Suits and Boots | The Critical Minerals Podcast

TDi Sustainability

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Insights and discussions on hot topics from the world of critical minerals from TDi Sustainability's expert analysts and specialist guests.With suits in the boardroom and boots on the ground, TDi provides a 360-degree perspective on sustainability and long-term business resilience for businesses across the length and breadth of global mineral and metal value chains.

6d ago

The new rules of the critical minerals game | Rethinking independence in an interdependent world

Critical minerals are no longer just an economic or energy-transition issue. They are increasingly treated as a question of national security, changing how governments invest, how companies assess risk, and how supply chains are built. The speakers in this podcast are: Rt. Hon. Dominic Raab | Head of Global Affairs | Appian Capital AdvisoryWidad Whitman | Head of Supply Chain Security | Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, U.S. Department of EnergyGabriel Rațiu | Supply Chain Policy Officer | NATOThe conversation examines the shift from “just-in-time” to “just-in-case” supply chains; strategic stockpiling, grants, loans, floor prices and other forms of government intervention; and the difficult balance between resilience and commercial discipline. The speakers ask whether genuine mineral independence is achievable, or even desirable, in an industry built on international interdependence, and consider how allied countries can specialise and cooperate without simply creating competing subsidy regimes. They also tackle one of the central questions facing the sector: who pays for resilience? And, as the United States, Europe and their partners seek to diversify critical mineral supply chains, what does a genuinely better offer look like for mineral-producing countries seeking investment, jobs, processing capacity and greater value addition at home? Looking towards 2030, the discussion considers whether the result will be competing mineral blocs or a more diversified but still connected global system - and why companies themselves may need to start treating critical mineral dependencies as a core strategic risk. This episode is part of the TDi Sustainability special series of podcasts produced ahead of Resourcing Tomorrow 2026, taking place in London from 1–3 December. Find out more about the event here.
Oct 7

AI and Innovation in Mining: But do we Dig it?

Technology, talent and innovation strategy are becoming increasingly connected in mining. AI, automation and digital systems are changing discovery, decision-making and operations, while new physical technologies could reshape how rock is broken, moved and processed. The challenge is turning that potential into repeatable gains in productivity, safety and environmental performance. Moving beyond pilots requires investment, reliable data and trust in new approaches, while retaining the geological expertise and operational judgement essential to sound decisions. The speakers in this podcast are: Jef Caers: Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Geophysics, Stanford University; Founder, Stanford Mineral-XMark Frayman: Managing Partner, Orion Industrial VenturesRoby Stancel: Managing Partner, Innovation ArchitectsThis episode explores what disruptive innovation looks like in practice and what it takes to scale it. The speakers examine how capital, technology and human capability can work together to deliver meaningful improvements across mining. They also consider how technology is changing workforce skills and roles, and how companies can build the confidence and capability needed to adopt new ways of working. This episode is part of the TDi Sustainability special series of podcasts produced ahead of Resourcing Tomorrow 2026, taking place in London from 1–3 December. Find out more about the event here.
Sep 22

Price, Proof and Licence to Operate: What Downstream Really Asks of Lithium Producers

In this episode, recorded live at the Fastmarkets European Battery Raw Materials Conference in Budapest, TDi's Joséphine Quioc sits down with Astrid Karamira of the International Lithium Association (ILiA) to unpack what downstream companies really expect from lithium producers today. Joséphine and Astrid discuss: - What's changed in the industry over the past 12 months - The ESG topic lithium producers are asked about most: carbon footprint and GHG performance, and the rise of life-cycle assessments - How the scope of downstream due diligence has widened – from human rights risk checks to full product-level traceability across environmental and governance topics too - The growing appetite for third-party assurance - Whether a "green premium" is real – and why Astrid believes the goal should be making responsible production the norm, not an exception - Where ESG performance actually gets rewarded: including market access, investment decisions, and social licence to operate This conversation was recorded live at Fastmarkets European Battery Raw Materials Conference 2026 in Budapest. It is part of TDi Sustainability's Suits and Boots podcast series. It was recorded in partnership with Fastmarkets. Learn more about TDi Sustainability: tdi-sustainability.com
Sep 17

Secure, Sovereign, Supplied? The New Critical Minerals Race

Critical minerals supply chains have moved from an efficiency problem to an economic-security and industrial-strategy problem. Export restrictions, geopolitical competition, volatile prices and heavy concentration in processing have made governments more willing to use public finance, strategic offtake, stockpiling and allied partnerships to create alternative supply. The challenge is translating sovereignty from policy intent into commercially durable projects. No country can be self-sufficient across every mineral and processing stage, so resilience depends on trusted partners, investable infrastructure, functioning midstream capacity and market signals that reward diversification without fragmenting trade or weakening responsible production. The speakers in this podcast are: Helaina Matza: Chief Strategic Development Officer, TechMet LtdPhotinie Koutsavlis: Vice President, Economic Affairs and Climate Change, Mining Association of CanadaThis episode explores how mineral sovereignty can strengthen supply security without pursuing unrealistic self-sufficiency. The speakers examine the partnerships, infrastructure, investment and market interventions needed to build resilient critical mineral supply chains. They also consider how success can be measured through commercially viable projects, responsible production and fewer supply vulnerabilities. This episode is part of the TDi Sustainability special series of podcasts produced in advance of the Resourcing Tomorrow 2026 event that will take place in London between 1-3 December. Find out more about the event here.
Sep 2

From Dialogue to Delivery: Bridging the Execution Gap

As demand for critical minerals accelerates, the gap between ambition and delivery continues to widen. Projects remain slow to advance, often taking decades due to regulatory complexity, capital discipline, and operational constraints. The industry is being pushed to move beyond planning and into execution that delivers tangible outcomes. The speakers in this podcast are: Darryn Quayle: Vice President, Mining for WorleyTerry Briggs: Chief Development Officer for Anglo Gold AshantiChristopher Vandome: Senior Research Fellow, Global Economy and Finance Programme and Africa Programme; Lead, Critical Minerals Initiative, Chatham HouseAssheton Stewart Carter: Executive Chair, TDi Sustainability (Host)The speakers argue that the execution gap is systemic rather than technical, emphasising that feasibility studies must be designed to build mines rather than simply raise capital, that execution expertise and affected stakeholders should be involved at concept stage, and that projects must be aligned with corporate, national and local priorities. This episode is part of the TDi Sustainability special series of podcasts produced in advance of the Resourcing Tomorrow 2026 event that will take place in London between 1-3 December. Find out more about the event here.
Jul 31

Climate Modelling and the Future of Mining

For many years, climate discussions have focused on emissions reduction and net-zero commitments. But increasingly, companies and investors are asking a different question: how will a changing climate affect the places where we operate, the materials we produce, and the communities and supply chains that support them? This episode explores how climate models, emissions scenarios and site-level hazard data can be combined with operational vulnerability assessments to identify physical climate risks, understand how they may evolve over time, prioritise adaptation and support more resilient investment and business decisions. Through their partnership on TDi’s digital platform, TDi Sustainability and AXA Climate are translating this climate data into practical, asset-level intelligence that helps companies identify risk hotspots, prioritise vulnerable operations and strengthen resilience across mineral value chains. Speakers include: Christelle Castet – Head of Science, AXA Climate Clàudia Ylla Arbós – Flood and Climate Risk Expert, AXA Climate Charlotte Selvey Miller - Head of Innovation and Productisation, TDi Christelle Castet leads the development of climate risk models and adaptation indicators, where she helps organisations understand and respond to the physical impacts of climate change. Working at the intersection of climate science, risk analytics and business decision-making, she oversees a multidisciplinary team of experts in geosciences, agronomy and data science, ensuring that the latest scientific research is translated into practical insights for industry and communities. Clàudia Ylla Arbós specialises in the assessment and modelling of physical climate risks and their implications for businesses, infrastructure and communities. Her work focuses on translating complex climate and hydrological data into actionable insights that help organisations understand their exposure to future climate hazards and strengthen long-term resilience strategies.
Mar 31

The Just Transition in Practice: From Capital Markets to Critical Minerals

In this episode, we explore the intersection of finance, justice and the energy transition - and what a truly “just” approach to mining looks like in practice. We discuss the role of investors in helping to ensure the transition to net zero is not only fast, but fair - and why justice, accountability and strong institutions may be the defining ESG issues of our time. Speakers include: Soledad Mills I Senior Vice President at TDi Sustainability Ashley Hamilton Claxton | Head of Responsible Investment at Royal London Asset Management (RLAM)Ashley Hamilton Claxton is a responsible investment specialist at RLAM, where she focuses on stewardship, sustainability, and long-term value creation for clients. With extensive experience in environmental, social and governance (ESG) integration, Ashley works closely with companies, policymakers and industry stakeholders to drive meaningful progress on systemic sustainability challenges.
Mar 26

The End of Mining? Or the Beginning of Legacy?

Across the world, thousands of mining operations will enter closure and transition in the next two decades. The question of what happens to mining developments once extraction stops – how closure is planned, financed, governed, and who should take responsibility – are defining issues for an industry facing fresh scrutiny amidst debates around critical minerals and a just energy transition. In this episode, we discuss legacies as encompassing environmental, social, cultural, economic and governance dimensions that can extend well beyond the mine footprint and persist across generations. Speakers include: Soledad Mills I Senior Vice President at TDi Sustainability Dr. Guy Boggs | CEO at CRC TiMEDr. Rob Stevens | Senior Associate at IGFGuy has extensive experience providing leadership in innovation and actively working at the interface of industry and research. He has led the delivery of large Australian Government funded programs driving knowledge development and industry practice change. At IGF, Rob’s work focuses on supporting member countries with advancing their technical capacity and legal and policy frameworks on mine closure and the post-mining transition.

Insights and discussions on hot topics from the world of critical minerals from TDi Sustainability's expert analysts and specialist guests.With suits in the boardroom and boots on the ground, TDi provides a 360-degree perspective on sustainability and long-term business resilience for businesses across the length and breadth of global mineral and metal value chains.

Creator

TDi Sustainability
Years Active

2024 - 2026
Episodes

41
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Suits and Boots | The Critical Minerals Podcast
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Suits and Boots | The Critical Minerals Podcast