Unlocking Alaska's Gold Potential: A Conversation with Christopher Gerteisen

In this episode, we chat with Brian Savage, CEO of Electric Metals, a US-based exploration and mineral development company developing the high-grade Emily manganese mine in Minnesota with the intention of producing high-value high purity manganese products for electrification and decarbonization energy transition strategies, particularly the electric vehicle and energy storage sector. With a mine engineering degree and a master's in mineral economics, Brian is an entrepreneurial executive with a history of identifying, building, transforming, and growing businesses in challenging jurisdictions in the mining industry and gives us an overview of Electric Metals, what they are looking to achieve, an update on the manganese market and what is happening in the North American mining industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS Electric Metals is focused on developing the high-grade manganese mine in Minnesota to produce high-value purity manganese products for electrification and decarbonisation strategies. The company aims to become the low-cost producer of domestically sourced high-purity manganese products, particularly targeting the electric vehicle and energy storage sectors. Manganese is the fourth most used metal by tonnage, primarily used in the steel industry, with high-purity manganese products being essential for electric vehicle batteries. Electric Metals' strategic goals include accelerating mine development, constructing a high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate plant, and capitalizing on the growing demand for metals in the green energy transition. The importance of domestic manganese production in the US is highlighted for national security reasons and to reduce supply chain risks associated with heavy reliance on imports from China. BEST MOMENTS "Manganese is the fourth most used metal by tonnage, behind iron, copper, and aluminium. And so when you look at the development of the economy, anything that needs to be built generally has steel in it."  "We want to get into production just as quickly as we possibly can in order to take advantage of that market. And while the electric vehicle and the battery sector are starting to push forward, all that manganese that's being imported, we want to start displacing that."  "National security, that's probably the main driver. There is a strategic stockpile of manganese. There's the critical minerals list that they come up with, and they list all the minerals that are primarily critical for national security purposes."  "We want to accelerate the development of that mine to get it into a mine plan and mine development just as quickly as we possibly can." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Website: https://electricmetals.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/electric-metals/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/electricmetalsusa X: https://twitter.com/emetalsusa Brian LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briansavage/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In the episode, we have a returning guest who appeared back in January 2022 (Episode 206). Ben Turney is the CEO of Kavango Resources, who are a listed exploration company targeting world-class base and precious metal discoveries in Botswana and Zimbabwe. Ben has a background in the financial markets and also worked as an investigative writer so has been involved in many transactions within the mining industry. Ben gives us an update on Kavango Resources since we last spoke with recent financing, their move into Zimbabwe, and some very encouraging drill results. KEY TAKEAWAYS Kavango Resources has made significant progress in the last two years, focusing on exploration projects in Botswana and Zimbabwe. The company is pursuing near-term cash-generating opportunities in Zimbabwe, with plans to scale up and build a significant business in the region. Kavango Resources has secured strong financial backing, allowing them to accelerate their exploration and mining activities. The company is strategically managing the complexity of exploration and mining by establishing a separate entity, Kavango Mining, to focus on revenue generation. The outlook for Kavango Resources in 2024 includes high-impact drilling campaigns in Botswana and ongoing exploration efforts in Zimbabwe, aiming to prove the presence of a copper mineralising system. BEST MOMENTS "We're very bullish on the future, but we see in the near term that there being some hard times still to come." "We're very excited about the opportunity in Zimbabwe to scale up and build quite a big business."  "I think any companies that can make it through this time, and I think we are going to see quite a lot of failure that we haven't seen in the past." "It's brutal out there at the moment for pretty much the entire sector is on its knees."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Website: https://kavangoresources.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCsih6H-kRxDm9Zc8aMZ2Ag X: https://twitter.com/KavangoRes ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Tawana Bain, CEO of American Clean Resources Group who are an environmentally sustainable development platform, at the forefront of renewable and environmental development in the United States, through comprehensive Resource Management and processing of precious minerals and metals in a carbon-neutral and environmentally safe manner. Dedicated to revolutionizing the new American Supply Chain by aiming to deliver goods with a net-zero environmental impact. Tawana is a leading marketing strategist and visionary and she discusses how the company is progressing and how they are leading the way in providing Sustainable Solutions for America's Resource Independence. KEY TAKEAWAYS American Clean Resources Group is dedicated to environmental sustainability through the management and processing of precious metals and minerals in a carbon-neutral and environmentally safe manner. Tawana has a diverse background in French, computer science, sales, marketing, and environmental consulting, bringing a unique perspective to the mining industry. The company aims to address the significant issue of mining tailings in the United States, with a focus on cleaning up hundreds of millions of tons of tailings to improve air quality, water quality, and land health. American Clean Resources Group has acquired SWIS Community, an environmental water technology company, as part of its water treatment division, with plans for further acquisitions in the future. BEST MOMENTS "I have no desire to be an expert metallurgist or an expert engineer."  "The red dots that we use to demonstrate how big the problem is, the map might as well bleed red."  "I don't know it all. I don't claim to. I don't pretend to."  "I hope that our success in catapulting a company that will help residents be alerted and therefore safe from any sort of toxic drinking water conditions."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Website: https://acrgincorp.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-clean-resources-group/ X : https://twitter.com/acrgincorp Tawana's social media Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/get_fancy_with_t/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tawana.bain Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tawanabain/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Randy Smallwood, President and CEO of Wheaton Precious Metals Corp,  is one of the world’s largest precious metals streaming companies that offer investors cost predictability, direct leverage to increasing precious metals prices, and a high-quality asset base. With a mine engineering and geology background, Randy was involved in the founding of the company back in the day when he was VP of corporate development, primarily focused on growing the company through the evaluation and acquisition of streaming opportunities before moving into the CEO role in 2011. We discuss his career, how streaming is different from royalties, and how they are benefiting from the significant rise in the gold price. KEY TAKEAWAYS Randy has been involved in the mining industry for several decades, starting as an exploration geologist and eventually becoming the CEO of Wheaton Precious Metals. Wheaton Precious Metals focuses on partnerships and streaming agreements with mining companies, providing upfront capital in exchange for a fixed percentage of metal production. The company's focus on profitable partners, low operating costs, and high margins sets them apart in the streaming and royalty space. Randy Smallwood draws inspiration from his mentor, Ian Telfer, for his ability to build strong teams and make strategic decisions in the mining industry. Wheaton Precious Metals is poised for significant growth in the next few years, with a strong production profile and potential benefits from rising gold prices. BEST MOMENTS "The stronger our partners are, the stronger we are. So we owe it to our partners to try and help them be as strong as possible."  "We're not a royalty company. We never have been a royalty company. We're a streaming company. A streaming company is based on partnerships."  "We have to make sure we continue to find ways to help our partners be stronger."  "We're perfectly positioned for this kind of market right now because we've got about 40 to 50 percent growth in production over the next five years."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Website: https://www.wheatonpm.com/Home/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-smallwood-39092b17/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wheatonpm/ X: https://twitter.com/Wheaton_PM ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Christopher Gerteisen who is the Executive Director and CEO of Nova Minerals, a minerals explorer and developer focused on gold and lithium projects in North America and has made substantial progress toward becoming Alaska’s next low-cost gold producer having built up an inventory of nearly 10 million ounces in resources, which continues to grow rapidly both in size and more importantly confidence levels. With 21 prospects, including two already defined large deposits, Nova is unlocking the wider Estelle Gold Trend, similar in scale and potential resources to Nevada’s Carlin Trend – one of the richest gold mining districts in the world. Christopher is a geologist by background with 20 years of experience managing and advancing complex and challenging resource projects across the world. He’s going to talk about developing North America’s next major gold trend, moving quickly towards joining the ranks of +10Moz explorers in Alaska, and the recent discovery of multiple advanced prospects. It's quite interesting talking of a project of Estelle’s magnitude one would consider an asset a major would own but with a market cap of a junior, which in itself is an exceptional opportunity KEY TAKEAWAYS Nova Minerals is focused on developing the Estelle Gold Project in Alaska, with significant resources in gold and critical metals like antimony. Nova Minerals is planning to list on the US stock exchange, aiming to attract more investors and increase its market value. The company plans to conduct aggressive drilling and exploration activities, focusing on expanding resources at RPM and exploring new prospects like the Train area. Nova Minerals is on a path to production, with plans to complete a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) by the end of 2025 and potentially start production by 2028-2029. With a strong focus on gold and critical minerals, Nova Minerals presents an attractive investment opportunity, especially considering the leverage to the gold price and potential for byproduct credits. BEST MOMENTS "We're on a path to production. So we're not here to flip the project or anything like that. We're an aspiring gold producer." "Our ounces in the ground are valued at less than a dollar. The leverage to the gold price for a project like this is just phenomenal, right? It's one of those once in a lifetime things." "We're on a lot. We're on their radar.  A lot of them, have are looking for us to advance a bit further. Some of them want us to see to get to PFS." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Website: https://novaminerals.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nova-minerals-limited/ X: https://twitter.com/novaminerals ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode we chat with Peter Leon, Partner & Africa Chair at Herbert Smith Freehills, who are one of the world's leading international law firms, engaging and tackling the most important challenges and opportunities facing their clients in the mining industry. Peter is regarded as one of the world’s prominent lawyers within the resources industry winning various accolades during his career. He is going to speak to us about new developments in mineral law, how African countries are looking at implementing laws and policies in securing critical minerals, and how the Middle East is emerging as a major player in our space. Peter is going to be attending and speaking at the upcoming London Indaba at the InterContinental Park Lane on 25th & 26Th June titled “Investing in resources and mining in Africa” with a focus on Africa’s critical role in the minerals and metals of the future. He will be joined by many other renowned speakers in our industry talking about Africa’s critical minerals. So book your tickets below and we will see you there: https://www.londonindaba.com/other-indabas/the-london-indaba-2024?book=1 The event: https://www.londonindaba.com/other-indabas/the-london-indaba-2024 KEY TAKEAWAYS Herbert Smith Freehills is a global law firm known for its work in the mining industry, providing services to major mining companies worldwide. Mineral law frameworks have evolved significantly in the past 20 years, with a focus on environmental regulations, human rights, community benefits, and independent regulators in mining jurisdictions. Africa's critical minerals play a crucial role in the global geopolitical context, with the continent being a key producer of essential minerals for the green energy transition. The Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, is emerging as a major player in the mining industry, focusing on developing modern mining laws, processing hubs, and attracting mineral processing to the region. BEST MOMENTS "I think this is Africa's time has come. Because if you look at the whole green energy transition, Africa is pretty key to it."  "I think the ability to think out the box is extremely important. You're not going to find the answer to many of the issues I deal with pretty much on a daily basis in a mining textbook."  "I think the Indaba, the London Indaba, this is the second Indaba that the organisers have arranged and then the one last year I thought was very, very successful."  "I think the kingdom's approach is both to massively develop its mining industry. So the government's embarked on a very extensive Airborne Geological Survey, which is about half done now."  "I think the ability to think creatively, to think laterally, to think around the corner is really important. And having an understanding of geopolitics I think in the work I do, and we do, is absolutely critical."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org  https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-leon-/ https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com https://www.linkedin.com/groups/5177268/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Laura Benger and Sarah Garvey who work for Miners Promise, who are a specialised, trauma informed, crisis support agency within the mining industry. They are a registered charity providing practical, emotional, and financial support to mining and resources sector families and communities in times of crisis which is so important in today's environment. Laura and Sarah discuss how they help people and the immediate challenges that families face following a fatal mining accident. They discuss the partnerships the charity has developed enabling them to achieve their purpose and the new initiatives and projects they want to adapt around serious and life-threatening injuries to mining professionals in our industry. Please share this episode with everyone in the mining industry so our industry is aware of the service they provide to everyone who is seriously injured or has a fatality in and outside of the workplace within the mining industry. Please visit their website here: https://www.minerspromise.org.au/ To make a donation, visit here: https://www.minerspromise.org.au/donate-now/  KEY TAKEAWAYS Miners Promise: A specialised trauma-informed crisis support agency within the mining industry in Australia, providing practical, emotional, and financial support to families and communities in times of crisis. Miners Promise covers the entire mining sector in Australia, offering support agnostic of company or resource being mined, including mining and oil and gas sectors. Families face immeasurable grief and shock following a fatal mining accident. Miners Promise provides emotional, practical, and financial support, as well as advocacy to help families navigate the aftermath. The organisation relies on charitable donations from mining companies and other organisations. Sustainable funding is crucial to continue fulfilling their purpose and expand services. BEST MOMENTS "We wish that there wasn't a need for us. But we're very, very proud and grateful to serve the Australian mining community." "Families describe our support as irreplaceable, priceless, immeasurable. We're there when families need us most and in their darkest of days." "We're immensely proud of the work that the team delivers, the high quality. We have a strong culture of care across the board and the organisation." "To all the companies out there, I'm going to ask you to dig deep on the Dig Deep podcast and support Miners' Promise so we can continue supporting the Australian mining and oil and gas industries." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org GUEST: Email: [email protected] (Miners’ Promise) https://www.minerspromise.org.au/ (Miners’ Promise) https://www.dirtyholedesigns.com.au/collections/fundraiser  (Dirty Hole Designs) Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minerspromiseorg X: https://twitter.com/MinersPromise  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/minerspromise/  ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Jimmy Brock, President and Chief Executive Officer at CONSOL Energy, one of the leading energy companies in the US who produce and export high-BTU bituminous thermal coal. It owns and operates some of the most productive longwall mining operations in Pennsylvania. With a career in coal spanning five decades, Jimmy started from the bottom up as a foreman working his way up to his current position of CEO and gives us an overview of CONSOL Energy, discusses more about their Not So Fast campaign and the thermal coal environment in general. KEY TAKEAWAYS The campaign aims to challenge the narrative that coal is becoming obsolete and emphasises the importance of coal in the energy mix for the foreseeable future. Consol Energy is actively pursuing innovation and sustainability initiatives, such as the 21st Century Power Plant Project, to reduce emissions and explore new uses for coal beyond electricity generation. Coal plays a crucial role in ensuring America's energy security and self-sufficiency, especially during times of supply disruptions or extreme weather events. Consol Energy places a strong emphasis on environmental compliance and voluntary projects to reduce their environmental footprint, showcasing their commitment to environmental stewardship. Consol Energy's outlook for the next six to 12 months and beyond is positive, with a focus on being a low-cost producer and continuing to use technology and innovation to improve operations and sustainability. BEST MOMENTS "I think we're going to survive for the future and if we want to have 24-7 reliable electricity we're going to need to be part of that energy mix."  "We are the low cost producer in northern Appalachia. I think we'll continue to be that." "We're a vital part of the energy mix." "We are gonna be here for a long time. I think decades, not years, I think decades." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org Company website: https://www.consolenergy.com NotSoFast website: https://thecoalhardtruth.com Phone: +1  724-416-8300 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/consol-energy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ConsolEnergy ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

In this episode, we chat with Guy Winter, who is an Energy and Natural Resources Partner at Fasken, who are a leading international law firm providing practical and innovative legal services to solve the most complex business and litigation challenges faced by organisations in various industries including in the mining and resources industry. Guy’s background is in M&A, Equity Capital Markets, Private Equity, Venture Capital, and Restructures, and advises clients across the entire battery minerals value chain. Today he talks about why the Mining Majors haven’t done more deals in the critical minerals sector and what the deal landscape currently looks like in terms of asset classes and transacting parties. KEY TAKEAWAYS Mining majors have been hesitant to invest in critical minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt due to market volatility and lack of transparency in the battery minerals market. Non-traditional players such as Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, government-backed entities, and automotive manufacturers are increasingly investing in critical mineral projects. Governments are starting to understand the complexity of the mining industry, especially in critical minerals, and are developing strategies to support access to these materials. Differential pricing for ESG-compliant minerals is on the horizon, potentially creating a new funding market for projects that meet environmental, social, and governance standards. While stability is being reached in certain critical minerals like lithium and nickel, the future outlook for the remainder of 2024 remains uncertain, with bullish sentiments for copper and potential deficits in nickel by 2028. BEST MOMENTS "The collapse of the LME nickel market in 2022 caused seismic shocks throughout the market, undermining confidence and reducing majors' appetite for critical minerals investments." "The US Inflation Reduction Act has pumped liquidity into the energy transition, creating a funding gap between the US and other Western countries in the critical mineral space." "The US has surged ahead in critical minerals investment, while the EU is lagging behind. The UK is focusing on refining, processing, and recycling to play a role in the critical minerals supply chain." "Will the two-tier pricing for green and regular minerals create a new funding market for ESG-compliant mining projects?" VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-winter-86376112/ Website: https://www.fasken.com/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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. 

 In this episode we chat to Donald Swartz, CEO of American Rare Earths, who are developing their 100% owned magnet metals projects; Halleck Creek in Wyoming and the La Paz in Arizona, both with the potential to be among North America’s largest rare earth deposits. Donald is an executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in the domestic and international mining industry. A mine engineer by background, he has a proven track record of success in developing and executing business development strategies, resulting in significant revenue growth and talks to us about American Rare Earths, their projects and whats happening in the rare earths space KEY TAKEAWAYS American Rare Earths has a significant rare earth deposit in Wyoming with the potential to be among North America's largest. The company's scoping study showed promising results with low operating costs compared to competitors. The DARPA breakthroughs allowed for pre-concentration of ore, resulting in cost-effective separation of magnetics. The metamict structure of the deposit naturally facilitates processing, requiring lower heat levels for leaching. American Rare Earths is focused on achieving pre-feasibility study milestones in the next six to twelve months. BEST MOMENTS "Undoubtedly large resource and really our focus since that time has been around the metallurgy, but We've only, we've only drilled out about 25% of the resource."  "Mother Nature has kind of done the cracking for us. So if you go to Linus and you're talking about a thousand degrees C cracking circuit, there's no need for that."  "Wyoming, for your listeners who may not be familiar, is probably the biggest extractive kind of mining state in the U.S."  "I think it's not too dissimilar from lithium cobalt, copper, nickel, where you're starting to see a little bit of recovery in copper these past few weeks and it's undoubtedly linked to macroeconomic factors."  VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        [email protected] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org www.americanree.com YT: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfTk3D2fQZ5DSTMKbR1jMVw Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-rare-earths/ ABOUT THE HOST Rob Tyson 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, 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 clients' organisations 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 protected] https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ 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.