth investing in, as they are both components in batteries.   When it comes to investments, Amanda takes a balanced approach. You need to have a bit of everything. Opportunities need to be economically attractive. They need to be scalable, and to have the potential to earn well in order to be viable and realistic. Is it financeable? Is the outlook realistic? Is it marketable?   It takes time to develop a project. The issue with the mining industry is that sometimes opportunities are spotted, and saturated far too quickly. This is why Amanda prefers to invest in teams with proven success   BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s big business here, versus junior business’ ‘They wear better suits!’ ‘Providing a forum and network for women in mining is vital’ ‘Diversity can seriously help mining companies’ ‘I don’t think mining is a sexist industry’ ‘Mining as an industry or career is just not as well known to women’ ‘Promoting mining as an exciting place to work, and as an important industry is very important’ ‘One of the most important factors in the mining industry is logistics’ ‘Regardless of your specialist field, the mining industry is a very exciting place to work’ ‘People are so divorced from where the stuff they use every day comes from’ ‘When it comes to investment, there’s no one important thing’ ‘I don’t buy projects. I buy shares in a company’ ‘Don’t just buy the asset. The asset doesn’t make money. Shares do’ ‘Skin in the game is really important. But it’s not everything’ ‘Mining is not going anywhere. But it needs to do a better job with its PR’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes South River   ABOUT THE GUEST   Amanda Van Dyke is a commercially astute senior investment and business development professional focusing on the mining and resources industry and was formerly the Chairman of “Women in Mining UK” and a member of the advisory board of Mines and Money London. She is currently the portfolio manager South River Asset Management, a specialist fund management 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 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 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 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 Tyson is joined by Rocky Smith, CEO of Peak Resources, who’s agreed to talk about the company’s exciting rare earth projects in Tanzania and England. He explains why this unique project is coming into fruition and why they selected the UK as a base of operation, along with their aims, core principles and plans for the future.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Mining’s effect On Electric Vehicles - Rocky points out that the people who lead the electric vehicle revolution in years to come, will have to realise that additional resources will be needed to meet the demands of EV manufacturing; a fact that the mining industry is already planning for.   What makes Rocky’s projects different from other rare earth properties? Rocky identifies not just the size of the rare earth deposits he’s working on, but also the quality of the deposits. His have less phosphates and carbonates than usual, along with a rare lack of radionuclides. Rocky says that the revolutionary processes he is using means that their acid consumption is much lower, as well as the down-streaming costs. This reduces operational costs and makes his team a world leader in terms of cost position. . How does Brexit impact Rocky’s operations in the UK? Rocky’s reasons for choosing to mine in the UK were numerous, including readily available resources, the welcome of the community and suitable waste treatment, which is incredibly important. The infrastructure is there, which means less investment was needed. Economically and environmentally it makes sense to be there. Rare earth metals are critical metals, and especially so to the EU. The mining of rare earth metals will not, in Rocky’s opinion, be significantly impacted by Brexit. They are mainly exempt from tariff issues. Any costs that arise from importing necessary elements into the UK can be absorbed by careful costing.   How are Peak Resources hoping to provide a sustainable business model, going forward? Sustainability has many different aspects. In Tanzania, Rocky works extensively alongside the local communities, building schools and investing in water supplies. Having a positive impact in the area is invaluable. It’s vital to invest in not just the current generation, but also future ones, which comes back to Rocky’s point about his operations being “generational”   .BEST MOMENTS “It’s difficult to be really successful at this” “To get the maximum value, you need to get to the finish line” “To get to the finish line, you need to know what you’re doing” “Our operations are really a generational entrerprise” “Resources are not a sexy investment” “The electric vehicle transition is going to put a big pinch on the metals being produced”   VALUABLE RESOURCES Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Peakresources.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 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 the first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new & 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

‘Being honest throughout your career is the best thing you can do, and is respected throughout the industry’  Tim Livesey shares his fascinating career journey from his first role in South Africa to his present role as CEO of Oriole Resources Plc. As someone who has worked for both smaller and larger companies, he has extensive experience in the mining industry across different levels and projects. Listen in now to hear his advice for those who are beginning their own journey in the industry today.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  Beginning my career in South Africa was an opportunity to work in exploration and get mining experience very early on in my career. It confirmed that I didn’t really like working underground but also gave me a really good understanding of production,   of sampling, blasting safety communication and management.  South Africa is very different from other places but at a project level there isn’t a great deal of difference, the people who you interact with have the same aspirations.  Working in Africa provided me with the opportunity to move upwards more quickly. If there was an opportunity to learn something new I would take it, and this helped broaden my skill set.  Working remotely with small teams gives you a great deal of autonomy and when you are working in this way you really get to know the people you are working with. If you have the right mixture of empathy and people skills you can develop positively as a good leader.  Stratex International  The company had some assets and licences and had tried to get into more advanced projects but the skills in the company were more suited to early exploration.  It was about refocusing what was being brought to the investors.  The company refocused on the early generation marketplace. The rebranding marked the change of direction and the company then acquired some licences in Cameroon which provided new targets to chase.  At the management and strategic level, the company has been refreshed and is moving in a direct direction  We’ve tightened the cost structure and have a good understanding of where we want the company to go and what exit strategies look like.  I know what people are looking for and as a team, we have a good technical reputation along with strong compliance and administrative teams.  We do things properly and invest a lot of time in building social licence and doing the right thing in projects that we run.  We have skills in our teams that are pertinent to West Africa geology, so the African, European time zone is where we are best suited.  You increase your chances of success by going into good areas with good prospects, good teams and working well with the local government and the local people.  If you can align those things then you maximise your chances for success.       BEST MOMENTS  ‘You don’t measure your social performance by how much you have spent on it’  ‘As a company, we’ve undergone a massive change’  It was a really good apprenticeship for a graduate’  You either adapt or you don’t’  Everything is linked to mining and responsible mining is a positive’  As an industry, we are getting better at promoting the positive effects of what we do but we need to do more to work collectively’  Adaptability is one of the key traits of those who work in the mining industry’  You don’t measure your social performance by how much you have spent on it’  It’s a broad church the mining business and everyone adds something to it’     VALUABLE RESOURCES  The Dig Deep Mining Podcast    ABOUT THE GUEST  Tim Livesey  Tim Livesey is the Director & Group CEO of Oriole Resources Plc, an AIM-listed company who are a base metal exploration and development company focusing on Europe and Africa. Tim talks about his journey having worked for some of the big mining houses like Barrick Gold & Anglo American in Africa early in his career before moving back to the UK and working in senior management and getting on the board of a few companies. He concludes explaining the re-branding of Stratex International into now Oriole Resources and why and how they went about doing this.      CONTACT METHOD  https://orioleresources.com/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-livesey-3744074/?originalSubdomain=uk      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 

“The mining industry is changing faster than ever, resulting in both greater growth potential, as well as more disruption and volatility than in years past”. In this episode of the Dig Deep Podcast, Rob interviews Andrew Swart, who is the Canadian Global leader for Mining & Metals for Deloitte and was the author of a report exploring the key mining trends in 2019 globally. Today, he briefly discusses these trends that will affect the mining industry moving forward. You can access this report by clicking: https://www2.deloitte.com/ca/en/pages/energy-and-resources/articles/tracking-the-trends.html KEY TAKEAWAYS Embedding the discipline to deliver measurable value across the cycle. Mining companies should be rethinking their mining strategies. They should be thinking about inherent risks in the portfolio or constructing the portfolio around the risk dimension. In the report, there are key dimensions that mining companies should be taking note of. Moving up the maturity curve. AI and analytics are seen to be moving into many aspects of the mining value chain in all the operations. These emerging techs can be useful in aspects of safety, performance and planning. Exploring a new approach to controls and risk management. Internal Audit 3.0, the next generation of internal audit and risks management. Why innovation requires integration? Across the value chain, it will become easier to determine the drivers and demands for particular commodities. It’s easier to streamline when we’re able to use data effectively also. Finding value beyond compliance. Mining companies should be mindful in each step of the way. They should look at positive environmental and social outcomes. Making the case for a systematic approach. Mining companies should utilise energy and water. They should think about its value to the community. Learning from past mistakes. Review the past and existing capital projects. Look also on how technologies can improve those projects. A blueprint for the future. Think about how you can use technology to enhance the work and the workplace. Ensure also the safety and comfortability of workers. From theory to practice. Mining companies should consider diversity inclusion. The mining industry has been one of the lowest in gender diversity across different industries. EVs and battery minerals provoke the desire for provenance. The industry should push for having ethical grounds when sourcing different minerals. BEST MOMENTS "We really think the time now is the right time for mining companies to rethink their mining strategies.” Rob: Where would you say we are on the actual curve or life cycle – the mining industry as a whole? Andrew: The mining companies begin to move towards digitisation. “One thing we talk about in the report is to move away from the productional linear-type value chain.” “It’s very important that one thinks about how are you going to create long-term value in that area.” “This industry is increasingly finding it hard to attract great talent… Creating more diverse, more inclusive workforces is going to be central to solving the next talent problem.” VALUABLE RESOURCES The top 10 issues transforming the future of mining ABOUT THE GUEST Andrew Swart is the Global Consulting Leader of the Mining & Metals for Deloitte. For over 15 years, he has been consulting for various clients from the industries of oil & gas, mining, CPG, professional services, and government worldwide. Andrew is also the author of the article ‘Tracking the trends 2019: The top 10 issues transforming the future of mining’ published for Deloitte. 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 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 International Official Website Mining International’s Twitter Mining International’s Facebook

What steps should you go through to smoothly grow your career to management in the mining industry?  In this episode of the Dig Deep Podcast, Rob invites Keith, an expert exploration geologist, to talk about his journey towards being one of the well-known mining entrepreneurs. He shares some personal stories, from how he got into geology to the current business endeavours he has right now. Discover some great tips and strategies future mining entrepreneurs can acquire so they could be as successful as Keith. They also discussed the future of some commodities and a few recent issues in the mining industry.  It would surely feel like you’ve struck gold after listening to Rob and Keith’s discussion.  KEY TAKEAWAYS  Keith Barron’s interest in geology sprouted at the age of 15 when he moved to the Isle of Man, where the 2nd largest mine in the UK is located. He then decided to pursue Geology at the University of Toronto. After graduating, he started building his career and worked for a lot of mining companies.   It was difficult at first to learn the ropes of the management aspect in the mining industry. Keith was lucky to develop his skillset since during his involvement with Geological Survey of Canada regarding a big diamond mine discovery. After this, he decided to do things on his own.   He became an entrepreneur, and he built projects in different countries. He had experiences with different commodities and right now, he manages a sapphire mine.  According to Keith, a mining entrepreneur should learn how to go out and look at the opportunities waiting for him to be explored. It isn’t for everyone but if you’re driven and ready to risk your net worth, you can be one of the best entrepreneurs in the mining industry.  Straight Talk On Mining is one of Keith’s project. He started this continue imparting knowledge to people and also to put his name out there. This made him one of the well-known influencers in the mining industry.  What commodities are going to be major forces in the coming years?  It has been forecasted that gold production is going to drop in the next years because of its exploration process.   There’s going to be a big demand for copper when the production of electronic vehicles starts to rise.  There’s going to be a huge development and a lot of researches on metals that are used and can be used for batteries.  Why do Keith enjoy mining? It’s the exploration stage that Keith enjoys. You can turn a piece of loose pasture that something worth billions. He’s also happy helping other countries find resources, helping local communities, and increase the GDPs.  BEST MOMENTS  "Most of my career has been financed by companies, of course, and it’s only in the latter years that I’ve been paying for things for myself… but I said to the students, ‘It’s a wonderful life when you get into things. It’s very very exciting going to different countries and experiencing different cultures.’”  “You have to make yourself marketable…willing to go almost anywhere and do any job… not to be frightened about languages and cultures.”  “I’m sensible enough to know that you don’t usually hit in the first drill hole. That’s like winning the lottery. It takes perseverance and hard work. If you find deposit and mines, you have to build them.”  “People should have a broad target of what they’re hoping in 10-15 years. In the meantime, approach things in baby steps and do the best that you can in the next 2-3 years.”  VALUABLE RESOURCES  Straight Talk On Mining  Aurania Resources  Firestone Ventures Inc.  U3O8 Corp  Barrick Gold Corporation  Goldcorp  ABOUT THE GUEST  Keith Barron has over 32 years of experience in the mining industry. He is an exploration geologist who has been an expert handling various commodity including uranium, platinum, diamonds, industrial minerals, sapphires, and golds.  In 2001, Keith has founded Aurelian Resources Inc., a company that focuses on gold exploration in Ecuador. He is also the founder, Director, and major shareholder of uranium explorer U3O8 Corp. and the Director of Firestone Ventures Inc.  Keith was awarded the Thayer Lindsley International Discovery Award in March 2008 at the PDAC Convention for his significant contributions in the discovery of the Fruta del Norte gold deposit. Aside from this, on the same year, he was also jointly named the Northern Miner’s Mining Man of the Year.  Straight Talk On Mining  Email Keith at keith@aurania.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 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 International Official Website  Mining International’s Twitter  Mining International’s Facebook 

Is cobalt still gonna be a commodity in the next decades? In this episode of the Dig Deep Podcast, Rob talks to Lance, Peter, and Yves from Cobalt Blockchain Inc. They discuss the importance of cobalt, the current political situation of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and everything you need to know about their company. Another interesting thing you’ll hear today is how they ensure that during the process, the sourcing remains ethical and that the safety of the workers is prioritised. This is part of a special where companies can promote themselves and showcase their projects. So, make sure to watch out for the next episodes! KEY TAKEAWAYS Cobalt Blockchain has been based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for over 12 years. They initially discovered two million oz. of gold in DRC. And, for the last 4 years, they’re exploring commodity trading. They’ve been resourcing and exporting tin, tantalum, and tungsten. Cobalt Blockchain wants to make sure that the minerals that tech and automobile companies are procuring are sourced ethically. There should be no children working in the mine sites and there should be a basic workplace safety guideline in place among others. Why cobalt? Cobalt is one of the most supplied minerals on the planet. 70% of it comes from DRC. It wasn’t until the electronic vehicles were introduced that cobalt surfaced as a commodity. By 2040, it might be hard to buy combustion engines as e-vehicles develop. There have been improvements in terms of the political situation in DRC. It still is an attractive country to be working in. Even the existing mining code has been updated ever since. Cobalt Blockchain can provide mineral providence and visibility in the supply chain. It can really demonstrate its value in the mining industry. The company is working with artisanal miners that focus on the high-grade near surface mineralization. This is to ensure that there is certainty of supply. BEST MOMENTS "DRC currently represents about 70% of the world’s supply of cobalt.” “The objective this year is to turn our cobalt hydroxide plant and start to bring the first ethically sourced cobalt." “For 2019, change is coming… I think it’s gonna be a positive year. We’re looking forward to the first hundred days of the president.” VALUABLE RESOURCES Endeavor Conference Cobalt Blockchain Inc. Industry giants fail to tackle child labour allegations in cobalt battery supply chains | Amnesty International ABOUT THE GUEST Lance Hooper is the President & Chief Operating Officer/Director of Cobalt Blockchain Inc. For the past twenty years Lance has developed a broad range of experience in emerging companies where he has played key roles as both an early employee and as a founder. Lance is a named inventor and has been intimately involved with the product development, business development, and sales and marketing of several commercially successful innovations including the world’s first interbank email money transfer service. For the last decade Lance has held senior corporate positions and served as a director with private and public mining companies working in Canada, Peru, Afghanistan and the DRC. Recent work in the DRC includes Kilo Goldmines, a 2Moz gold discovery in the Oriental Province. Lance was most recently President & CEO of Belair African Metals, acquired by COBC, specializing in conflict free tin, tantalum and tungsten concentrates in the DRC. Peter Hooper - Chief Executive Officer / Director Peter is a graduate in mining engineering with 45+ years of broad‐based experience permitting, building, and operating mines, including hands‐on expertise in mine management, engineering, operations and production. His practical work experience spans five continents: North America (Eldorado Nuclear, Sherritt Gordon, J.S. Redpath, Dynatec Engineering, PC Gold); Africa (Rustenburg Platinum, Consolidated Murchison, Prestea Gold Mines, Kilo Gold Mines, PMI Resources, and Nevsun Resources); China (Afcan Mining); Australia (Consolidated Rio Australia); and South America (Latin Gold, Macusani Yellowcake). Peter was the driving force behind a 2Moz gold discovery in NE DRC (2006-2012). Peter served as the Executive Chairman of Belair African Metals - recently acquired by COBC - with operations in Katanga and Maniema provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Yves Kabongo - Managing Director of DRC Operations Yves Kabongo started his career at a major Financial Institution as an Analyst and has spent the past 8 years involved with junior mining companies with projects located in Canada, Peru and the DRC.  Yves has been with Belair African Metals SARL (acquired by Peat Resources as announced on January 19, 2018) for the past 3 years, and is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the project. Source: https://www.cobaltblockchain.net/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 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 International Official Website Mining International’s Twitter Mining International’s Facebook  

AFRICAN MINING, WILLING PARTIES WORKING TOGETHER. In this episode John Clarke, a mining veteran shares his career journey working in Africa from the Ashanti Goldfields to Great Quest Fertilisers where he is currently the Chairman.    This podcast is an opportunity to hear about how John has successfully worked in different countries and the vital aspects that must be considered when you are a guest in another country.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  Following postgraduate study at Cambridge, John Clarke began his career in South Africa.  My goal was to do academic research in an area that I liked, and I was fortunate that I had many opportunities.  In Ghana in the 1980s, significant changes were brought about by the government who changed laws to encourage investment and allow people to make a return and the Ashanti Goldfields became the showcase for this.  In the mid-nineties we looked outside of Ghana and acquired 3 significant exploration /mining companies for 3 key assets and those 3 assets were brought into production and formed the basis for the bigger Ashanti.  The assets were significantly advanced, and we had the skills and ability to raise funds.  I had lots of opportunities with Ashanti and worked in many different areas and roles. As a result, I decided that I wanted to make my next move into the junior end of the market, and I moved to Nevson to fulfil this.    What is it like working in Africa?  Usually, you are working in somebody else’s country. To keep the support of the local government it's important to be developing a local company which is recognised and accepted locally, employing local people and developing their skills    In Africa, you are dealing with governments who want mining to be successful.  Social responsibility  Social responsibility is a keystone for any company working anywhere we all have to be within the communities we work and live in at both a local and national level. Within the industry people do adhere to social responsibility, people do work on it and seek to improve things.  What opportunities are there in Eritrea?  Eritrea is frontier country again it's wide open for business and there is the chance of new discoveries. There is a lot of good will at government and international levels.  Have all your management roles been different?  It’s all about the team. We can’t have all the skills for the job, we can’t be the ultimate expert in every area. We may have worked in the discipline and have a better understanding of what it entails but working as a team provides group expertise.  What advice would you give to anyone wanting to move into senior position?  I consciously went looking for experiences to further my career plan. I was able to study areas such as accounting that would never be my career, but the part-time studies gave me the chance to understand better how people worked in these areas as their careers.  Great Quest Fertiliser  When I was first involved Great Quest was a gold mining exploration company with an interesting portfolio. They diversified into phosphates in northern Mali and the quality and grade were ideal for direct application fertiliser.  Currently, the management of Great Quest is looking at a route for the direct supply of the fertiliser and associated products.  They will produce eventually for a local market with a reasonable margin without having to bring in products from elsewhere.    BEST MOMENTS  ‘Mining will always be with us, society needs our product’    ‘Always obey the law, no shortcuts’    ‘It’s our job to let them know how we can do the job cleanly and efficiently’    ‘All companies are just groups of people working together’    ‘It’s a people business at the end of the day’    ‘It's got a bad rap, because people don’t understand how many things are dependent on it’    ‘You can use downtime on a fly in fly out work contract to study acquiring new skills’    ‘There isn’t much that doesn’t require something that has come from mining’    ‘You are working as a guest worker’    ‘In Africa, you are dealing with governments who want mining to be successful’    ‘The bottom line is willing parties working together’       VALUABLE RESOURCES   https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dig-deep-the-mining-podcast-podcast/id1440020656?mt=2     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 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 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  rob@mining-international.org  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson https://twitter.com/MiningConsult-3a26a68/   https://www.mining-international.org/   https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org      GUEST CONTACT JOHN CLARKE  Jaclarke01@gmail.com   https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-clarke-9355702a/?originalSubdomain=uk 

In this episode, Rob interviews Tim Daffern. They discuss the routes that can be taken at the beginning of a mining career and also the skills and attributes that any aspiring MD should be looking to develop as their career progresses.    We also gain an insight into how Tim has managed companies through challenging periods and the skills he has employed to successfully turn them around.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  Tim’s mining career began in his native Australia where after university he started out as an operative and then had further training as he progressed.    He has always seen engineering and technical skills whilst working with the men and the machinery as the cornerstone to his strengths providing him with the platform to reach senior and executive management.    He always had an interest in the technical and wanted to know why it was being done that way and if it could be done differently to bring improvements.    What advice would you offer a graduate?  All young graduates should seek roles in operating, there are more opportunities in Australia due to the scale of mining.  A lot of UK mines, including London based financial businesses like graduates who’ve gone out to Africa or Australia and done 5 or 7 years to gain practical experience, there are potentially very good jobs in the UK in consulting, financial institutions or in operating mines.    What are some of the key skills in executive management?  Fundamentally it's about teamwork and about pragmatic leadership. It is about having profoundly strong engineering and technical skills and sharing those in a way that is about teaching other people to solve problems.    It’s not about giving the solutions it's about working as a team and helping the team to develop their problem-solving skills. Establishing a peer review process will help build the skills of the team further.    You’ve worked for mining companies, consultancies and a merchant bank  What the difference between these organisations?  There are similarities – you need to have a good understanding of technical and engineering matters across all areas.  You need to be strong communicator, with good written and verbal skills.  You need to have confidence in your own skill level  The differences are;  Mining Operation is focused on cash generation  Consultancy is about providing detailed advice  Merchant banking involves both complex commercial skills as well as an understanding of a corporate situation.    Would you need different attributes for each area/ organisation?  In Merchant banking, you need to be very articulate so this would need to be a very strong skill, a solid commercial corporate understanding is also necessary.    A Mining company is about balancing and compromising between technical operations and cost.    In Consultancy, you are hired to produce detailed reports and you need detailed technical skills and the communication skills both to record accurately and present your work to others.    What should someone who has aspirations to be a CEO or MD look to develop?  Start with teamwork, you must be comfortable both as leader, follower and team member. Developing your own interpersonal skills is a key attribute.    You should develop strong technical and engineering skills – ‘a need to know, how this works?’  You will also need to develop commercial skills building these up through a Master’s programme or professional training. – many individuals further their business administration skills through an MBA.    Throughout your career working in different areas will develop an understanding of sales, accounting, administration, human resources, and marketing    You need, not only to have the full range of skills but also breadth and depth across those skills, being an MD is about a commitment to the investors and shareholders - a responsibility – you are trying to return a good profit to the shareholders.    BEST MOMENTS  ‘It’s because they have practical experience’  ‘To have credibility you need to have 5 years in a practical role/ site experience’    ‘Miners are very innovative artisans’    ‘It’s not just a blunt 2-dimensional task it’s a 3-dimensional approach to hueing rock out of the ground’  ‘Get out there and get practical work’    ‘Working together as a team’  It's demanding but intensely satisfying’   ‘Providing resources for society to continue to develop’    ‘Keep it practical’        VALUABLE RESOURCES   https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/dig-deep-the-mining-podcast-podcast/id1440020656?mt=2     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 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 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  rob@mining-international.org  https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson                                         https://twitter.com/MiningConsult-3a26a68/   https://www.mining-international.org/   https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org       ABOUT THE GUEST  Guest bio - Tim Daffern  Tim Daffern who has over 30 years in the mining industry share his journey starting off as a miner (down in the pit) back in the day, then rising up through the ranks and has been in many executive management positions where he specialises in turning companies fortunes around. He is currently the Group Head of Mining at ICL Group and interested in Tim’s career having managed companies in CEO & MD capacity and in this podcast he provides valuable content and advice in how he managed these companies successfully and what it takes to work at that level.     CONTACT METHOD  https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-daffern-7023aa2a/?originalSubdomain=uk