Minerals - Discovery to Recovery

The future of geoscience is being shaped by our students. In this episode host Joy Carter showcases two top student entries. We're diving into emerging technologies and exploring how they may shape our industry in the years ahead. First we are featuring the first place team from the University of Toronto in Canada about a topic on everyone's mind these days, artificial intelligence. This is the third and final episode highlighting the SEG 2025 Student Podcast Challenge and we finish it with t...

What does it mean to be a geologist and an explorer? With introductions by Joy Carter, this is the first of three special episodes. We hear from two individuals with a rich history in geology and exploration, how the industry has changed throughout their careers and their advice to geologists. These episodes were top entries from the Society of Economic Geologists’ 2025 Student Podcast Challenge. The 2026 competition is now underway! Submissions are due August 21, 2026.&nbsp...

Host Anne Thompson explores the diverse and innovative methods being employed in Australia to build and retain the technical workforce in the mining industry. From attracting new talent, to supporting early career geoscientists, to training professionals from other industries - this episode might just change your perspective on what is possible. First up, Brendan Howard, General Manager for Technical Capability at Rio Tinto and a founder of the MiEX (Minerals Industry Experience) Progra...

Dive deep into a mega-magmatic mineral system — the Bushveld Complex with host Maxwell Porter. Max is joined by Professor Wolfgang Maier and Dr. Erin Thompson who share their insights on the geological setting, economic significance, and evolving scientific understanding of this world-class mineral province. Wolfgang Maier discusses the Bushveld Complex’s geological framework, its importance in today’s resource landscape, and the controversies surrounding models for its genesis — and how thes...

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 Keevi...

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 Fück SEG STUDENT CHAPTER – University of Brasili...

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 ca...

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 pr...

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 mi...

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 collabo...

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, ...

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 ...

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 o...