Dig Deep

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

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

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

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

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

Whats happening in the “rare earths” space? It’s a return engagement for Rocky Smith of Peak Resources, who’s here for the second time to give us a deeper insight to rare earth space. We talk about the effects of the recent trade war between USA and China on rare earth producers and consumers, and the biggest barriers to new operators for building and operating a rare earth refinery.  The magnet space is about to slowly pick up momentum with the the increase of EV activity, so it's an interesting time for anyone who is in, or thinking of getting into, the rare earths space. KEY TAKEAWAYS Some of the suppliers in the US are having trouble with tariffs going into that market. China made the threat of withholding rare earths from the US, which highlighted the fact that the US have supported the Chinese government plan to control rare earths. They currently have 80% control of the rare earth market. The challenges facing companies and indeed countries, wishing to hunt for and produce rare earths, are economical and technological. President Trump’s order to increase magnet production for the US military is good news for the rare earths industry.  By 2021, the demand will equal or exceed supply for existing manufacturing projects, and then going forward, the gap should widen. That’s why it’s important for new suppliers to be promoted and pushed to succeed. The plants for rare earth are complex and costly. If you have a process that deals with difficult minerals, then technically you have risks, so you need to be cautious when putting your finance plan together. .BEST MOMENTS ‘Most of the G7 countries were willing to take the value from the low cost Chinese rare earths, and let some manufacturing move from around the world and focus on China’ ‘It’s important to make sure we’re working on a number of things at the same time’ ‘It takes anywhere from five to ten years to get one of these things up and running’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Rocky Smith on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rocky-smith-7a789210/?originalSubdomain=au Peak Resources - https://www.peakresources.com.au/member/rocky-smith/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

In today’s podcast, we talk to a previous guest. He produced a report exploring the key mining trends in 2019 which is definitely worth a listen and is now back with another report Deloitte’s in partnership with NORCAT “The future of mining with wearables - exploring the health, safety, and environmental benefits of  wearables and how to leverage the technology to achieve better outcomes for mining companies around the world. The report looks at some really interesting considerations around wearables such as privacy around data collection, engagement strategies with unions and other stakeholders, along with the challenges around implementation and scaling the technology.     KEY TAKEAWAYS  The report  This is the fourth report released by Deloittes in partnership with NORCAT,  a technology and innovation centre based in the heart of the mining in Ontario, Canada.  The location serves as a positive area for collisions, bringing different technologies together to interact with each other within an operational mining environment.  This report deals with the future of wearables and is published at a time of heightened scrutiny on safety and as technology is taking over in the mining industry.  The broader wave of digital is transforming the way people actually operate, the work they are doing and the way it is executed.  Within this area, wearables have a key role in both environmental monitoring and workers health.  Developing strategies for wearables moving forward  It’s vital that mining companies first identify the problem then right wearable required in the situation.  Taking a user-centric view of the technology is key, how is the worker going to utilise the technology on a day to day basis and how will it help them?  Wearables have a crucial role to play in the health and safety of workers, they are the modern technological equivalent of the canary in a coal mine.  It allows to not just one thing but multiple environmental factors to be monitored  Increasing the adoption of wearables  User centricity is key if the wearer is expected to wear the item for a considerable amount of time it must be comfortable and easy to use. Piloting the wearable ensures the technology has user-centricity.  To increase the use of wearables it is vital that there is a clear understanding of the stakeholders involved and that concerns are addressed.   Challenges for scaling of the wearables market  You must have a view on the end-use of the technology and fully understand the user-centricity.  The collection of data and privacy controls are vital to ensure the protection of workers.  It is possible for wearables to not be associated with an individual and there are mechanisms where you can blind the data.  Using the data as part of a shared dialogue between workers and management can be vital in the successful integration of this technology into the work environment.    BEST MOMENTS  ‘It allows to not just one thing but multiple environmental factors to be monitored’  ‘If things do go wrong then wearables can aid in the location of workers for search and rescue teams’  ‘There are a myriad of technologies out there and its vital that you look beyond the technology and understand what problem you are trying to solve’        VALUABLE RESOURCES  The Dig Deep Mining Podcast  aswart@deloitte.ca   The Future of Mining with Wearables PDF Report     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

In today's podcast Rob interviews John Scurci, the Partner & Portfolio Manager and COO of Corona Associates Capital Management, a discretionary global macro long/short hedge fund seeking absolute returns, with a core strategy focused on precious metals and global mining equities.  John’s began his career on Wall Street working for the likes of Morgan Stanley, and with a career spanning forty years, has built a wealth of knowledge and experience of global markets especially in the commodities and resources space.  We discuss the relationship between gold and the US dollar, the presence of bitcoin in the mining industry, and the best and most effective ways of strategically investing and playing in the precious metals mining market today. KEY TAKEAWAYS 60 to 70 percent of all the new capital that has entered the US equity markets, has come from companies repurchasing their stock. This is in contract some a few decades ago when this practice was illegal. John foresees a day in the not-too-distant future, when the practice once again becomes outlawed. Corona began as an effort to capitalise on what they perceived was a misperception in the markets of where they were headed, specifically their view on valuations, value, and the role of gold and debt. John and his associates took a very different view, and believed that big returns in the markets are driven by changes in perception. In terms of general equities, John looks at balance sheets, cash flow statements, market cap and valuation when it comes to investment opportunities in gold and silver.  Our global economy does not expand without the expansion of debt. We’re at a point where the world has the greatest amount of debt in history. The world’s economies aren’t expanding at present, and are in fact on the verge of contracting. The price of gold measured in dollars has gone up, even though the value of the dollar itself has also gone up. The dollar has risen because of a constant bid for dollars themselves in order to repay debt. Gold is rising because of fear.  Gold is not a commodity. It’s money. Around 180,000 tons is known to exist and all of it is owned. It can be traded at any time. This makes it a form of currency. Although they are two precious metals, the fundamental difference between gold and silver, is that gold is the primary monetary metal, and it is what the central banks own. Therefore, it is the instrument used by the banks if they ever need instant currency. The world is starved in terms of alternative currencies and means to store wealth. John’s own view is that bitcoin is not an effective way to do this because of its volatility, and because of the simple fact that the amount of electricity used to perpetuate it is extraordinarily inefficient.  Uranium is going to be a very important source for our energy requirement in the coming years. There are environmental risks that need to be planned and managed, and also factored into the cost of uranium production. But it is clean from an emissions viewpoint and relatively plentiful. .BEST MOMENTS ‘What Wall Street really is, is a financial product factory’ ‘We were about to shift into an era of real assets’ ‘Gold is not an easy asset to value from a financial perspective’ ’The dollar is the world’s most certain funding currency’ ’The amount of money that is required in order to move the needle is absolutely breath-taking to think about’ ’The only reason to sell gold is to manage its price' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Corona Associates Capital Management - http://www.coronacap.com John Scurci on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-scurci-ba907979/ 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 John Dorward, President & CEO of Roxgold, a Canadian-based gold mining company with assets located in West Africa.  We discuss the how Roxgold is developing their assets with great success, and the challenges of CSR within those countries and changes of power within Burkina Faso when John joined the company.  He gives his predictions of the gold market and what lies ahead in mining within Burkina Faso, Cote D’lvoire and other West African countries.   KEY TAKEAWAYS Projects can move forward very rapidly in West Africa, where countries are very keen to encourage foreign investment. The governments there seem to understand that investment means opportunity, and all goes towards making their countries stronger and more viable on a world platform. Roxgold is in wonderful financial shape due to wise investments and a profitable operation that has allowed the company to attract shareholders and investors, as well as make investments in subsequent operations in West Africa. The main challenges being face in West Africa are really in political stability. When the president of Burkina Faso hit his term limit, and was forced to step down, he chose not to. This caused something of an uprising, which impacted operations there immediately. One of Roxgold’s main aims is to be a good neighbour to the communities in which it establishes itself. Sharing wealth and opportunity with the areas in which it operates is key to improving its standing as a company worth working with. Keeping promises and not making excuses is key to improving the reputation of mining. Investment in education and buying from local suppliers whenever possible is important, as well as supporting local entrepreneurs. Respect is always important. John predicts that the scene is very well set up for gold. Gold tends to rally when it drops, and there is a real interest in gold around the world at the moment. Economies are in uncharted territories right now, so caution should always be applied. .BEST MOMENTS ’Some of the geologists I’ve met, there’s no way that I’d ever be able to understand where they’re coming from!’ ‘We prefer to refer to it as an “unscheduled change of government”' ‘We have a responsibility to share the wealth and share the benefits’ ‘Whatever we say, we do’ ‘You can give a number, or you can give a date. But don’t give both’ ’The future is the challenge of sensible growth’ VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes www.roxgold.com jdorward@roxgold.com ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight to peoples experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.   Rob is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first world to third world countries from Africa, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. We source, headhunt and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients organisation in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.   CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ www.mining-international.org https://twitter.com/MiningConsult https://www.facebook.com/MiningInternational.org https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC69dGPS29lmakv-D7LWJg_Q?guided_help_flow=3

This week, Rob is in conversation with John Mulligan, one of the directors of the World Gold Council, a market development organisation for the gold industry. John explains his role there, as well as the broader role of the Gold Council in the mining industry itself, how it was founded and with what purpose, as well as its influence on today’s industry. This is a fascinating conversation that will allow anyone interested to see a very different side of the industry, as well as the future of gold in the wider world. KEY TAKEAWAYS The World Gold Council was formed in 1987 by some of the larger gold miners at the time, who realised that they were mainly operating a very long way away from where their gold was being consumed. Even in the modern age this is true. They needed an organisation that could protect and create a healthy market for the product on their behalf. The Conflict-Free Gold Mining Standard - this was introduced at the behest of the gold miners collective and the council, which allows gold miners to potentially operate in riskier areas in a way that is transparent and responsible. The Gold Council’s expertise lie in markets, analysis, policy, marketing and communications. Their members are from a wide variety of professions, so as to be able to be better equipped to provide advice and direction for its members. Technology and innovation are driving change in the industry. Events and publications are all speaking of the many advancements that mining is currently working on. John sees this as key to the future of the industry. Environmental, Social and Governmental advancements have the potential to change the public’s perception of the gold industry, as well as improve its standing with potential investors. In the long term, the gold market is in a relatively robust state and has been for some time. Supply and demand is strong. The growth path is sound, and its production ratio is in alignment with global mega-trends. China has evolved into the world’s largest gold producer, importer and consumer. This is remarkable when you consider that in the late 90’s, there was no significant market there. Of the 3,500 tons mined each year, 1,000 is consumed exclusively by China, almost a third of the total output. The gold market was affected greatly by the fragility and eventual breakdown of financial institutions during the financial crisis. The majority of the world’s central bank reserves are held in dollar-denominated assets. The recent rise of nationalism and populism have challenged certain assumptions about globalisation, foreign investment, and the path to development and prosperity. This will make the mining landscape riskier, but can be solved through legal and regulatory stability. .BEST MOMENTS ‘Investment is where value and volume can be created’ ’Now we try and bridge the whole gap from the miners to the markets’ ‘When technology is used in an integrated fashion, then it has the potential to transform the industry’ ‘Most gold miners don’t operate where gold is bought. Well, China do!’ ’Last year was a record in the modern era for gold purchasing' VALUABLE RESOURCES   Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast on iTunes Email John at: info@gold.org The Gold Council’s Website: https://www.gold.org John Mulligan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mulligan-7a5303a/?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