Discovery to Recovery

• 56. The Future of Mining - Innovative Pathways to a Skilled Workforce

  Host Anne Thompson explores the diverse and innovative methods being employed in Australia to build and retain the technical workforce in the mining industry.  From attracting new talent, to supporting early career geoscientists, to training professionals from other industries - this episode might just change your perspective on what is possible.First up, Brendan Howard, General Manager for Technical Capability at Rio Tinto and a founder of the MiEX (Minerals Industry Experience) Program, addresses the mining sector’s shrinking and less diverse talent pipeline. The success of MiEX, a collaborative industry-led program, highlights the value of early engagement with undergraduate students. The pilot in January 2025 drew over 500 applicants for 69 places with 90% of participants expressing intent to pursue mining careers.  New conversations are underway in North America to bring this exciting opportunity to more students.Richard Lilly, the University of Adelaide presents NExUS (National Exploration Undercover School) based in South Australia, which provides hands-on experience and essential training to geoscience students, bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry requirements. NExUS combines technical learning with professional networking, using the South Australian Drill Core Library and nearby field sites to expose students to geophysics, core logging, and exploration through cover. Lilly is now stepping down after 10 years as Director, with the hope that this successful model will continue and be expanded to other jurisdictions to better prepare geoscientists for evolving exploration challenges.Lastly, Deng Ngang Deng, from Target Mining Resources, shares his inspiring journey from South Sudan to professional geoscientist in Western Australia.  Deng was involved in establishing the Pan Africa Resource Reporting Code (PARC) and an invited plenary speaker at SEG 2024 in Namibia. At home in Australia, he has developed an innovative approach to training and employing geoscientists and other technical mining workers.  Initiated during the pandemic, the company continues to expand and add to their portfolio of skills they train for, successfully filling a gap in mining recruitment.Many thanks to Avo Media for production support.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

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• 55. Diamonds in Transition: Markets, Mining and the Future

  The diamond industry has a rich and complex history, influenced by discoveries, geoscience and marketing.  Join host Halley Keevil as she explores the industry’s history from the onset of modern diamond mining in Kimberley, South Africa in the 1800s, to the advent of laboratory grown diamonds and new platforms for marketing.  Featured guest Eira Thomas is complemented by Natasha Oviatt and Reid Mackie, who all have deep knowledge and understanding of the diamond industry. Natasha Oviatt provides her perspective as a previous glacial geology specialist with De Beers Canada, discussing recent changes in the diamond mining industry, consumer preferences and marketing strategies through time, ESG issues, past and present economic downturns, and her opinions on lab-grown diamonds and the future of the natural diamond industry. Next, Reid Mackie, VP Diamond Marketing of Mountain Province Diamonds, discusses the diamond industry from a marketing perspective. He gives his opinions on the biggest trends in the history of the diamond industry and what he thinks are the biggest trends shaping its future. He also discusses market strategies for younger generations and how lab-grown diamonds are affecting the industry, as well as the shifts we are starting to see in the natural diamond mining industry.  Lastly, renowned Canadian geologist Eira Thomas, widely known as the ‘Queen of Diamonds’, and previous CEO of Lucara Diamond, gives her opinions on the past, present, and future of the diamond industry. She discusses the reasons the industry is struggling at present and how lack of alignment in the supply chain drives volatility. She talks about the advent of lab-grown diamonds, the intrinsic value of natural diamonds, and the public perception of the industry. She also discusses how advances in technology, including her new rough diamond digital marketplace, Clara, are revolutionizing the diamond mining industry. Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

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• 54. The Bushveld - Decoding a Mega-magmatic Mineral System

  Dive deep into a mega-magmatic mineral system — the Bushveld Complex with host Maxwell Porter. Max is joined by Professor Wolfgang Maier and Dr. Erin Thompson who share their insights on the geological setting, economic significance, and evolving scientific understanding of this world-class mineral province.Wolfgang Maier discusses the Bushveld Complex’s geological framework, its importance in today’s resource landscape, and the controversies surrounding models for its genesis — and how these models have shifted over time. Wolfgang Maier completed his PhD on the Bushveld at Rhodes University, South Africa in 1992. He taught igneous petrology and economic geology at the Universities of Port Elizabeth, Pretoria (South Africa), Chicoutimi (Canada), UWA (Perth, Australia) and Oulu (Finland). He is now Professor for Ore Geology at Cardiff University, UK. Wolf’s research deals with petrological and geochemical processes in mafic-ultramafic igneous systems that contribute to our understanding of continental magmatism, mantle evolution, plate tectonics and the formation of magmatic ore deposits including PGE, Ni-Cu, Cr, and V-Ti-Fe deposits. Erin Thompson shares what drew her to study the northern limb, why it holds both geological and economic importance, and how magmatic architecture and mineralisation controls shape exploration strategies. She explains the once-overlooked yet powerful tool of Niggli numbers, and how geochemistry and isotope studies inform exploration and the future of the Northern Limb. Dr Erin Thompson has recently completed her PhD at the University of Leicester, which focused on constraining the magmatic controls on Ni-Cu-PGE mineralisation in the world-class Platreef deposit, northern limb of the Bushveld Complex. Her research was funded by Anglo American as part of the Northern Limb in 4D (NL4D) research consortium, which included researchers from across the UK at the University of Leicester, Cardiff University and Camborne School of Mines. She is now applying her background in magmatic processes and geochemistry in her new role as an exploration geologist.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

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• 53. Advancing Science and Discovery in Australia - SEG 2025

  Come explore geoscience innovation and collaboration in Australia with host Anne Thompson. We talk to researchers at three universities and one geologic survey - who are also all involved in the Society of Economic Geologists 2025 Conference in Brisbane, Queensland.Joins us to learn more about advancing science and discovery in Australia!SEG 2025Rick Valenta, chair of SEG 2025 provides a broad view of the work of the SMI (Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland) and how his role there as Director has influenced the conference.  What makes minerals mineable includes all the other aspects that sometimes are neglected, including the impact of geoscience on society, and on individual communities. A recent highlight in Australia is the final release of the Queensland Deposit Atlas, a vast and comprehensive public data set.  The Atlas was commissioned and funded by the Queensland Geologic Survey and completed by SMI.  Vladimir Lisitsin provides an overview of the data and the many and varied mineral deposits found in Queensland. To get a flavour of what might be in the technical program I chatted with two keynote speakers.  Angela Escolme, CODES, University of Tasmania provided insights into her work with a large collaborative project aimed at understanding the overprinted, transition zones in porphyry systems.  Lastly, David Giles, University of South Australia delved into how a structural geologist got to be involved in creating the innovative coiled tubing drill rig and what it really means to be truly collaborative.  Theme music is  Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com SEG 2025 is in Brisbane, Australia, September 26-29th.  This will be a dynamic conference with cutting edge science, new discoveries, technology and more.  Opportunities for networking and learning include several workshops and field trips before and after the event, relaxed social events and of course the conference itself.  See you there! 

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• 52. Redefining Exploration Business Models - Changing Perceptions and Attracting Capital

  Alternative business models in mineral exploration and mining can build value for communities, benefit resource companies and influence perceptions in our industry. This episode highlights two innovative companies who are changing the business of mining:  Nations Royalty and VRIFY. Nations Royalty, a TSXV-listed royalty company, is focused on creating royalty diversification for indigenous people. Kody Penner, VP of Corporate Development at Nations Royalty, joined host Halley Keevil to explain the background and the business model.  First, he tells his own story as an indigenous person growing up surrounded by British Columbia’s mining industry. The company,  Nations Royalty, is the first indigenous-owned mining royalty company, and their indigenous ownership and management make them unique. He elaborates on how they balance corporate goals with indigenous goals and values, how they are creating wealth for indigenous groups, and what is next for the company in the future. Next, Steve de Jong, CEO of VRIFY, talks about the company’s history and how they came to their current business model as an AI-focused mineral exploration and software service provider. Launching at PDAC in 2024 with just 4 clients, VRIFY now has 30 clients and gains 5-7 new clients per month. Steve discusses how their team of geoscientists and machine learning experts utilize every scrap of data from a company in order to build predictive models that deliver targets to their clients. He reviews the many ways in which VRIFY is unique in the industry, including the symbiotic relationship they have with clients, enabling them to use their proprietary software alongside the VRIFY team. He hints at some exciting current and future successes that the listener should stay tuned for. Steve believes we are about to enter into a period where AI will be ubiquitous in the mining industry, and VRIFY will be ahead of the game.   Theme music is  Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

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