Discovery to Recovery

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 Come join us in Brisbane, Australia for SEG 2025, 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!

We are thrilled to bring you the top entries from the 2024 SEG Student Chapter Podcast Challenge as a special set of three episodes. This is the third and final bonus episode in this special series.  We'll hear two segments that consider ore deposit models and environment of formation for Au deposits, traveling from China to Japan.Chapter 1:  From mineral system to exploration: a case in giant Zaozigou Au-Sb depositsSEG STUDENT CHAPTER: China University of Geosciences, Beijing (CUG-B) Host:  Jiayi WangGuest:  Jingyuan ZhangThis podcast episode focuses on the understanding of mineral systems and their role in shaping exploration strategies, with the giant Zaozigou Au-Sb deposits as a case study. Detailed geological mapping, geochronology, fluid inclusion, and structure analysis have revealed the structural framework, precipitation mechanisms, and the separation of gold and antimony in the Zaozigou deposits. These theoretical insights lead to practical exploration advancements in predicting the gold-antimony orebody occurrence, avoiding ineffective engineering practices, and locating the distribution of native goldChapter 2:  Hot spring deposits - key finder for hidden ore deposits along the Peruvian AndesSEG STUDENT CHAPTER:  SEG - NMSM (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos)Hosts:  Rosa Razuri Prado and Paula Martinez SeguraProducers: Alvaro Zapata Cornejo, Jean Crisólogo Zapata, Braian Vara GuzmanGuest:  Diana Pajuelo Aparicio, Professor at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Peru Peru is a country well-known for its complex geology, with hot springs distributed along high altitudes surrounded by unconsolidated deposits overlapping exhumed ore deposits. This podcast episode is focused on understanding the presence of economically important metals trapped inside hot spring deposits, revealing a potential key finder for uncovering hidden ore deposits.Diana Pajuelo, geologist with 11 years of experience in regional geology and geothermal energy, participated in various projects with the Geological Survey of Peru. Her expertise provides a perspective on two types of hot spring deposits, the capacity for hosting metals influenced by biotic or abiotic factors, and the overlap between ore deposits and hot springs along the Andes.Theme music is Hot Wheel Breakdown by Elliot Holmes stock.adobe.com epidemicsound.comAdobe Stock ID: #356951050 

We are thrilled to bring you the top entries from the 2024 SEG Student Chapter Podcast Challenge as a special set of three episodes.  This second episode in the mini-series pairs the 2024 Silver the intriguing stories and history shared by an esteemed geologist in Brazil, with a second segment that uncovered the history and mining potential of northern England. Chapter 1:  Title: The Evolution of Geology in Brazil with Reinhardt FückSEG STUDENT CHAPTER – University of BrasiliaHosts:  Amanda Rompava and Gustavo D'Amore HeerProducers:  Juliana Berbert and MarianaGuest:  Professor Reinhardt Adolfo FückThe theme of this episode tells the story behind the articles and mapping work of one of Brazil's greatest geological characters, with special emphasis on the magmatic arc of Goiás in the Brasília belt, where important deposits reside, as well as his significant work on crustal structure, the Tocantins Province, and Goiás Massif.With a cautious eye and carrying the experience of working with geology since the 1960s, Professor Reinhardt shares with us the unwritten history behind published articles, his perspecitve on the evolution of knowledge in the field and also the importance of mapping for a geology career.Chapter 2:  ‘The Critical Mineral Potential of the North of England'SEG STUDENT CHAPTER NAME:  University of LeedsHosts, Lily Dickson and Brayden Pickard Guests:  Dr. James Shaw  (structural geologist) and Adam Eskdale (Rio Tinto)provides an overview of mineral exploration and extraction in our region of the UK, the North of England (Figure 1) and its critical mineral potential.  In February 2024, our student chapter hosted a mini-conference on the subject of critical minerals (Figure 2) with talks from companies including British Lithium, the Critical Minerals Association (UK) and Green Lithium. We were inspired to carry out further research into the critical mineral potential of the region we live in, the North of England, which we present in this podcast. At present, the UK does not extract any of the 18 critical minerals on the 2021 list published by the British Geological Survey (BGS). This renders the UK completely reliant on international supply which is a big problem, and one that we must try to address through increased mineral exploration and mining in the near future. In order to provide a full picture of the critical mineral potential of our region, we explore the rich mining history of the North of England, dating back to the Bronze Age at sites such as Alderly Edge (Figure 3). We also investigate current critical mineral projects: Li exploration around the Weardale Granite and Potash mining near the town of Whitby. Finally, we speak to Dr James Shaw and Dr Adam Eskdale who have worked on fluorspar mineralisation in the South Pennine Orefield and cobalt mineralisation in the Lake District, respectively. They provide insights into these deposits and to potential barriers to their extraction in the future. A big thank you goes to Dr James Shaw and Adam Eskdale for sharing their expertise with our student chapter! 

We are thrilled to bring you the top entries from the 2024 SEG Student Chapter Podcast Challenge as a special set of three episodes.  This episode pairs the 2024 Bronze winner with another that explored some of the political and environmental challenges in developing mineral deposits.  Chapter 1:  The deposit that brought down a governmentSEG STUDENT CHAPTER NAME: The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State)Co-hosts:  Rory Changleng, Alex Cerminaro Producer: Rory Changleng Chapter Notes What mineral deposit became such a politicised commodity that it brought down a government? In this episode, two Penn State students, Rory and Alex, discuss what got them into geology and inspired them as budding economic geologists to begin a new SEG Student Chapter at Penn State. Alex reminisces about how trying to discover gold in his grandmother's garden in Pennsylvania led to his working with an Alaska exploration company to date gold mineralisation using a novel geochemical technique. Rory tells the story of the Ilimaussaq intrusion in Southern Greenland, home of the Kvanefjeld deposit. It was visiting this deposit during undergraduate fieldwork that opened his mind to the turbulent and consequential world of economic geology. Exploiting Kvanefjeld proved so divisive that it drove the collapse of the Greenlandic government. But as the second largest rare earth element deposit on Earth, surely it's just a matter of time until mining begins?Chapter 2:  Should we Mine the Seafloor? SEG STUDENT CHAPTER NAME: SEG of Athens Host: Pavlos ZambrasGuests:  Evi Dimou and Revekka AvoukatouChapter Notes Exploring the depths of the ocean for valuable resources presents an alluring frontier in human endeavor: Deep Sea mining. This venture entails a journey into the unknown, facing both mysteries and challenges while uncovering the potential of extracting precious materials from the ocean floor. The vast expanse of the deep sea, encompassing more than 65% of Earth's surface, harbors immense reservoirs of base metals, precious metals, and critical elements like nickel, copper, cobalt, and manganese. These elements are indispensable for powering the transition towards clean green energy. Whether it's polymetallic nodules or seafloor massive sulfide found at hydrothermal vent fields, these resources offer the promise of driving technological progress and fostering economic development in the years ahead. However, the pursuit of these underwater treasures is not devoid of controversy. Deep sea mining raises profound concerns regarding its environmental impact, sustainability, and the ethical utilization of Earth's resources. It's crucial to acknowledge that these deep-sea environments host unique life forms not found elsewhere on the planet, including highly complex prokaryotic communities and microbes with exceptional tolerance to acidity and antibiotics. International regulations governing deep sea mining are still under development, adding to the uncertainty surrounding this practice. Many fear the potential ecological disruption it could bring to an area of our planet that remains largely unexplored. The question arises: Can we afford the environmental and ecological risks associated with deep sea mining? Or, put more simply, should we proceed with mining the seafloor? 

What is needed to build geoscience skills for mining and exploration in Africa?  This wide-ranging panel discussion highlights industry, academic and government perspectives on establishing enduring relationships with local communities, with a focus on building geoscience and technical capabilities.  The discussion explored the development of local technical staff for exploration and mining operations, the role of geological surveys in skill development and the impact of research carried out without local collaboration (‘parachute science').  Hosted by Anne Thompson, the panel included Kurt House, CEO KoBold Metals, Kombada Mhopjeni, National Program Officer for Natural Sciences (UNESCO Windhoek), Benjamin Mapani, Professor Namibia University of Science and Technology and Franck Twite, Chief Geologist, Kamoa Copper S.A.The discussion was recorded live in front of the conference audience in the Windhoek, Namibia on the 27 September 2024.  We covered The panel started with introducing themselves and the challenges they face or approaches they take to capacity building (skills training) in their work.  The discussion including the following questions:·      How do exploration and mining companies create real change with long lasting community benefit? What makes a difference to community and government relationships?  ·      What can research and geological survey scientists do to help build global geoscience capacity and support public education? ·      What do you think is the most important area to focus on as we look to the future? ·      What makes you optimistic for the future of collaboration and our ability to build geoscience capacity?We covered a lot, insights on the use of data science, how to get high school students interested in geoscience and even how cultural differences can impact our communication with each other.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

Namibia is a country of diverse geology and mineral deposits that is also embracing the green energy transition.  The diversity of critical minerals and metals and the expansion of green energy sources for mining are all exciting for the future of Namibia. Namibia is 'elephant country' in more than one way! The Society of Economic Geologists is thrilled to collaborate with our partners  the Geoscience Council of Namibia and the Geological Society of Namibia  to host the SEG 2024 conference in Windhoek,  September 27-30.   This episode explores the geology and mineral deposits, from the Proterozoic to the present and the mineral potential that exists throughout the country.  We hope you will listen in and then join us in Windhoek in a few months!Anna Nguno, Deputy Director at the Geological Survey of Namibia (GSN), Ministry of Mines and Energy and co-chair of SEG 2024 introduces the episode with a conference teaser: what to expect at the conference, the main themes, technical sessions, field trips, and more. Geological  Mineral and Information System - Namibia (Geological Survey of Namibia)Next Roy Miller, previous Director of the Geological Survey of Namibia, provides an overview of the regional geology and tectonic history of Namibia, including the mineral deposits and economic potential of the various belts. Paleoproterozoic basement rocks contain the 1.2 Haib porphyry deposit.Mesoproterozoic rocks in the country are divided into 3 complexes, none of which contain extensive mineralization. The Neoproterozoic to Cambrian Damara Supergroup is the most extensive succession in Namibia, contains a wealth of different types of ore deposits, and is found in three belts: 1) the Damara belt in central Namibia; 2) the Kaoko belt in the northwest; and 3) the Gariep in the southwestThe Carboniferous to Jurassic Karoo Supergroup contains thin lenses of coal and sandstone aquifers. Cretaceous continental breakup resulted in Etendeka flood basalts.At the end of the Cretaceous the region became semi-arid and the Kalahari Desert began to form. In wetter periods, the Orange River flooded and deposited diamonds from inland to the coast, 90% of which are gem quality and mined today by De Beers. From 21 million years ago, sand began to accumulate in major dune fields. Finally, Mary Barton, Principal Geoscientist at Odikwa Geoservices, talks about her introduction to the field of geology and what a day in the life of a Namibian greenfields exploration geologist looks like. She discusses above ground risks in the country (including lions and cheetahs!), the placer diamond mining industry, and what opportunities the green transition might bring to the country.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com 

Understanding the earth processes that control lithium is key to exploration and developing the resources needed for society and the energy transition.   The lightest of the metals, lithium moves easily in fluids and is found in a variety of geologic environments from brines to pegmatites to clays.  Host Anne Thompson explores the geoscience of lithium, assessing what we know and what are the challenges in the quest to supply the lithium needed by human society. Our three guests provide insights into the variety of lithium sources that potentially allow for geographically distributed supply. We talked first to Rebecca Paisley, a geochemist with WSP Canada, to consider the diversity of lithium bearing brines and the fundamental nature of the metal.  Its natural affinity to partition into the liquid phase means that lithium occurs in salty salar brines, a variety of geothermal brines and oil field brines.  The value of your brine, however, also depends on the end-product required and the steps needed to extract it from the solution.  Rebecca connects the value of lithium in brines to the whole mining circle. Bob Linnen, Chief Geologist – Lithium, KoBold Metals, spent his academic career studying pegmatites and now continues to develop his ideas through global exploration.  The high grades in lithium pegmatites make them appealing targets for exploration, and better positioned to survive big fluctuations in commodity price.  Not all pegmatites, however, are created equal and much is still being learned about this important host for lithium resources as the mineral system view evolves.Koopmans et al., 2023Lastly, we talked to Tom Benson, VP Global Exploration for Lithium Argentina.  Tom thought he was going to be an academic after completing a PhD on Thacker Pass, Nevada, USA, but an opportunity to engage in research and exploration was too good to pass up.  His work includes active collaboration with researchers around the world as well as exploration for new deposits.  Tom frames the occurrence of lithium in clays at Thacker Pass within the context of volcano-sedimentary systems.  The deposit has unique features, including the presence of higher grade illite in addition to lithium-bearing smectite.  Benson et al., 2023New research globally focused on lithium resources continues to push our understanding and highlight the importance of its volatile nature in the ways in which it is concentrated and trapped.  Next week is the last episode of Season 4 – we will head to Namibia, host to the SEG 2024 conference September 27-30,  to explore the diverse geology and mineral deposits and hear about what the conference has in store.  Many thanks to our season 4 sponsor, Anglo American.Our theme music is Confluence, by Eastwinds. 

As our geo-toolkit expands, how can we equip ourselves to deal with these large volumes of highly diverse, dense data that are available and at higher speeds than ever before? This week's episode is a companion to episode 47 (Core Sensing Technology) and host Britt Bluemel (Global Business Development Manager, ALS GoldSpot Discoveries) is joined by experts in the field of big data wrangling.   They discuss considerations when dealing with data from core sensing systems, with the aim of empowering geologists with better decision-making tools throughout the mining value chain.  New out this week is also a great paper in the SEG Discovery Magazine by Anthony Harris and co-authors - Empowering Geologists in the Exploration Process - Maximizing Data Use from Enabling Scanning Technologies.  Check it out for diagrams and case studies that demonstrate the use of core scanning technology.In this week's episode, our first guest, Dr. McLean Trott (Director, Ore Body Knowledge at ALS GoldSpot Discoveries) just completed his PhD on the topic of tackling big data and integration of various data streams, and how to extract the most value from datasets, including image data. Mac also discusses the utility of point measurement compared to line scanning or full core imaging, with an emphasis on fit-for-purpose data, while considering bottom line factors like speed and cost of data acquisition.  Next,  we're joined by Dr. Jack Milton, VP Geology at Fireweed Metals, and he provides the ‘end user' perspective. Fireweed Metals has used XRF core scanning technology for several years and Jack describes some of the key benefits and real time decision making that is enabled by this technology. Jack also discusses good connectivity for transferring these huge data files (their on-site scanner has its own dedicated Starlink system) and the necessity of high quality calibrations when collecting XRF data in the field.  Our final guest, Brenton Crawford (Datarock's Chief Geoscientist) cautions us not just to choose the coolest machine, but to select the sensor that's right for the job. He discusses utilizing scanning data to create geometallurgical domains, and how project success can be increased by including your IT team in the early stages of the conversation.  Next week, Anne Thompson will be back with three exceptional guests, to discuss the geology of lithium and explore three different host environments, brines, clays and pegmatites.Our theme music is Confluence, by Eastwinds.  

Drill core scanning technology is rapidly developing for use in exploration and mining. The future holds great promise if we can leverage all the data sets available from multiple sensors, but critical for success is understanding how the sensors and scanning systems work.  What are the right questions to ask when picking our tools?   Host Britt Bluemel, Global Business Development Manager for ALS Goldspot Discoveries, discusses three different types of sensors: hyperspectral for mineralogy, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for elements and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for data at the level of atoms. Setting the scene in the first segment is Cari Deyell, Principal Spectral Geologist, Veracio.  Cari takes us through the fundamentals of reflectance spectroscopy and builds out the case for mapping mineralogy from exploration through to mine development and ore body knowledge.  The mineralogical data set provided by #spectroscopy can be enhanced when integrated with XRF and RGB photography.  This integration will lead to fundamental advances in how we understand and mine ore bodies. Our next story focuses on the benefits of using XRF scanners on drill core with Michelle Legat, Vice President at GeologicAI.  Scanning up to 650m per day, they are able to map the elements present and correlate with grades and minerals. Good data from any system is important and Michelle addresses key parts of the data collection process, to ensure that you get the best possible result.  Acquiring XRF data also means a better understanding of mobile and immobile elements, supporting lithogeochemistry and produces some exciting results for exploration programs. François Doucet founder and CEO of Elemission, joins Britt for the last conversation and takes us through the background of LIBS and how it relates to other well-known geochemical analysis.  Francois tells the story of the ground breaking moment of Curiosity landing on Mars in 1999 to the founding of Elemission, applying LIBS to the mapping of drill core.  Scanning rates are dependent on the grain size of the minerals, with adjustments to higher speeds for pegmatites and coarse-grained rock. A breakthrough technology that takes the mapping of core down to the level of atoms. Next week Britt will be back to explore how to handle the volumes of data generated by core scanning systems for use in all parts of the mining value chain.  Our theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds.

Reducing the environmental impact of mineral exploration can reap benefits beyond the immediate obvious reduction of harm on the local flora and fauna.  Perhaps unexpected for some are the savings in carbon and water, the positive impact on data collection, the response from local communities and the cost savings. Add to that an ability to recruit outstanding employees and you have a compelling argument for rethinking mineral exploration. To find out what ideas a random sample of folks involved in mineral exploration had, we toured the exhibit hall of the recent AME Roundup 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia.  What did they think would reduce the environmental impact of mineral exploration?  The ideas are wide ranging but hit on the critical point - take better data, be smart and be efficient. Careful program planning, building new camp systems and continuing to innovate as they grow their business is built into the fundamental framework of Anomalous Exploration.  Join us as we explore with Ellen Hunter-Perkins, CEO, how they approach small scale programs and the perhaps unexpected benefits of more time on the ground, in the field, to collect high quality data and the response they have had from potential employees.Anomalous Exploration Innovation is a core part of how Hy-tech operates, based out of Smithers, British Columbia. We talked to Brian Butterworth, President Hy-Tech Group about how they continue to adapt their systems and also build their international operations.  For several years now, they have been operating centrifuges on their diamond drills, resulting in most of the water needed in diamond drilling being recycled.  Several of their innovations result in lower fuel consumption and reduced equipment transportation.  Paying attention to how we drill diamond holes can significantly reduce our environmental footprint.Hy-tech DrillingTheme music is Confluence by Eastwinds.

How can we balance the demands of careers in exploration with family life? How has the industry at large dealt with this in the past versus how companies handle it today? Filling the expected gaps in the exploration and mining workforce requires us to look internally at how we support employees to start families, care for parents or manage other personal circumstances.  Communication with our managers, colleagues, spouses, and families are all equally important.  Managing it collaboratively and with flexibility can make the difference, determining who stays and who leaves the industry. Anne Thompson introduces the episode with some stories from her own early career as a field exploration geologist and while starting a family in the late 1980s.  Anne's early work in Utah, where she took her young daughter into the field was recently featured by the Utah Geological Survey.Next, a husband-and-wife pair, Duncan and Catherine Proctor, discuss their own career paths and how they changed when they started a family. They tell the listeners how they balance their careers and their family and make sure both can be fulfilling for them. They also discuss the importance of being versatile when circumstances inevitably change in both their personal and professional lives. Find out more about their story at  ndp40 .Barbara Romero, Superintendent Exploration at BHP in Santiago, then discusses the challenges and opportunities of being a single mother in a job that requires significant travel. She talks about her experiences working for a major company raising a young daughter, from her first time away from home when her daughter was 6 months old to what life with her daughter is like now in a modern, post-pandemic world where flexible work schedules are the norm. She also discusses her challenges and her goals for the future.Duncan, Catherine, and Barbara all discuss how they stay connected to their families while they are away, and give the listeners advice on how they can advocate for themselves in the workplace. Tune in to get some stories and words of wisdom from these fantastic guests! Next episode we will switch gears and learn about the environmental impacts of exploration with host Anne Thompson.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds . 

The Kiruna Mining District, 200km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, is well known for the giant Kiruna Iron-Oxide-Apatite (IOA) deposit.   The district has a long history of iron production extending back to the late 1800s. Less well known are the copper deposits that are spatially associated with Kiruna. New work by both researchers and explorationists is providing a better understanding of the complicated relationships in these Proterozoic rocks. A shift in mindset is allowing for new perspectives and an opportunity for discovery. We first talked to Leslie Logan, PhD candidate at Luleå University of Technology. Her study focuses on the tectonic framework of the Svecokarelian greenstone belt and uses a mineral systems approach to understand mineral occurrences in the district. The origin of the copper deposits has long been debated. Leslie's work provides new data and interpretation to understand the origins and relationship of the deposits with each other. Leslie Logan - Luleå University of TechnologyOur second guest was Marcello Imaña, Chief Geologist from Copperstone Resources to talk about the history of Viscaria Cu-Fe deposit which is immediately adjacent to the giant Kiruna IOA deposit. Mining at Viscaria was carried out from 1982 to 1997.  Most recently, Copperstone Resources acquired the deposit and are aiming to be in full production again in 2026 after a very successful exploration phase. Their secret was going to an old place with new ideas. Marcello shares how they changed their mindsets staying away from models and relying on what they saw in the rocks. He believes that successful efforts at Viscaria will transform and promote the Kiruna Mining District for copper.Copperstone Resources ViscariaOur music is Confluence by Eastwinds.

Exploration and mining have a long history in northern Sweden, host to the Skellefteä, Bergslagen, and Kiruna Mining Districts.  What are the underlying characteristics that make this region rich in mineralization?  We explore the metallogeny, mineral systems and deposit models that guide exploration for base metals and gold.  What has changed over the last century and what do we know now that will help guide the next discoveries?  First, we talked to Nils Jansson, Associate Professor at Luleå Tekniska Universitet about the metallogeny and diverse mineral occurrences in the Skellefteä, Bergslagen, and Kiruna Mining Districts. His academic and industry background helped us understand how and why some deposit types occur together and the challenges of using genetic models. An open mind, an understanding of the complexities present and a mineral systems approach are all important in guiding exploration for deep, hidden deposits.  In our second story, Mac Persson, an exploration geologist from Boliden Minerals shares the history, culture, and challenges in the Skellefteä District.   The world-class mining district has been explored for over a century and hosts numerous deposits, dominantly VMS mineralization, but also porphyry, orogenic gold and magmatic nickel deposits.  He talked about the significance of Au-rich VMS deposits for Boliden Minerals and how the company explores them using innovative methods and legacy data. Both of our guests were field trip leaders at the SEG 2022 Base, Precious and Critical Metal Deposits of the Paleoproterozoic Skellefteä District, Sweden.  They have extensive experience and perspective on working in this challenging terrain.Our music is Confluence by Eastwinds.

Türkiye forms an integral part of the Tethyan Belt, extending from the Balkans in the west to Iran in the east. The complexity of the geology in Turkish Tethyan Bet also offers diverse mineralization styles and is still considered underexplored compared to other countries. We talked to our guests with diverse backgrounds to understand the exploration potential and recent successes across the regions.Our first guest is İlkay Kuşçu, Exploration Projects Consultant with SSR Mining, who has over three decades of experience on the Turkish Tethyan Bel. He provides a valuable overview of the belt and exploration history of the country.Then, we talked to Firuz Alizade, Head of Global Exploration with Lidya Mining. In 2015, he led the team in discovering a high-grade Au-Cu Hod Maden deposit and was also the recipient of 2020 PDAC's Thayer Lindsley award. He shared Hod Maden's exploration story.The third guest, Ali İmer, is an assistant professor of Economic Geology at METU Turkey. His primary focus has been on the Porphyry-Epithermal System in Eastern Anatolia, sharing the tectonomagmatic evolution of the region with a comparison to Iran.Our last guests are Elif Tekin, Business Development Manager with ESAN and past-chair WIM Turkey, and Bader Bilgin, Exploration Geologist with SSR Mining. Elif Tekin informs us about WIM's activities and future goals in Turkey. She also remarks on the importance of resourcing geologists. Then, Bader Bilgin tells us why an early career geologist would need a mentor and how SEG and WIM mentorship benefited her.Our music is Confluence by Eastwinds. 

Artisanal mining is full of both opportunities and challenges.  How can we collaborate to  build capacity for artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), particularly in Africa?  We talk about the many aspects of ASM and the importance of geology in creating longer term, sustainable mining operations.  Each of our guests has personal experience and knowledge to bring to the conversations.We talked first to Nicole Smith, assistant Professor at the Colorado School of Mines and an expert on artisanal and small-scale mining. She provides an excellent overview of the sector and its many facets and addresses the fundamental question of why we should be working towards formalization of artisanal mining globally.In our second story,  Manuel Nopeia,  a post-doctoral fellow at Akita University in Japan addresses the need for use of geological models in establishing formalization of artisanal mining in Mozambique.  We connected just a few days ago to find out more about his story and the importance of ASM in his home country, where exploration and discovery of gold deposits is dominated by artisanal miners. Manuel published a thought provoking paper in Science Direct that addresses the need for geological models in the formalization of artisanal mining in Mozambique.Nopeia et. al, 2022Having  heard what the challenges are and how important building capacity is – we turned to John Tychsen, CEO at ASSM Consult, to learn what the  PanAfGeo program is  doing to help.  PanAfGeo is a European Union funded effort that brings 12 European geological surveys together with all the surveys and ministries of mines in Africa to support advancing geoscience.  John has delivered workshops to representatives from all 54 African countries as part of the ASM work package. PanAfGeo - ASMOur music is Confluence, by Eastwinds.Eastwinds

Three completely different types of ore deposits demand 'fit for purpose' mining methods.  We consider the move in the last 20 years to ‘super' block caving, unlocking massive deep resources, then change scale and examine an innovative new technology that enables ‘surgical mining'.  Lastly, changing the mining method for Cobre's project in the Kalahari Copper Belt, Botswana,  to in-situ leach may unlock new potential for the region.We start with a look at block caving to consider the benefits and challenges of working in large deposits at greater and greater depths. We talked to Katrina Crook a mining engineer, currently with Glencore where she is  Lead - Governance & Integration, Value Realisation.  Her diverse experience provides provides a great overview of how the method works, the importance of geological knowledge and expertise and the challenges that need to be overcome. Epiroc Youtube Video - Block Caving In our next story we consider a completely different mining challenge and change the scale of the target.  Allan Cramm is the VP Innovation for Novamera – a technology company with a new approach to mining, finding ways to unlock value in high grade narrow zones by using ‘surgical mining.'  They are employing a large diameter drill in conjunction with an innovative sensor technology and software to mine a range of targets that previously would have been stranded.Novamera - Surgical Mining VideoLastly  - what do you do when you the high grade, underground mining target eludes you, but what you discover is too deep for an open pit?  In the case of Cobre, an Australian listed company, they recognized an opportunity for an in-situ copper recovery operation.  We talked to their CEO, Adam Wooldridge to find out the story behind the discovery and their plans going forward.  In-Situ Recovery - Sinclair and Thompson, 2015

Effective geoscience outreach and scientific collaboration are enhanced by our choice of words and communication tools. Our guests Sam Illingworth and Chris Jackson offer fresh perspectives based on their own experience and work.  They focus on what we as individuals can do, from using poetry to solve scientific roadblocks, to ways in which we can better connect with audiences of all types – even those within our own work environments.  Both challenge us to be more professional in our geoscience communication and work on measuring our impact.Sam Illingworth, an Associate Professor at Edinburgh Napier University discusses his work, specifically using poetry as a tool for dialogue and reimagining a problem.   Sam views poetry as being able to provide a space for dialogue.  It connects scientists and non-scientists, enabling the development of research and enabling knowledge dissemination.   He encourages us to do a better job of measuring the value of our geoscience outreach projects.  Sam produces a poetry podcast, is an editor of Consilience (science poetry journal) and the journal Geoscience Communication. Geoscience Communication journalConsilienceThe Poetry of Science PodcastGeologize Communication CourseOur second guest, Chris Jackson, is the Director of Sustainable Geosciences at Jacobs and Visiting Professor of Basin Analysis at Imperial College in London.  He brings all our themes together and emphasizes how important it is for geoscientists to be effective communicators. His participation in shows like ‘Expedition Volcano' on the BBC has allowed him to bring geoscience to a broader audience and engage them in a different, more accessible manner.  Whoever is the audience, whether it be colleagues or school children, the key to success is making them feel smarter by the end of your presentation. This results also results in a more engaged and interested audience.  The key questions are -   How can we simplify without losing accuracy?  What are the benefits and challenges in diversifying voices?  Everyone can embrace geoscience communication at whatever level works for them.  TedX – Chris Jackson Diversity UK EventRI Lecture

In the evolving world of communication in geology and geoscience,  the importance of dialogue leads the way to deal with some of society's grand challenges. Iain Stewart is at the forefront, helping build effective communication strategies to advance the global geoscience mission. We also explore an example of empathetic, community centred dialogue with Kate Moore.  A two-way conversation is critical to building the mines of the future, supplying the energy transition and supporting a broad range of geology-related societal challenges.  Iain Stewart is the El Hassan bin Talal Research Chair in Sustainability at the Royal Scientific Society (Jordan) and Professor of Geoscience Communication at the University of Plymouth (UK). Iain has spent decades honing his communication skills, including a 15-year partnership with the BBC, but his thinking around communication continues to evolve.  We talked to him about how he arrived at an approach of seeking to understand what people want to know, ultimately summed up by the question ‘how can we help?'.  Importantly, he recently published a paper , Three Horizons for Future Geoscience, that uses the dialogic tool of the three horizons as a framework for thinking about systemic change and what pathways we can use to move away from the ‘business as usual' approach.  The paper evaluates the current state of geoscience, particularly in advanced economies, and poses one narrative that can be used to reimagine the global geoscientific mission.  There aren't easy answers, but there are ways in which we can build dialogue and seek solutions together.  Dialogue and asking the question ‘how can we help you?' was fundamental to Kate Moore's team on the large EU Horizon 2020 project, IMPaCT.  Kathryn Moore, Senior Lecturer in Critical and Green Technology Metals, Cambourne School of Mines, was part of the team that worked with Mineco, a small mining company operating in Bosnia. Success in the project required multidisciplinary dialogue, across all technical disciplines and with the local community.  One of their big challenges was also to create enduring and effective public outreach.  Through both creative thinking and a series of fortuitous and challenging events, the final product was a thoughtful and provocative book entitled ‘Of Earth, For Earth.'   The book was published by the University of Exeter and is available from a variety of sources.Our theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds.

In many geoscience communities, the topic of declining enrollments globally across the discipline is very worrying.  How can we demonstrate to the public the critical role earth science plays in supporting well-being of both human society and ecological systems?  This episode highlights inspiring stories from three continents in the southern hemisphere – all early career scientists who are engaging with the public, running education programs for students, conducting interviews and more.  What do all three have in common?  They are passionate and curious, not afraid to ask questions or step out of their comfort zones, and willing to work on their own time.  Join us and get inspired!Irene Del Real used her major international L'Oréal award as a springboard, building on opportunities given to her to extend her reach. She regularly gives interviews on CNN Chile and presents at public forums, including a recent major science conference in Santiago.  She is currently writing a book on the history of metals and human society and is an assistant professor at Universidad Austral de Chile in Valdivia.  We talked to her about what resonates with her audience and how she develops her messaging. After his village was hit by a devastating earthquake in 2016, George Rwegoshora, who was then a second-year university student, decided that he could help provide information and educate his community about earthquakes.  He since graduated, worked in coal mines for 3 years and then in 2021 founded the Afrikagera Geological Center in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. As the Executive Director, he works with a group of 18 scientists to develop educational programs for students.  These include classroom and field excursions, covering a range of topics, including mineral resources.Combining her passion for geoscience and earth history with communication seems to come naturally for Holly Cooke, but her success really comes from the hours put in on her own time creating content and designing programs.  Holly is a student geologist with Oz Minerals and an outreach officer with the Nexus Program in South Australia. She is an articulate and excellent communicator.  She seized on an opportunity to bring high school students into the South Australia drill core library, giving them a hands on tour of the geological history of South Australia, and creating opportunities for informal challenging conversations.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.comSEG 2023, the Society of Economic Geologists flagship conference is August 26-29th, 2023 in London England. The conference will address the major challenges presented by the accelerated consumption of energy transition and other strategic metals. The context is global, but with a spotlight on Europe. Early registration ends June 30th. See you there!!

Diamonds have long captured the imagination and interest of people across the globe. Each stone has a unique story to tell, and those stories are only becoming deeper and more fascinating with the latest advancements in geoscience, social science and consumer activism.  This week's episode looks at two different facets of diamonds.  Evan Smith is a Senior Research Scientist at the Gemological Institute of America. He introduces us to superdeep diamonds, a small subset of diamonds produced globally that have both exceptional monetary and scientific value, especially when it comes to learning about processes that operate deep inside Earth's mantle.  Gemological Institute of AmericaAbout 2 million women and men globally are involved directly in mining for diamonds, primarily at artisanal and small-scale (ASM) operations. Cristina Villegas is Director of Sustainable Markets at Pact, a Washington D.C. based NGO. She sets out how ASM today contrasts with the often-tainted picture from popular fiction and discusses recent innovations involving the ASM and big-business community that are bringing life-changing, positive transformations millions of diamond miners around the world.Pact - Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.comSEG 2023, the Society of Economic Geologists flagship conference is August 26-29th, 2023 in London England. The conference will address the major challenges presented by the accelerated consumption of energy transition and other strategic metals. The context is global, but with a spotlight on Europe. Early registration ends June 30th. See you there!!

Arguably the most important tool in exploration and mining is the drill, without it we lack the ability to collect data in that critical third dimension.  We start with  the basics of drilling technologies and communication between geologists and drillers, then delve into the power unleashed by oriented core and real-time data collection of critical drilling metrics.  From the current state of the art to the changes on the horizon for drilling, this episode covers all the angles. Kevin Slemko, Corporate Business Development Manager, Major Drilling kicks off this episode by first reviewing the standard drilling techniques used by the industry.  That discussion provides the platform to discuss wedges, directional drilling, and automation.  The industry is much closer than ever before to have standard automation on rigs.  Kevin is also a passionate believer in bridging the gaps between drillers and geologists such that everyone benefits from understanding what each other is doing. Did you know that porphyry stockworks can have a preferred orientation?  Chris Brown, Principal Consultant ,  Oriented Targeted Solutions explains the processes available to orient core as well as the big wins that can come from spending the extra time and money to acquire oriented core.  A big factor in success is the  training of geologists on-site for quality control and to support  real-time targeting. Chris also shares the successes achieved at the Bullfrog project in Nevada once oriented core was obtained and used. Spurred by frustrations in acquiring and tabulating drill data reports, Jody Conrad, founder and CEO of Krux Analytics channeled her energy into building a drilling metrics SAS business for the mining industry.  There is more to be gained, however, than just knowing how many meters were drilled in a day.  Complete, real time, drilling data could yield important information about geology and the targets we are seeking.   Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.comSEG 2023, the Society of Economic Geologists flagship conference is August 26-29th, 2023 in London England. The conference will address the major challenges presented by the accelerated consumption of energy transition and other strategic metals. The context is global, but with a spotlight on Europe. Early registration ends June 30th. See you there!!

Linking whole rock geochemistry with mineralogy provides tremendous value to exploration and mining projects.  We all want high quality, reliable results to make the best maps and models.  What are the critical factors in acquiring spectral or geochemical data?  How can we be sure our spectroscopy and geochemistry are the best they can be?  How do we integrate our mineralogy data sets?  Join us to learn the questions you should be asking! Sebastian Benavides is Discovery Manager for Peru and Ecuador, Anglo American.  A  geoscientist passionate about generative work, he manages exploration teams and uses spectral data to enhance their capacity to identify targets at multiple scales.  Sebastian also shares with us the unusual alteration at the Taca Taca porphyry in Argentina where spectroscopy and mineral chemistry helped to improve understanding of the main ore zone. Spectroscopy is widely used in a variety of exploration and mining projects.  We checked in with Sam Scher of LKI Consulting and podcast host of GeocHemisTea to talk about important issues in spectral data collection.  What do we need to know to get good data?  Why worry?  We also considered how you might vary what options you use depending on the goals of the work.https://lkiconsulting.com/ To bring it all together, Scott Halley shows us the power of linking whole rock geochemistry and spectral mineralogy – especially mineral chemistry. He provides all the incentive you need to work on getting the best spectral data possible. The conversation is focused on the special synergies between the two data sets, but also on the benefits of bringing the data back to the core shack and the geologist. https://www.scotthalley.com.au/Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.comSEG 2023, the Society of Economic Geologists flagship conference is August 26-29th, 2023 in London England. The conference will address the major challenges presented by the accelerated consumption of energy transition and other strategic metals. The context is global, but with a spotlight on Europe. Early registration ends June 30th. See you there!!

Active geothermal systems are sources of clean energy and provide insights into ore forming processes. What are two economic geologists learning as they each pursue deep holes, big science, and audacious ideas to help provide the world's energy needs from clean, renewable sources?  Stuart Simmons started his career in New Zealand, making key observations with big implications for low-sulfidation gold precipitation.  His recognition that platy calcite textures represent boiling zones provided a key guide to mineralization.  We talk to him about boiling, quartz pseudomorphs of calcite and what we might learn from the biggest geysers ‘never seen.'Throughout his career, Stuart has continually progressed and adapted to new systems and research.  He is currently a research professor at the University of Utah and works on the ‘Utah Forge Project'  – big science and engineering to test the possibility of deriving energy from very deep dry wells.  If it works, the audacious goal is to power Mumbai or Paris!  Along the way, the themes of heat and mass transfer keep surfacing along with the implications for understanding earth processes and ore deposit formation.  UtahFORGE In New Zealand, Isabelle Chambefort transitioned from an economic geologist who works on porphyry deposits to her current role as a Senior Geothermal Scientist, leading ‘Geothermal -The Next Generation' Project.  Her multidisciplinary team is working to image the sub-surface in detail, to understand the circulation of deep meteoric fluids, interaction with magmas and the potential for deep wells that access currently untapped energy – where fluids are supercritical.  Another big science and engineering project with implications for the future and insights to be gained applicable to economic geology.Geothermal – the Next GenerationTheme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

As gold makes it way to surface, what are the key observations for exploration geologists to make? How did we come to understand epithermal deposits and their relationships to intrusions and the paleosurface?  And how important are our structural observations?  Gold can occur within Cu-Au porphyries and intrusion-related lodes, but also makes its way to the surface where a range of epithermal deposit-types host mineralization.   Following on from Episode 31 and the discussion of porphyry processes from bottom to top, today we are starting in the deeper parts of the system to explore K92's Kainantu Project in the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea.  Chris Muller, VP Exploration K92 took time out to talk us through this big and varied project that includes an operating mine and new exploration discoveries. Richard Sillitoe and John Thompson are back to share their insights and extensive experience in a host of epithermal environments. Dick and John recap the history of our understanding of epithermal deposits and focus on the key relationships vital for exploration.  What is most important and what do we still not really understand?  This is a great conversation.The structural controls on epithermal deposits are critical for exploration and development.  We are joined by David Rhys, Panterra Geoservices, to discuss commonalities and differences among the deposit types.  Dave was a co-editor with Julie Rowland of the SEG Reviews in Economic Geology Volume 21 Applied Structural Geology of Ore-Forming Systems (2020). He was also lead author on a paper in that volume entitled Structural Controls on Ore Localization in Epithermal Gold-Silver Deposits:  A Mineral Systems Approach.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Can we track the evolution of a fertile porphyry system from the mantle to the deposit?  The FAMOS (From Arc Magmas to Ores) Project in the UK was conceived to tackle the fundamental processes involved in porphyry ore systems and brought a diverse set of researchers and industry collaborators together.  The interdisciplinary teams combined experimental petrology, volcanology, numerical modelling and mineral analysis.  They worked together to  constrain the conditions for porphyry ore deposit formation and to further develop indicators of fertile systems. The aim was to use mineral chemistry to interpret processes in the magmatic-hydrothermal systems and ultimately use the recorded signatures in minerals as a discrimination tool in exploration.  As the project wraps-up we talked to three contributors about what they have learned and what this type of ‘big' science collaboration can accomplish.Our first guest, Jamie Wilkinson is a senior scientist at the Natural History Museum in London, UK.  A self-described 'want to be petrologist', Jamie has a diverse background in ore deposits with expertise in metal transport, applications of mineral chemistry and isotopes.  Jamie is a leader of the FAMOS research project and takes  us through the big ideas from the mantle to the signatures in the minerals.Growing up in Siberia, Elena Melekhova was surrounded by geology and mines, but it was the discovery of experimental petrology that united her drive to understand the natural world with her passion for laboratory experiments.  Elena is the experimental petrology laboratory lead at the University of Oxford and her FAMOS research provides fundamental data that challenges some of our assumption about the Sr/Y indicator ratio.So why would industry be interested in participating in this fundamental research into magmatic-hydrothermal processes?  We talked to Christian Ihlenfeld, Anglo American to find out what was surprising to them about the outcomes and why they provided a significant, large data set on the Los Bronces District, Chile for use by the FAMOS consortium.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Carbonatites are controversial rocks that are associated with a diverse range of commodities, such as niobium, phosphate, copper, and light rare earth elements (LREE). This week we dive into some of the latest thinking about carbonatite genesis and ore forming processes, and consider the challenges involved in characterizing and producing these complex ore bodies.  First off, Emma Humphreys-Williams from the Natural History Museum, UK, explains how, when and where carbonatites form in the context of global tectonics and geodynamics, and questions what the carbonatite record tells us about the evolution of the mantle throughout earth history.  https://alkcarb.myrocks.info/ Next, we talk about ore forming processes in carbonatites with Wei Chen, a professor at China University of Geosciences. She provides a deep dive into the processes that generate LREE deposits on a journey that spans the magmatic and metasomatic regimes.  Finally, Tony Mariano, a long-time exploration geologist shares some real-world perspectives on the complex nature of carbonatite ore deposits, and on some of the challenges involved in converting carbonatite-hosted deposits into producing assets.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwinds. Eastwindsmusic.com

Across Canada prospectors are at the forefront of discovery.  Shawn Ryan leads using innovative and comprehensive exploration programs resulting in multiple discoveries of gold.  Jessica and Katarina Bjorkman grew up with prospecting and continue to follow their passion and explore all the career has to offer, balancing consulting and work on their own claims.  Shawn Ryan (Ryanwood Exploration) arguably the most famous prospector in Canada, tells the story of his career from mushroom picking to gold prospecting. He relates how technological advances and observational science helped his prospecting team, from using soil augurs to explore deep soil horizons in the Dawson Range, to advances in geochemical analyses, to drones and downhole televiewers. As Shawn speaks about his adventures from the Yukon to Newfoundland, he stresses the importance of understanding probability and conducting thorough research ahead of time. Growing up in a family of prospectors, Jessica and Katarina Bjorkman (Bjorkman Prospecting), were well prepared to follow their passion and build careers as prospectors.  The sisters discuss their approaches to the job and views on the industry, as well as the differences between working as a prospector (Jessica) and working as a geologist (Katarina). For both the benefits of being an individual prospector, which inherently comes with more risk but also a higher chance of reward is worth the long hours and wet days.  They also discuss government incentives for individual prospectors across Canada, and the hurdles that “the little guy” often faces in the industry.  Jessica and Katarina are inspired by science, family, faith, their love of the outdoors, and the people they meet along the way.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Prospecting is fundamental to the discovery of new ore deposits.  Geologists who prospect and prospectors who do geology are the subject of this and next week's episode.  In the Yukon Territory, Canada, prospectors are finding new mineralization with the support of a unique grant program. The Yukon Mineral Exploration Grant (YMEP) is at the root of several discoveries in the last 20 years, supporting individuals to get out in the field and take on risk. We learn about how the Yukon Government incentivizes early-stage prospectors and junior companies from Scott Casselman (Head of Minerals Geology, Yukon Geological Survey). Geologists Jack Milton (Fireweed Metals) and Ryan Burke (Victoria Gold), take the listeners on their prospecting journeys over the past few years. The interviews are pre and post field season, so listen in to hear how they progressed!Jack discusses his innovative regional exploration approach, which uses zircon in stream sediments to try and find new porphyry targets in a well-explored, but poorly exposed part of the Yukon.  Ryan gives us the run down on his two ambitious prospecting programs in the Yukon. He takes us on a journey through his recent discoveries, one a base metals target and one a porphyry Cu-Au target.  By the end of the summer, we hear surprises from both properties.  Do you have the ambition to get out in the field and find new mineralization?  Jack and Ryan both have some words of wisdom. Next episode we'll continue with the prospecting theme with special guest Shawn Ryan along with Jessica and Katarina Bjorkman.  Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Microbes have a powerful influence on Earth processes, leave clues useful for mineral exploration and provide a more environmentally sustainable way of processing ores.  Bridging the divide between geoscience and bioscience may well be critical to the future of mining and exploration.  We understand much of the potential and the impact of microbial communities, but the incredible diversity of microbes is still being explored.   New technologies and processes are yet to be discovered - will we be equipped to understand the potential and interpret the data?Donato Giovannelli is a Professor of Microbiology at the University of  Naples 'Federico II', Naples.  He studies extremophiles, traversing the globe sampling microbial communities in extreme environments, from hot to cold, acid to alkaline.  He takes us on a tour of the global impact of microbes and their interdependence with earth processes.Our second guest, Bianca lulianella Phillips  is a PhD researcher at the University of British Columbia.  She has bridged the geoscience-bioscience divide and is studying microbial communities in soils as a mineral exploration tool.  Microbial communities are extremely sensitive to their environments and reflect changes in geochemistry that other methods don't recognize.  This work is also firmly in the world of bioinformatics - finding ways to sift through large amounts of data.Microbes are used in a variety of biomining operations globally. The can metabolize a wide variety of elements and in particular can break down sulfides, solubilizing metals and turning sulfur into sulfuric acid.   We talked with D. Barrie Johnson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Bangor, a world expert whose early work and career has shaped the processes used today.  What is next for biomining?  Can we use it effectively to in-situ leach deep orebodies?Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

What does an early career researcher working on a Proterozoic Pb-Zn deposit in Namibia have in common with a senior scientist at the forefront of geothermal research in New Zealand?   Listen in to hear how passionate they both are about the negative impact of ‘Parachute Science'  - effectively dropping in and conducting research without local collaboration.  To tackle this issue, we need to work with scientists who live and work in our field areas and communicate our results with local communities. There are obvious barriers but as Halleluya Ekandjo says ‘Can we do better?  Of course we can do better.' Halleluya is a PhD researcher at iCrag in Dublin Ireland.  She has experienced first-hand the impact of outside experts visiting field locations in Africa and not collaborating with the local community.  Our conversation covers the impact of parachute science as well as what steps can be taken to create better outcomes.  How can we effectively transfer skills such that geoscientists around the globe are not always reliant on outside experts but can be in productive partnerships with them?Our second guest, Isabelle Chambefort, is a senior scientist at GNS Science, New Zealand.  She is literally at the cutting edge of geothermal science and the potential future of energy development in her country.  She is also tackling the issues of communication and collaboration as an integral part of her research program.  The ideas are challenging, and the conversation is thought provoking! Ekandjo, Halleluy-Naantu and Belgrano, Thomas M., 2022, Value for Value: End the Parachute Science Era, SEG Discovery no. 128, p, 52-53. https://doi.org/10.5382/SEGnews.2022-128 Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Join us for a Fireside Chat full of inspiring and quirky stories, first presented at #SEG100. We  are celebrating 100 years of SEG as 2021 comes to a close. These are stories worth hearing!Russell Meares, a long time SEG volunteer and well known exploration geologist shares what he has learned through his years of digging up the less well known stories of the founders of the Society. Anne Thompson has also worked to unearth the lesser known members and find out the stories behind our early women members. We hope you enjoy and wish all of you a happy holiday season.This is the last episode in Season 2 of Discovery to Recovery.  We will take a break for a few months and then plan to be back again with a new season in 2022! Many thanks to all our listeners. We appreciate you.

What are you standing on? There are secrets to be discovered in those grungy red, black and brown rocks! Deconvolution of the weathering process is critical to understanding our Earth and for exploration in both arid and humid environments.We have two extremely knowledgeable guests, who have spent their careers working in this environment. They talk about the 'messy' rocks and discuss the information hidden in superficial alteration that is important for exploration, landscape evolution and paleo-climate.William Chavez, Jr., a professor at New Mexico Tech, USA, spoke to us about the arid environment and enrichment of mineralization in the porphyry copper environment. Bill has years of experience, with special interest in what are now arid landscapes and insights into mapping in a variety of landscapes and environments.The geochronology of weathering processes is key to understanding not only ore deposits, but also paleo-climate and perhaps even processes on Mars. Paulo Vasconcelos, an associate professor at the University of Queensland, Australia, shares his knowledge as a trailblazer in in age-dating oxide minerals with examples from Brazil. We also delved into how to restore the ‘kanga' over iron ore deposits and why understanding the process of weathering will help restoration of the landscape. Above all else, we need to work to understand weathered rocks, such that all the rest of our interpretations are founded on quality mapping!Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Magmatic sulfide deposits have arguably the most quantified deposit model, but what are the game changers in our understanding? Despite a decades old foundational model for their formation, what is new and what should be considered in the search for new resources? This episode checks in with an expert in magmatic sulfides engaged in the global pursuit as well as those researching emerging ideas that shed new light on the model, including some which have implications for exploration.Peter Lightfoot, Lightfoot Geoscience and adjunct professor Western University,  began his career in academia and at a survey, but then seized the opportunity to make the switch to exploration and has never looked back. He gives us his five game changers in the understanding of the ore deposit model for magmatic sulfides, from mineral systems to big data and structural analysis.The recognition of ‘drobbles' – the coalescence of vapor and sulfides in the formation of magmatic sulfide ores stems from how we ask questions, the scale of observation and fundamental experimental work. Margaux Le Vallaint, CSIRO, Kensington, W.A., Australia, talks about her research into the role of gases in the formation of Norilsk massive Ni deposit, with implications for the Permian-Triassic extinction event.In the lead up to the early career Pt Symposium, in May 2022  (check it out on the MagSul website), keynote speaker, Eduardo Mansur,  Norges Geologiske Undersøkelse,  talks about developments in mineral analysis and potential applications for exploration. Plus, what does an early career scientist think the future holds for the science of magmatic sulfide deposits?Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

What does better ore body knowledge do for mining? Consistency in our data collection, ore sorting at the mine face and detailed characterization of mine waste, can all lead to value creation coupled with more responsible mining. This episode looks at all aspects of the mining value chain, learning where new technology, data analysis and approaches are already having an impact.Datarock is a Melbourne, Australia company working to extract high quality data from images. They analyze images and are creating expert in loop systems to augment what the geoscientist can do.  Brenton Crawford, Chief Operations Officer and founder, lays out why the type of work they do is important for our industry. Mine resource models are constrained by spacing of data collection.  To solve this problem, MineSense Technologies developed ShovelSense.  Maarten Haest, VP Geoscience explains the technology and the value created by having a system that sorts ore from waste at the mine face.The legacy of mining includes tailings storage facilities. Anita Parbhakar-Fox is at the Sustainable Minerals Institute, University of Queensland specializing in studying tailings, finding the value left behind and the potential for waste to be a resource. Her work also sheds light on what is in the ore body, possibly leading to extraction of more metal.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

For the average exploration geologist, resource estimation may appear a bit of a nebulous process, disconnected from the early stages of drilling and discovery. On this week's episode we try and bridge the gap between the first drill hole into a project and the associated estimation process.First, we talk to Jacqui Coombes (CEO of AMIRA and based in Perth, Australia). Jacqui introduces the fundamental concepts that underpin resource estimation; breaking down complex ideas into simple terms. She also describes the qualitative side of the process, emphasizing the value of good geology, good communication and logic in any resource estimation.Our next guest, Rene Sterk (managing director at RSC Consulting and based in Dunedin, New Zealand) tells us why the exploration geologist should care about resource estimation. He describes the importance of the mining value chain as a whole, and how the data collected early on in a project can be critical to understanding an orebody.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

The seafloor remains one of the least explored areas on Earth. Join us for a deep dive, to understand the science needed to advance our understanding and help to find the mineral resources that may well be needed by society in the future.We get the overview on both the history and the future from Mark Hannington (University of Ottawa, Canada). From the collaboration involved in studying black smokers and their relationship to what we know about volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, to the new frontiers of the continental shelf and beyond – there is a lot of greenfield exploration to happen in the ocean. How can we begin to understand the potential, without a geologic map? Perhaps what is needed is a Geological Survey of the Ocean.Our second guest, Meg Stewart (Mount Royal University Calgary, Alberta, Canada) tackles the seafloor geologic mapping question. As a post-doctoral fellow with Mark Hannington she took on the mapping of the Lau Basin, home to numerous hydrothermal vents and, as they discovered, complicated tectonic processes with implications for our understanding of earth systems.Lastly, we address the potential for polymetallic nodules to provide metals needed for the green transition. Samantha Smith (Blue Globe Solutions) has dedicated sixteen years to helping guide the science needed to exploit seabed resources responsibly and gives us her insights and wisdom.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Globally, the work of geological surveys supports mineral exploration, but also touches on many areas that are fundamental for human society. This week look at the different types of work at three surveys and see how they support exploration, but also wider society.First up is ‘The Capacity Builder', with Andrew Bloodworth (British Geological Survey) highlighting the work they do globally to support low- and middle-income countries. Much of this support comes in the form of providing digitization of important data records, but an important element is to exchange knowledge and skills between organizations. Andrew also leaves us with some thoughts and insights into the work of Afghan geologists. The second segment, 'The Data Generator' focuses on the United States Geological Survey, a large, multi-disciplinary organization. We spoke to Anne McCafferty a research geophysicist to find out how her work fits within the critical minerals program and what the minerals systems approach is all about. She also gives a great geological tour of the mid-continent and explains why the mineral resources in the region are of interest to the USGS.Much of geological survey work revolves around building accessible databases. In Quebec, however, they are taking an innovative approach to how their data is recorded and stored. In ‘The Data Provider', Jean-Yves Labbe (Géologie Québec) tells us how they created search engine accessible data, SIGÉOM, and are continuing to add new types of information.Lastly, in ‘Surveys and Society' Murray Hitzman, director of iCrag, Dublin reminds us that the work of geological surveys is about much more than supporting mineral resource exploration and development.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Green rocks are a common alteration feature of porphyry deposits,  but it can be hard to decipher meaningful information from them for exploration. This week we dive into the results of years of multi-organization research and studies to see what has been learned, review a case study at Oyu Tolgoi, Mongolia and get a 'reality check' with from an industry perspective.First off David Cooke of the CODES program at the University of Tasmania, Hobart provides the framework for how these zones of alteration form and what minerals and techniques can be used to help decipher patterns within them. The detailed understanding of variations in mineral chemistry are based on years of research and the input of several institutions and many researchers.Next we talk with Lisa Hart-Madigan who recently completed a PhD at Imperial College, London, UK. She provides a deep dive into her work there to characterize the propylitic alteration. In the last segment, Tim Ireland, FQM, provides some real world experience in exploration globally and suggests where these techniques might actually be helpful in guiding programs.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

The Cu-Au porphyries in British Columbia, Canada vary in setting, size, age and grade, and occur in a region with a complex tectonic history. This episode is about these systems and the key factors in their origin which also guide modern exploration. Our guests are also all authors in the recent CIM volume on porphyry deposits of the northwestern Cordillera.Mitch Mihalynuk (DEEP TIME Research Group, Oxford UK and British Columbia Geological Survey) introduces the episode by discussing the complicated tectonic setting of the northwestern Cordillera, specifically the well-mineralized Quesnel and Stikine terranes.From this introduction we learn about the southern Quesnel terrane from consulting geologist Joanna Lipske, with a focus on the New Afton deposit from the setting to the  ‘rediscovery story' to exploration. Joanna touches on the importance of many exploration techniques for porphyry deposits in southern BC and why there is no "silver bullet" exploration technique.Lastly, Gayle Febbo (Kingfisher Metals Corp.) takes us through some large porphyry deposits of the Golden Triangle in the northern Stikine terrane, discussing the importance of structure and magmatic affinity in the deposits of the KSM district.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Placer Gold Puzzles starts with the Witwatersrand, South Africa and  the long debate over the model for gold formation. After that, we head to Brazil to see how quality geochemical data analysis assisted by machine learning helped decipher a Proterozoic paleo placer. Lastly we consider changing mindsets about legacy mining through a new model that aims to create net benefit from the mining of placer gold.  Professor Hartwig Frimmel (University of Wuerzburg) takes us through the history and the science of ore deposit models for the Witwatersrand, providing insights into what makes our work relevant and how do we can do our best work.  From the Archaean in South Africa we go to Tristar Gold's Castelo de Sonhos Project to find out how Britt Bluemel (Goldspot Discoveries) used geochemical analysis of large data sets helped create a geologic model for exploration. We finish up with Stephen D'Esposito (President and CEO of Resolve NGO). Steve  spearheaded, Salmon Gold, a new venture that works with placer gold miners to rehabilitate streams in Alaska, the Yukon and British Columbia. Can we do more than just the minimum and create net-benefit for biodiversity? He suggests a change in mindset, where we start looking at legacy of mining as an opportunity.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Welcome to the second season of Discovery to Recovery! How can we use 'the human factor' to create better outcomes in mining and exploration? Nicole Doucette is host, bringing us two powerful, personal stories about navigating jobs and careers, in mining engineering and economic geology. The first is a conversation with Kal-Kidan, a mining engineering student in Australia, whose parents immigrated there from Ethiopia. The second conversation is with Pedro Maciel Garcia (Professor of Economic Geology, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Brazil and Fellow of SEG).The stories are wide-ranging, covering what is working and what could be better when companies and institutions address issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. What impact is there on your career when you are a person of color in geoscience and mining? How are companies and other organizations being more inclusive? These honest conversations range from the personal to the role of geo-ethics in mining and academia. Navigating issues of identity are challenging, but perhaps we are all getting a little bit better at creating better environments that foster diversity through equity and inclusion.Theme music is Confluence by Eastwindseastwindsmusic.com

Richard Sillitoe and John Thompson talk about the evolution of the porphyry model from plate tectonics to lithocaps, mineral zoning, and the link to epithermal gold systems. How has the classic ‘tops and bottoms of porphyry deposits’ model changed and what have we learned over 50 years to guide our exploration. A prime example of the epithermal - porphyry connection is well known at the Lihir Gold Deposit, Papua New Guinea, operated by Newcrest Mining. We talk to Stephanie Sykora who studied the porphyry processes, alteration and mineralization about the evolution of the system and the challenges of working in an environment where the rocks and fluids are still hot. The last story brings it all together, with the discovery of the Onto Copper-Gold Deposit in Indonesia by Sumbawa Timur Mining, a subsidiary of Vale. Dave Burrows, chief Geoscientist for Vale takes us through what they achieved with their exploration strategy and the unusual features of this copper-gold system. New discoveries are still influencing how we view the tops and bottoms of porphyry deposits.Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.comComing soon SEG Special Publication 23: Geology of the World’s Major Gold Deposits and Provinces. Editors: Richard H. Sillitoe, Richard J. Goldfarb, François Robert, and Stuart F. Simmons

Capturing structural geology data is important. Why? As Federico Arboleda, founder and CEO of Imago says: “There's no mine unless you can make that [geotechnical] estimation or characterization. And this is the founding data that allows you to define that.”So how can we collect this data? With the amount of technologies available, it might be easier than you think. For example, if you already take photos of your core while logging - you’re halfway there. Often the unstructured data (images, videos, etc.) we capture in our workflows aren’t fully leveraged. Federico discusses how to best capture insights provided by imagery when it comes to structural geology. And it was only a matter of time before phone and tablet apps crept into structural geology. Rohanna Gibson of Terrane Geoscience shares her tips for making sure your expensive tablet survives in the field, while collecting the best data possible. Lastly, Chris Gallagher of Rogue Geoscience takes us through oriented drillcore logging – why, how, and when to do it. He shares the top five mistakes done in this type of logging method and advice for working with your drilling team.This is the last episode produced by Seequent for the Discovery to Recovery series. Thank you for listening, we’ve enjoyed creating it. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

Even before plate tectonic theory, economic geologists knew there was an association with ore deposits and geologic structures. Nowadays, most successful exploration companies understand the importance of understanding structural controls of an ore-forming system and incorporate structural geologists in their exploration programs. This episode of Discovery to Recovery focuses on the regional tectonic and deposit-scale structural controls on ore deposition, specifically on volcanic-hosted massive sulfide, epithermal, and Carlin-type gold deposits. If you have ever wanted to know the answer to the following questions, have a listen!1. What tectonic environments are most favourable not only for formation of an ore deposit, but for preservation?2. How important is it to understand post-ore modification?3. What are the local structural controls one can look for to vector towards and ore-forming system?4. Can you make discoveries without a fundamental understanding of structure? Our three speakers discuss structural controls from the regional, tectonic scale down to the prospect scale, answering these questions and more. Rodney Allen of Volcanic Resources discusses in detail how volcanic-hosted massive sulfide deposits are formed and the post-ore structural evolution that gets them to where we find them today. He also teaches us how to look for the most favourable stratigraphic horizon within a VHMS district.Julie Rowland discusses the structural controls on epithermal deposits using examples from her home country of New Zealand, comparing and contrasting different styles of epithermal mineralization. She discusses both fossil systems and modern analogues for epithermal systems, and teaches us how to understand local structural controls when exploring for epithermal deposits.Lastly, Moira Smith of Liberty Gold provides her expert insight into Carlin-type gold deposits, and why their structural interpretation is so important. She goes into detail on the shelf facies Carlin-type deposits outside of the main Carlin trend in Nevada, and compares and contrasts the two regions with respect to tectonic setting and local structure features.All three speakers tell a fascinating story and all stress the importance of understanding structure and keeping an open mind. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

What should the relationship be between geoscience technology and the communities we’re a part of? The obvious answer is that geoscience technology should be used to enrich the lives of those in our communities. But as Paul Bauman, Technical Director at Worley, says: often the question not asked, is where should the technology come from? Should we be using bottom-up or top-down approaches to develop tech? Paul shares his thoughts on this matter, and stories from his time pioneering geophysics use for humanitarian water crisis work in the 1990s. Another question we should ask ourselves is how should we be sharing our technology and science with non-specialists? Alan Shapiro, Science Communication Consultant & Instructor, takes us through best practices for knowledge-based communication. This field becomes increasingly important as we look to a future with growing geoscience challenges, and will need to share our data to inspire new policies and lifestyle changes. Lastly, what are the best approaches to inspire innovation in technology? Holly Bridgwater from Unearthed Solutions takes us through ‘open innovation’ – and how communities can be leveraged for the future of geoscience tech. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

Exploration and mining are human endeavors, relying on teams who work in the field and offices globally. The human factor in our work is also critical to establishing strong and meaningful relationships with local communities. So should those teams of professionals include social scientists, and what is the role of the exploration geologist? The answers are complicated, but this episode is packed with information. We talk to Monica Ospina from O-Trade and to Susan Joyce of On Common Ground to learn more about what impact exploration has on communities and where we can improve. We also explore what influences our practices, is it regulatory frameworks, investors, or the companies themselves?Next we check in on a community engagement process – an open house held by Geoscience BC in a small town in British Columbia, Canada. The purpose of the meeting was to share the results and implications of a regional geophysical survey with people working and living on the north end of Vancouver Island. We went to the open house to see the process in action and hear from Richard Truman about why community engagement is important for a publicly funded research oriented organization.Lastly, community is important for sharing science as well, so when as economic geologists we lost our ability to gather at conferences and seminars due to the pandemic, two early career scientists, Alannah Brett and Tom Belgrano, took action. A tweet and an email later, the Ore Deposits Hub – an online platform for seminars - was founded. Three months later they have established a diverse and inclusive community to share knowledge of ore deposits. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

When it comes to gold, we’ve got a number of tools and methods available to help find ore deposits. But what techniques should we be using – and more importantly – how should we be using them? Some of them are right on our desktops – from machine learning and artificial intelligence, to codifying geological knowledge. But these tools are only as powerful as the context they’re used in. Shawn Hood from GoldSpot Discoveries shares best practices for applying computer science technology to geoscience, to make the best use of exploration data. The other side of gold discovery is not the tools on our desktop – but the methods we have available in the field. And when it comes to the future of gold exploration, it may well be undercover. Does water hold the answers? Join Amanda Stolze (ALS Geochemistry) and James Buskard (Nevada Exploration) for a discussion on hydrogeochemistry, and how and why it should be used in gold exploration. Our episode wraps up with a 5-minute interlude from Matt Leybourne, an Associate Professor in Geochemistry at Queen’s University. He shares common pitfalls and best practices for setting up a hydrogeochemistry program. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

The world class gold deposits in Superior Province in the Canadian Precambrian Shield are being studied with in a broad and comprehensive research program called ‘Metal Earth’ at Laurentian University. In this episode we delve into their multidisciplinary and system-scale approach to learn some of the insights coming from this innovative program. To set up the framework we talked to Richard Goldfarb, world-renowned orogenic gold expert, who introduces the orogenic gold model and the importance of understanding this model to assist in future exploration efforts for deposits under cover. We explored the research and ideas being generated by Metal Earth with several post-doctoral researchers and Ph.D students They discuss the fundamentals of gold endowment and why some regions of the Superior may be more prospective than others. Kate Rubingh takes us into the well-endowed Larder Lake area in the Abitibi subprovince and Ben Frieman compares the Abitibi and Wabigoon subprovinces and speculates on gold endowment in the Wabigoon. David Mole discusses his post-doctoral research on craton-scale isotopic mapping and what insights can be gained regarding the location of world-class mineral deposits. We then move from the subprovince scale down to the microanalytical scale and discuss trace element mapping and gold fingerprinting in the Swayze greenstone belt with Ph.D candidate Evan Hastie. All of these researchers discuss where they see exploration in the Superior in 20 years and the potential for new world-class gold discoveries coming out of the research being conducted by the Metal Earth.You can learn more about the Metal Earth program here: https://merc.laurentian.ca/research/metal-earthTheme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

There are many different aspects of ‘critical resourcing’ that mining and geology play a part in. For example, as we look to de-carbonize our economies, renewable energy will become even more important. Dr. Mark Coughlan, a Post Doctoral Researcher at the Irish Centre for Research in Applied Geosciences, talks about his time at sea – working on research cruises to map the subsea floor for offshore wind farms in Ireland, and the mineral resources needed to build them.But what about storing that offshore wind energy? That’s where batteries come in. Lucy Crane, Exploration Geologist at Cornish Lithium, takes us through the importance of lithium, new technologies available in that area, and what it means to give back to your local communities. Lastly, perhaps the most important part of resourcing is being able to staff our future geoscience industry. Nicole Tardif from Laurentian University talks us through challenges with current demands for geoscientists, and how we can provide our students with the best education going forwards. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

Join us for system-scale thinking in geoscience and a view of a more sustainable world from magmatic -sulfide sources of PGEs and Ni to innovative mineral processing work and technology metals.Steve Barnes (CSIRO) has spent a career working on magmatic sulfide deposits, leading him to some big thinking over multiple length and time scales. He talks about how his ideas were formed by key individuals and circumstances and where the multi-scale system thinking might lead us in studying other geological processes. We also talk to Steve about the supply of PGEs and what might affect the market in the future, from the impact of lower grade deposits to co-production of other base metals.Our second story centres on the one hundred-year old process used to extract metals from sulfides – froth flotation. Kathryn Hadler from Imperial College London introduces the key concepts and then poses some important questions about what the next steps are in mineral processing. How can we address the issues of what mineral processing needs to look like in 30 or 40 years, and not just the immediate challenges? Thinking about the future leads to a wide ranging discussion with Frances Wall, Professor at the Cambourne School of Mines - from the definition of critical metals to the more descriptive technology metals, sourcing REEs from carbonatites, life cycle assessment and how it all can come together in the circular economy, if geoscientists are involved.For Steve Barnes lecture - check out the Ore Deposits Hub: oredepositshub.comTechnology Metals for a Green Future can be found on: futurelearn.comTheme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com

There’s one concept everyone in the geosciences can’t stop talking about – data. Whether we’re collecting it, analyzing it, or cleaning it, the work never seems to end. As we face challenges like deposits becoming deeper and harder to find, how do we make sure we’re leveraging data in the right ways, to support us now and in the future? The first part is using the right data management practices when we’re collecting data – whether historical or new. Joanne Wood shares how KoBold Metals is approaching data intensive approaches to exploration, and her best practices in data management. Of course, we also need tools to manipulate and analyze this data once collected. Lindsey Heagy (PhD, UC Berkeley) talks about open source software development, and how it contributes to innovation and reproducibility in the geosciences. And once our data has been manipulated, perhaps we need to pass it onto another team to use. Usually, this is a long and frustrating process involving scripts and error checking. But the Global Mining Guidelines Group has introduced an open standard to combat this – the Open Mining Format (OMF). Franklin Koch (Integration Lead – Seequent) shares why interoperability matters, and his experience writing the first iteration of OMF. Theme music is Confluence by East Winds. www.eastwindsmusic.com