The Mining Pulse

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  The Looming Skills Wall: Why We Need More Engineers to Power the Green Transition with Gary Lane, Former SAIMM President 01.09.2026 42мин

  The world is demanding more critical minerals than ever before to fuel the green energy transition. But who is actually going to build and operate these mines? In this episode of The Mining Pulse, Graeme and James sit down with Gary Lane, former President of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM). Gary brings a sobering reality check to the industry: a massive skills and capability wall is about to hit mining globally. With university programs closing and veteran engineers retiring, the pipeline for new talent is severely broken. Gary breaks down why the industry’s struggle with "poor technology adoption" is actually a symptom of this skills crisis. We explore the massive difference between an "effort-driven" organization and a truly "people-centric" operating model. Finally, Gary issues a passionate call to action for young engineers—explaining why modern mining is the most high-tech, dynamic, and lucrative space for mechanical, civil, and data engineers today. Key Takeaways: •Why the world needs more copper in the next 10 years than in all of recorded history. •How SAIMM plans to digitize 134 years of peer-reviewed research into a cutting-edge LLM. •Why fixing the mining talent pipeline requires changing the perception of the industry. •How young engineers can get involved, gain leadership experience, and secure high-paying careers through SAIMM. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the Pulse.
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  "Not An Act of God" – The Hard Truth About Tailings Dam Failures 27.08.2026 52мин

  In this special edition of The Mining Pulse, James and Graeme are joined by Professor SW Jacobsz, a geotechnical engineer from the University of Pretoria who holds a PhD from Cambridge and researches liquefaction and failure triggers in tailings dams. Following recent industry events, this episode unpacks the brutal engineering realities behind tailings dam stability. Professor Jacobsz explains that tailings are the fine, liquid slurry left over after minerals are extracted, which are typically deposited into ring dikes or valleys. The discussion covers the different construction methods, including the highly common upstream method, and why allowing the material to dry out and gain strength is critical to a dam's structural integrity. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •Failure Mechanisms: An explanation of how dams fail, including overtopping from excess water, foundation failures from building over old deposits, and sudden liquefaction events. •The Mechanics of Liquefaction: How loose, water-filled tailings can instantly lose strength and flow like a liquid when containment is removed. •Operational Impact: How a breach results in an immediate halt to mining operations, alongside severe environmental and economic consequences. •Dam Management: The critical importance of maintaining sufficient freeboard, controlling the rate of rise, and ensuring a competent Engineer of Record oversees the facility. •Investigation Tools: Why geotechnical investigations must begin immediately to measure water pressures before they dissipate, and how satellite imagery is actively used to monitor moisture and movement. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  No-BS Sustainability: How AI is Rewriting Mining Compliance 27.08.2026 53мин

  This week, Graeme flies solo to run a diagnostic on the massive administrative burden of corporate governance and compliance in the mining sector. He is joined by Anastasia Koskova, co-founder and CEO of beSirius, an AI platform designed specifically to handle certification, supplier due diligence, and regulatory requests for metals and mining companies. For too long, critical health, safety, environmental, and human rights data has been trapped in PDFs and Excel spreadsheets. Anastasia explains how AI is fundamentally changing this by building "digital twins" of non-financial data, drastically reducing the time and cost associated with audits and reporting. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •The Problem with ESG Data: Why relying on scattered paperwork and consultants for 18-month audit preparations is no longer sustainable. •Sustainability Without the BS: Moving past greenwashing and PR fluff to deliver practical, financially viable compliance solutions. •AI vs. Blockchain: How artificial intelligence is eating the mundane administrative work of mining governance. •Data Security: The absolute necessity of closed-environment AI training and on-premises servers to protect highly sensitive corporate data. •Empowering Junior Miners: How accessible AI tools are helping junior miners meet investor and off-take requirements without massive overhead. A special thank you to our episode sponsor, Africa Mining IQ. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  The Hydrometallurgy Diagnostic – Automating Cyanide & Acid Control 18.08.2026 57мин

  In this episode of The Mining Pulse, James and Graeme are joined by Hansie van Vreden, CEO of Process Analytical Systems (PAS). We pull back the curtain on a critical but rarely discussed element of gold and copper processing: online wet chemical analysis. For decades, plants have relied on manual titrations to measure cyanide and acid levels, leading to subjective readings and inefficient dosing. Hansie explains how automated analyzers run titrations continuously, measuring free cyanide, WAD cyanide, and acid concentration directly. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •The Cost of Manual Titration: Why relying on operators to gauge color changes in a manual silver nitrate titration leads to inconsistent dosing. •Financial & Environmental Risk: How overdosing cyanide by just 50 ppm can cost operations an extra $0.15 per ton, while underdosing risks overall gold recovery. •WAD Cyanide & Environmental Compliance: Utilizing the picric acid method to accurately measure Weak Acid Dissociable (WAD) cyanide down to 20 parts per billion for detox management. •Acid Control in Copper: Why directly measuring acid concentration rather than relying on pH as a proxy significantly cuts acid consumption in copper leaching. •The Next Generation: A look at PAS's TAC 1000NG platform and the shift toward fully automated process control. A special thank you to our episode sponsor, Africa Mining IQ. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  The Mining Pulse: The Supply Chain Diagnostic – Port Congestion, Permits, and Freight 12.08.2026 1ч 3мин

  In this episode of The Mining Pulse, James and Graeme are joined by Bonique, Group Commercial Services Manager, and Dexter, Director at TradeStream. Together, they run a complete diagnostic on the state of African logistics, trade finance, and supply chain operations. While the global appetite for African mining expansion is massive, the infrastructure required to support it often lags behind. Our guests break down the realities on the ground, revealing the severe bottlenecks, port constraints, and hidden financial risks that operators face when moving cargo across the continent. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: • The Road Freight Reality: Why 80% of trade into regions like the DRC still relies on roads, and the impact of 7-day border queues at Kasumbalesa. • Border Integration: Unpacking the delays at Beitbridge caused by unintegrated government agency systems on the South African side. • Sea Freight Constraints: Comparing the smoother West African shipping routes to the heavy congestion in East African ports like Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. • Logistics Pricing: Understanding the 70% fixed vs. 30% variable cost structure, and why container demurrage penalties can exceed $4,000 to $5,000. • Incoterm Dangers: Why assuming a CIF contract protects you is a dangerous game that can wipe out project profit margins once the cargo hits the vessel. A special thank you to our episode sponsor, Africa Mining IQ. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  Money of Mine x The Mining Pulse: Tracking ASX African Capital 28.07.2026 54мин

  This week, we have a major Trans-Indian Ocean crossover event. James and Graeme are joined by Travis and JD, the founders of Australia's premier mining podcast, Money of Mine. We contrast the investor-heavy focus of the Australian market with the operational and technical realities of the African mining sector to understand why listed Aussie cash is flooding the continent. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: • The Inspiration: How the Money of Mine team built an independent media business without taking funding from mining companies. • The Capital Flow: Why Africa is far and away the second-largest destination for ASX resources companies. • Sovereign Risk Diagnostic: Travis explains why stable fiscal regimes are mandatory for billion-dollar, 30-year mine life investments. • Technology & Exploration: Why the failure rate for juniors might be improving with the integration of AI. • The Challenge: Travis challenges James and Graeme to ditch the studio and record an episode live on a mine site. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  Is Coal Still King? Vuslat Bayoğlu on Energy Policy, Transnet, and the Future of South African Mining 23.07.2026 55мин

  South Africa's economy was built on rocks and coal, yet the mining industry remains heavily misunderstood by the general public and global policymakers. This week, James and Graeme are joined by Vuslat Bayoğlu, Co-founder and Managing Director of Menar. Vuslat unpacks the complex realities of operating a diversified mid-tier mining company in today's volatile market. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: o Why optical political decisions regarding energy transitions are causing chaos in European markets. o The current state of Eskom: How a 7,000 to 10,000 MW surplus is negatively impacting domestic coal producers. o Transnet's recovery strategy, including opening the rail network to private train operating companies. o The technical differences between thermal coal, coking coal, anthracite, and lignite. o The reopening of Kuila Met and the critical importance of keeping the ferro-alloy smelting industry alive in South Africa. A special thank you to Vuslat Bayoğlu and the team at Menar for joining us and sharing their invaluable insights. Subscribe today to stay on the pulse.
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  Scratching the Surface: Mosa Mabuza on the Future of South African Geoscience 15.07.2026 44мин

  In this episode of The Mining Pulse, hosts James Agenbag and Graeme Smith sit down with Mosa Mabuza, CEO of the Council of Geoscience, to run a comprehensive reality check on South Africa's geological future. Overseeing the organization that acts as the custodian of the country's subsurface data, Mosa leverages his deep background, which started at Anglo American, to unpack the massive digital transformation happening in exploration. Forget the narrative that South African mining is in a sunset phase—this conversation explores why 150 years of formalized mining has only scratched the surface. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •The Exploration Investment Gap: Why OECD countries invest $65 per square kilometer in geology while Africa invests less than $5, and how the Council is working to close that gap. •The Junior Mining Fund: How the Council of Geoscience and the IDC are providing concessionary grants and technical support to de-risk new exploration projects. High-Resolution Mapping: The shift from 1:250,000 scale mapping to a detailed 1:50,000 scale, currently covering 20% of the country. •The Virtual Core Library: How hyperspectral scanning of legacy core samples allows global geologists to inspect and rotate digital core imagery from anywhere in the world. •Beyond Mining: The critical role of geoscience in infrastructure, including the seismic and tsunami modeling for the Koeberg power station extension. Listen in to discover why geology remains the sharp end of the mining wedge and how to access the growing digital data portal. Stay Sharp. Stay Informed. Stay on the pulse.
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  Hoses as Arteries: Truco's Martin Cassidy on Fluid Handling and African Mining Heritage 30.06.2026 47мин

  In Episode 19 of The Mining Pulse, hosts James Agenbag and Graeme Smith sit down with Martin Cassidy, Managing Director at Truco, to run the diagnostics on mining fluid handling systems. A chemical engineer and De Beers process veteran, Martin is running one of the oldest companies in Gauteng, founded in 1892, and leverages his deep operational background to unpack the hidden vulnerabilities of a mine's piping network. Every mine relies on kilometers of pipes moving everything from slurry and tailings to aggressive reagents; they're often treated as commodities and only noticed, unfortunately, when they fail. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •Rigid vs. Rubber: Why handmade technical hoses are built to survive when rigid piping (HDPE/steel) cracks in minutes. •The Cost of Failure: How to evaluate the total cost of ownership versus the catastrophic cost of failure, and the strategic mistake of viewing hoses as mere commodities. •The STAMP Acronym: A robust diagnostic framework for hose selection (Size, Temp, App, Pressure, Ends, Delivery). •Technical Innovation: Real-world case studies demonstrating how technical innovations, like ceramic liners, can reduce maintenance by 90%. •A 130-Year Legacy: The heritage and ongoing evolution of Truco's unlisted, family-controlled African success story. Listen in to discover how to stop chasing the cheapest hose and start engineering fluid resilience directly into your plant. Subscribe today. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  What's Killing African Mining Deals? Aon's Risk Reality Check 23.06.2026 50мин

  In Episode 18 of The Mining Pulse, hosts James Agenbag and Graeme Smith sit down with Robert Grafen-Greaney, global Head of Mining at AON, to run a comprehensive reality check on the modern mining risk landscape. Overseeing a massive $1.2 billion global mining insurance portfolio, Robert leverages his rare dual background as an on-the-ground geologist in East and West Africa and a corporate risk expert to unpack the hidden deal-killers facing the industry today. Forget static risk registers—this conversation explores the dynamic, interconnected vulnerabilities that can instantly cripple an unhedged project. Key Diagnostics Covered in This Episode: •The Junior Miner Vulnerability: Why "one-site wonders" lack the organizational resilience to survive catastrophic tailings or environmental incidents that Tier 1 diversified majors handle with ease. •The Big Tech Supply Chain Squeeze: How the explosive global demand for AI data centers has forced mining companies to compete directly with companies like Google and OpenAI for critical electrical transformers, doubling and tripling equipment lead times. •Tech-Driven Risk Engineering: How leading operations use FLIR-equipped drones, satellite-integrated tailings monitoring, and predictive AI on mill drives to prevent costly plant fires and minimize down-time. •The Corporate Mandate: Why mining executives must reposition resilience as a core production capability that protects financial growth, rather than viewing it as a compliance grudge purchase. Listen in to discover how to insulate your operation from external volatility and ensure your next project is built for long-term bankability. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  The Founder's Diagnostic: Rebuilding Uganda's Historic Tin Mine 17.06.2026 56мин

  Mike Beare (Co-Founder & COO, H5 Resources Limited) How do you take a brownfield tin mine abandoned in the 1960s, overrun by thousands of artisanal miners, and transform it into a modern, zero-waste, low-carbon operation? In this episode of the Founder Series on The Mining Pulse, we travel to Uganda to speak with Mike Beare, Co-Founder and COO of H5 Resources. H5 is currently undertaking the methodical rebuild of the Mwerasandu Tin Mine, operating an active alluvial plant while targeting a high-grade underground decline for Phase 2. In this episode, we diagnose: •Uganda as a Mining Jurisdiction: Why stable governance, cheap hydropower, and low labor costs make it an overlooked frontier for mineral investment. •The Artisanal Challenge: Navigating the complex reality of 600+ artisanal miners operating on the license—and why aggressive eviction was abandoned in favor of formalization and future underground employment. •Closure Up-Front: How H5 is executing a "zero-waste" strategy by repurposing alluvial clay for brick-making and selling sand/gravel as local construction material. •The "Fabricator" Pitfall: Hard technical lessons learned when sourcing processing equipment from China, and why design IP and component quality matter more than price. •The Carrier Metal Concept: Why you can't build a mine solely for critical minerals like Beryllium, and how Tin serves as the economic anchor to extract highly lucrative byproducts. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  The Exploration Diagnostic: Glass Box AI and the Future of Mineral Discovery 09.06.2026 45мин

  Guest: James Campbell (Managing Director at Botswana Minerals, PLC) While global demand for critical raw materials and battery elements like copper and lithium skyrockets, greenfield mineral exploration has dangerously flatlined. With major mining houses becoming increasingly risk-averse and 90% of junior explorers failing due to isolated data sets and tightening investment rules, the industry faces an unprecedented structural supply deficit. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we unpack how the deployment of specialized artificial intelligence is reversing these statistics. Returning guest James Campbell outlines how feeding terabytes of historical geophysics, geochemistry, satellite imagery, and legacy drilling records into advanced pattern-recognition engines allows junior explorers to bypass years of wide-level field mapping and jump straight to highly precise local drill targeting. In this episode, we diagnose: •The Greenfield Exploration Crisis: Analyzing the risk-averse behavior of major miners and the regulatory and financial bottlenecks causing a 10x supply deficit in critical minerals. •The Science of "Closeology" vs. New Terrain: Moving past traditional exploration boundaries to model deep-seated hidden deposits under cover. •The Sat-to-Soil Data Fusion Pipeline: Blending airborne geophysics, drone magnetics, advanced clay mineralogy satellite tracking, and ground geochemistry into a singular machine learning pipeline. •The "Glass Box" AI Standard: Why black-box neural networks fail geological verification, and how pairing 57 distinct proprietary deposit types with human judgment creates verifiable prospectivity rankings. •The Power of Open-Source Government Data: How Botswana’s mandatory geological filing warehouses give agile juniors an immediate data edge. •Three-Dimensional Inversion Modeling: Utilizing predictive algorithms to convert scattered 2D surface indicators into fully mapped 3D sub-surface mineralization blocks. •The University Paradigm Shift: How leading institutions like Wits are redesigning geology examinations around verbal defense to counter AI plagiarism while embracing technical adoption. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  Getting People Home: The Fleet Safety Crisis African Mining Can't Ignore 03.06.2026 52мин

  Guest: Waldo Boshoff (Optix) Most site incidents and industrial fatalities in the mining sector involve vehicles. While mining assets traditionally rely on reactive safety infrastructure like seatbelts and ROPS, modern predictive analytics are fundamentally changing how operators mitigate vehicle risk on public roads and at the coal face. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we dive deep into an integrated fleet safety platform that spans across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Backed by a database that has captured millions of risk events—including hundreds of engineered collisions—our guest, Waldo, outlines how advanced edge-processing AI is shifting logistics risk management from reactive tracking to predictive prevention. In this episode, we diagnose: •The Safety Evolution: The operational transition from simple reactive tools (seatbelts/airbags) and proactive tracking to predictive, data-driven modeling. •Edge Processing in the Cab: How self-contained sensors like DriveCam utilize AI to analyze human risk factors (distraction, mobile phone use, and fatigue) in real time without heavy network dependencies. •The High-Impact Numbers: Unpacking the staggering metric of 81,660 potentially fatal incidents prevented over a running 12-month period across the platform. •Regional Risk Profiles: Comparing behavioral trends globally—why the UK/EU battles distraction from food and drink, while African and Australasian mining operations are intensely focused on fatigue and cell phone use. •Driver Exoneration & Culture: Using video telemetry as a shield to professionally exonerate drivers in legal disputes and nuclear verdict environments. •Next-Gen Impairment Analytics: A sneak peek into the technical roadmap of edge AI, including alcohol and marijuana impairment detection via real-time video behavioral checking. •Strategic Geofencing: Leveraging platform-wide Business Intelligence to map geographical risk pockets and predict fatigue before a vehicle enters a high-severity zone. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  The Tailings Diagnostic: From Mine Waste to Circular Resource 27.05.2026 43мин

  Guests: Dr. Nicolene Roux (Project Engineer) & Fuldre (GM: Projects & Business Development) at Fraser Alexander Globally, roughly 13 billion tons of tailings are added to surface storage facilities every single year. Traditional reprocessing models focus almost exclusively on extracting hidden grams-per-ton of residual primary minerals, meaning that 99% of that total waste volume goes right back onto the surface. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we run a comprehensive operational diagnostic on true tailings repurposing with the NextGen team from Fraser Alexander. Dr. Nicolene Roux and Fuldre join hosts James and Graeme to unpack the "Mine Waste Hierarchy," explore the complex technical and regulatory barriers to commercialization, and outline how forward-thinking operators are leveraging modern digital tools to achieve a "zero waste" industrial future. In this episode, we diagnose: •The Mine Waste Hierarchy: Breaking down the inverse pyramid framework from total elimination and reduction to repurposing, recovery, and remediation. •Repurposing vs. Recovery: Why pulling out residual gold or PGMs doesn't solve the volume problem, and how transforming bulk waste into aggregate or building materials changes the game. •The Legacy Data Barrier: Navigating the physical heterogeneity and historical record gaps of old waste deposits that block commercial scale. •Global Success Stories: Examining how international majors like Vale and Rio Tinto successfully qualified and launched sustainable sand and synthetic aggregates. •The Digital Horizon: Utilizing satellite imagery, old production profiles, and data systems to map, rank, and de-risk legacy tailings facilities. •Equitable Community SPVs: Moving past simple job creation to structure Special Purpose Vehicles and trusts that give local communities an active equity stake in the logistics value chain. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  The Cyanide Diagnostic: Chemistry, Compliance, and Gold Recovery 19.05.2026 53мин

  Guest: Wiehan, Metallurgist & Mineral Processing Specialist (Maelgwyn Mineral Services) Cyanide is the undeniable backbone of global gold extraction, yet its reputation often sparks intense debate and misunderstanding. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we strip away the fear and look strictly at the data, running a full operational diagnostic on how this powerful chemical is managed safely and efficiently on site. We are joined by Wiehan from Maelgwyn Mineral Services to explore the delicate chemistry of gold leaching, the stringent frameworks of the International Cyanide Management Code, and the diagnostic test work required to optimize a leach circuit without destroying a project's economics. In this episode, we diagnose: •The Reputation vs. Reality: Why cyanide remains the most efficient method for extracting gold worldwide despite its complex public profile. •The Chemistry of the Circuit: Understanding free cyanide, weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide, and the critical role pH plays in keeping the chemical stable and preventing toxic gas releases. •The Cyanide Code: How the International Cyanide Management Code acts as the ultimate site safety metric, managing risks from production and transport through to destruction and tailings deposition. •Destruction & Detoxification: Unpacking the methods used to neutralize cyanide—like the SO2/Air process and Caro's Acid—before waste ever hits the tailings dam. •Circuit Troubleshooting: Why diagnostic test work and laboratory troubleshooting are the essential first stops for any mine facing poor gold recoveries or soaring reagent bills. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  The Karowe Diagnostic: Unlocking a Diamond Giant 12.05.2026 40мин

  Guest: James Campbell, Managing Director of Botswana Diamonds How does a diamond deposit go from being a "marginal" prospect to a source of the world's most valuable stones? In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we run the diagnostics on Karowe Mine. We are joined once again by James Campbell, who was at the heart of the team that recognized the true potential of the AK6 kimberlite when others were ready to walk away. This is a masterclass in technical resilience and geological intuition. James breaks down the shift in mindset required to move from a "large-scale/low-value" model to recognizing the rare, high-value Type IIa populations that define Karowe today. In this episode, we diagnose: •The "Marginal" Trap: How early sampling led to a massive undervaluation of the AK6 pipe. •Technical Pivots: The shift from traditional grease belts to XRT (X-ray Transmission) technology and how it saved the largest stones from being crushed. •The Geological Signature: Understanding the "South Lobe" and why its mineral chemistry was a vital sign of world-class potential. •Junior vs. Major Mindsets: Why the flexibility of a junior mining team was the "medicine" needed to unlock Karowe's value. •The Future Frontier: Why James believes there are still "Sleeping Giants" in Africa waiting for geologists with a "glass box" approach. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse. 🩺⛏️
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  Mine Waste to Millions: The Tailings Revolution 07.05.2026 54мин

  Guests: Craig Walter & Phildre Lotter (Fraser Alexander NextGen) Tailings are often treated as the "magic table" of mining—waste goes in, and the industry hopes it disappears. But when that "table" fails, the impact on communities and the environment is devastating. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we sit down with Craig Walter and Phildre Lotta from Fraser Alexander to strip back the technical complexity of one of mining’s highest-profile challenges. With a combined 60+ years of experience, Craig and Phildre explain why the tailings industry is undergoing a fundamental shift: moving from "out of sight, out of mind" waste disposal to treating mine waste as a potential future resource. In this episode, we run the diagnostics on: •From Liability to Legacy: How the industry is pivoting from simple "waste management" to secondary mineral recovery—unlocking millions from the very material previously considered worthless. •The GISTM Standard: Why the "I didn't know" defense is dead, and how global accountability standards are reshaping board-level decision-making. •Engineering the Future: We unpack the science of wet vs. dry-stack tailings and why a "one-size-fits-all" engineering approach is a recipe for disaster. •Water Management: The technical and logistical fight to recover water in a climate-constrained world. •The Next Generation: Why the future of tailings requires a multi-disciplinary army of geotechnical experts, social scientists, and innovative thinkers. This is the "Critical Readout" on the discipline that keeps the industry’s heartbeat stable. Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay on the pulse.
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  The Sourcing Diagnostic: Bridging the Gap Between Mines and Global Buyers 05.05.2026 55мин

  Guest: JJ Messner, Representative for the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) How does the "heartbeat" of an African mine reach the global market? In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we run diagnostics on the growing disconnect between global purchasers and upstream mineral producers. We sit down with JJ from IRMA to unpack how responsible sourcing standards are becoming the new baseline for industrial operational excellence. We move past the buzzwords to define what ESG actually looks like when it hits the supply chain—from Tier 1 purchasers down to Tier 12 at the mine gate. JJ explains why authentic community relationships and independent, third-party verification are now the "jet fuel" for building the trust necessary to keep minerals flowing into modern civilization. In this episode, we diagnose: The Visibility Gap: Why downstream buyers often have zero line-of-sight past Tier 3, and how independent standards are closing that gap. The Safety Analogy: Why ESG is currently in the same "irritating add-on" phase that safety was 30 years ago before it became core to business. The IRMA Scoreboard: How mines are using global standards as a roadmap for excellence, often finding unexpected operational efficiencies. Security of Supply: Why social license to operate is inextricably linked to maintaining mineral flow for global energy and tech transitions. The Trust Deficit: Why PR spin is no longer enough to satisfy investors or local communities. Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse.
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  The Digital Mine: AI, Data & the Future of African Mining 20.04.2026 1ч 6мин

  Is your mine truly "digitalized," or just "automated"? In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we run a diagnostic on the current state of mining technology. We sit down with PJ Peters, founder of DigiRock Innovations, to cut through the marketing fluff surrounding the Fourth Industrial Revolution and get to what actually works on the ground. PJ brings a unique "boots-on-the-ground" perspective—starting as a process engineer and evolving into an IT integration specialist. He explains why digitalization isn't a silver-bullet product you buy, but a "journey" of gaining visibility and making better decisions. In this episode, we run the diagnostics on: •Automation vs. Digitalization: Why a plant can be fully automated but still suffer from a "data dark age." •The "Small Starts" Strategy: How to use Proof of Concepts (POCs) to gain immediate value rather than chasing costly, all-encompassing "fairytale" transformations. •The Flywheel Effect: How incremental wins in equipment monitoring, logbook digitization, and predictive alerts build the momentum necessary for long-term digital maturity. •Beyond the Spreadsheet: Solving the culture of "Excel-dependency" and how to bring data into one single, consolidated environment. •The AI Frontier: How LLMs and "Prompt Engineering" are changing the way junior engineers interact with historic mine data. Whether you’re in the boardroom or the control room, this episode is a blueprint for moving your operation from reactive scrambling to proactive insight. Stay sharp, stay informed, and stay on the pulse.
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  The Mozambique Bet: Exploration, Risk & Raw Discovery 14.04.2026 40мин

  What does an Australian airline pilot do when a medical ailment ends a 30-year flying career? If you’re Peter and Damian from CAZ Minerals, you head to the remote river mouths of Mozambique to look for seafood—and stumble upon a world-class mineral deposit instead. In this episode of The Mining Pulse, we take the temperature of one of the most adventurous exploration stories we’ve ever heard. We move beyond the technical data to unpack the sheer resilience required to explore the "heartbeat" of rural Mozambique—a journey involving light aircraft crashes, boat shipwrecks, and the "natural selection" of mineral sands. In this episode, we run the diagnostics on: •The Founder's Journey: How a search for French-born crayfish led to the discovery of a heavy mineral sands deposit with 80% total heavy minerals. •Technical Vital Signs: Unpacking the early results—exceptional grades of Zircon, Titanium (up to 38% TiO2), and Rare Earths. •Operational Reality: The logistical "fever" of Mozambique—dealing with a lack of infrastructure, six-year licensing timelines, and the critical importance of local community legacies. •Resilience & Risk: Peter and Damian share what it’s like to survive a night-time plane crash and rebuild engines on remote riverbanks just to keep the project alive. •This is a story about the "gumption" it takes to explore where others won't. As Peter notes, "It won’t be easy, but it will be the most amazing adventure of your life". Stay sharp. Stay informed. Stay on the pulse.