Dig Deep – The Mining Podcast Podcast Rob Tyson

In this episode, we chat with Chris Griffith, CEO of Base Metals at Vedanta Resources, a global powerhouse of minerals, power, and energy companies within the group where these businesses have multiple subsidiaries within a portfolio of operations and projects comprising of operations in Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, Nickel, and Aluminium.
Chris has a wealth of experience in the mining industry and previously served as the CEO of Gold Fields and also two major mining business, Anglo American Platinum and Kumba Iron Ore. Now with Vedanta, he tells us more about the company and the demerger of its business into 6 separately listed companies. He also discusses the critical minerals space in general and the geo-politics impacting on the critical minerals industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Vedanta Resources is planning to demerge into six separately listed companies, each focusing on specific commodities, which is expected to unlock substantial value. The base metals division of Vedanta, has significant growth plans, aiming to increase zinc and copper production to over a million tons each by 2030. Geopolitics is impacting the critical minerals industry, with countries like the US, Canada, and China focusing on securing critical mineral assets and investing in African mining projects. Vedanta's mines and processing plants are strategically located in favourable mining jurisdictions like South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, India, and the Middle East to capitalise on growth opportunities. Vedanta has made significant progress in ESG initiatives, ranking among the top three globally in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and responsible mining practices. BEST MOMENTS
"I think the potential for Africa growth with the demand for critical minerals, and as we see the growth of the world needing growth in mining, you'll continue to see expansion of mining in Africa."
"We've already seen 100% growth in the share price in this past year. I think as the demerger happens, which I think is one of the key things to watch for, I think that's all lined up to happen." 
"The real jewel in the crown is the fact that KCM, the Konkola copper mines in Zambia, which has been sort of under government control for the past five years, we announced at the end of last year that we had reached agreement with government and now just needed to go through the regulatory approval process."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
https://www.vedantaresources.com/
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.
CONTACT METHOD
rob@mining-international.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mini

In this episode, we chat with Brian Menell, Chairman and CEO at TechMet, who acquires and manages projects that produce, process, and recycle the critical metals that are key components of batteries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems across a range of commodities including cobalt, lithium, nickel, tin, tungsten and rare earth metals.
Brian is a businessman who, over the last 25 years, has been involved in energy and natural resources projects across Africa, South/North America, and Europe and founded TechMet back in 2017. On the podcast, Brian talks about the growth of TechMet, their work with the US government, and the importance of securing criteria mineral supply chains across the world.
Brian is also going to be attending and speaking at the upcoming London Indaba at the InterContinental Park Lane London on 25th & 26th June titled “Investing in resources and mining in Africa” with a focus on Africa’s critical role in the minerals and metals of the future.
So book your tickets below and we will see you there: https://www.londonindaba.com/other-indabas/the-london-indaba-2024?book=1
The event: https://www.londonindaba.com/other-indabas/the-london-indaba-2024
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Brian is the chairman and CEO of TechMet, a company focused on acquiring and managing projects that produce critical metals for batteries, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems. TechMet invests in projects that uphold high ESG standards, have low carbon footprints, and support transformative technologies to meet the growing demand for critical minerals. TechMet has 10 operating companies across North America, South America, Africa, and Europe, with a focus on metals like nickel, cobalt, tin, tungsten, and rare earth metals. The company has received direct equity investment from the US government, allowing them to accelerate their programs and gain preferential access to other US government departments for further funding. Brian will be speaking at the upcoming London Indaba event, focusing on beneficiation in Africa and turning mined resources into high-value products to support global industry. BEST MOMENTS
"We're at the beginning of a 20-year supply-demand dislocation for lithium-ion battery metals, for rare earth metals, for energy infrastructure metals, that is really unprecedented in our lifetimes." 
"We only invest in projects that have the potential to uphold high ESG standards and low carbon footprint in regions where we can ensure that is the case." 
"It's been massively important for us, not only in terms of the quantum of investment, but in terms of the de-risking and credentialising impact of U.S. government investment." 
"It's very difficult to compete with China in specialty metal chemical processing. And to do that in a way that doesn't retard investment in primary resource extraction." 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
https://www.techmet.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/techmet-ltd/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmenell/
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them deve

In this episode we chat to Marty Knauth, CEO of Zanaga Iron Ore Company (ZIOC) who are an iron ore exploration and development company with their flagship asset Zanaga Iron Ore Project which is located in the Republic of Congo.
I’ve known Marty for more than 10 years now and has a strong reputation for building teams, turning visions into reality and generally getting things done in numerous cultures and countries. He has recently joined Zanaga Iron Ore as CEO and joins us to talk about an exciting project he is leading in the Republic of Congo, some of the challenges the project is developing solutions for, and a general discussion about leadership in the minerals sector.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Marty has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, with a strong reputation for building teams and turning visions into reality in various countries and cultures. Zanaga Iron Ore Project in the Republic of Congo has a compelling investment case, with well-understood geology, low strip ratio, and a two-stage capital profile for hematite and magnetite processes. Clear and consistent communication has been key to building trust with the government of the Republic of Congo and other stakeholders, demonstrating the importance of integrity in relationships. The mining industry faces a major challenge in attracting and retaining skilled individuals with the right attitude and aptitude for the work, highlighting the need for better promotion of the industry's value. Zanaga Iron Ore is focused on partnerships and front-end engineering and design phase in the next 15-18 months, aiming for a construction decision in mid-2026 and commissioning in the first half of 2030 for the phase one hematite process. BEST MOMENTS
"We need to work harder. We need to train harder. We need to communicate harder around that mining, materials management, bulk materials handling through quality products that we all, all of our raw feed goes into actually does make a difference to the planet." 
"The key challenge is reminding people who Zanaga are, what we're about, and the scope and the scale of this project."
"Obviously, what you've been talking about is branding of our industry. And I suppose and I hear often that we're not good promoters of our own industry."
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
https://www.zanagairon.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/zanaga-iron-ore-company-ltd/about/
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.
CONTACT METHOD
rob@mining-international.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the lis

In this episode, we chat with Emanuel Proença, CEO of Savannah Resources who are one of Europe’s leading conventional lithium development company with one of the most significant lithium raw material assets within the European Union.
Emanuel is an experienced business executive and an expert in the energy transition in mobility with a strong track record of managing transformation and generating growth within sectors including, green fuels production and market development, electrification of mobility, liquid fuels hedging, trading, logistics and retail of liquid fuels, and digitalisation.  Emanuel gives us an overview of Savannah Resources and how the project is going to help with Portugal’s energy transition.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Savannah Resources' Barroso Lithium project in Portugal is crucial for Portugal's energy transition and Europe's energy transition. The project aims to be in production by the end of 2026, contributing significantly to the European lithium supply chain. The project has a strong management team with experience in the mining and lithium sectors, positioning it well for success. Savannah Resources is actively engaging with the local community, aiming to bring economic benefits and support to the region. BEST MOMENTS
"The project alone can deliver a third of the Critical Raw Materials Act objective for lithium. So a target that seemed ambitious given the tradition that Europe has in mining becomes totally achievable." 
"The project is positioned in a location that allows us to be very well positioned to serve the refining sector throughout Europe." 
"The level of urgency, the speeds at which the CRMA was delivered after it started, make me conclude today that yes, Europe will be able to deliver on its strategy and will be able to speed up." 
"The board helps us with execution, ensuring that we are doing things right and that we are executing to the best standards." 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
Website: https://savannahresources-wwwsavannahresourcescom.azurewebsites.net/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savannah-resources-plc/
X: https://x.com/savannahres
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.
CONTACT METHOD
rob@mining-international.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics. 

In this episode, we chat to Rob Mosig, Non-Executive Technical Director for Alien Metals who are a global minerals exploration and development company that will shortly make the transition to iron ore producer. The company now holds a collection of high-quality projects within its portfolio, spearheaded by its Hancock DSO (direct shipping ore) iron ore project in which it has a 90% holding, through its 100% owned subsidiary the Iron Ore Company of Australia (IOCA).
Rob is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in lateritic terrain, platinum group metals, diamonds, and precious metals and has been previously a founding CEO and MD of a few ASX-listed companies during his career. He talks about Alien Metals, its projects, exploration activities, and the strategic outlook for the company.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Rob has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, particularly in platinum group metals, diamonds, and precious metals. Alien Metals is a small junior exploration company with two significant brownfields projects in iron ore and platinum group metals, focusing on imminent development. The strategic vision for Alien Metals includes transitioning to a miner in the near term by prioritising iron ore production while also developing the Pinderi Hills project for platinum and silver mining. The key ingredients for Alien Metals to transition to a miner include building a strong team, focusing on quality projects, and managing finances carefully. The exploration industry has evolved over the years with advancements in drilling technology and geophysical methods, providing opportunities for Alien Metals to enhance their exploration activities. BEST MOMENTS
"I think teamwork is one of the big ingredients that's necessary. Then I think we need projects that we believe in." 
"There's been some excellent discoveries made by office interpretation. But overall, I think there has been less field time." 
"I believe that iron ore will be in focus. And I believe that with regards to Pinderi Hills and its silver and platinum, my main aim now is to assist the team." 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-mosig/
Website: https://www.alienmetals.uk/
Email address: robertwmosig@gmail.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.
CONTACT METHOD
rob@mining-international.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics. 

In this episode, we chat with JC Grobbelaar, Director of Integrated Technology Solutions at GardaWorld International who are a global leader in security services, GardaWorld with a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals to protect their clients’ businesses, employees, and assets in a for complex regions and industries, such as the mining industry.
With a background in the military, JC leads the Integrated Technology Solutions Division for GardaWorld International and heads up a team of experts that is responsible for the design, project management, and deployment of integrated technology solutions across a range of industries. JC talks to us about GardaWorld, and what they do in the mining industry, and discusses using more advanced technology to minimise risk in our industry. Plus an update on the African mining industry around risk.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
JC Grobbelaar is the Director of Integrated Technology Solutions at GardaWorld International, a global leader in security services for high-risk conflict zones, including the mining industry. GardaWorld focuses on integrating technology solutions to minimise risk and enhance productivity in mining operations. Smart mining, as defined by GardaWorld, involves integrating various technologies to improve communication and efficiency across different aspects of mining operations. Human capital management plays a crucial role in ensuring safety and compliance within mining companies, with a focus on payroll, time and attendance, and HR management. BEST MOMENTS
"I think the critical part is to have strategic alignment with head office to the P&L owner of the mine operation itself." 
"Mining has been able to survive in most harshest and the highest conflict areas in the world across many, many, many years." 
"We operate in more than 50 countries. Currently, globally, we've got about 150,000 people working for us." 
"Smart mining for us is integrating all of the silos between HR, IT, production, planning, mine planning, health and safety and security." 
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Mail:        rob@mining-international.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 
Web:        http://www.mining-international.org
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gardaworld-africa/ 
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/gardaworld 
X
https://x.com/GardaWorld 
Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/@GardaWorldSecurity
ABOUT THE HOST
Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.
CONTACT METHOD
rob@mining-international.org
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/
Podcast Description
Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.