Responsible Raw Materials Podcast

Dr Sarah Gordon and Critical Productions

The podcast about responsible mining, critical minerals and the raw materials behind modern life, from the energy transition to the buildings we live in. Each week, geologist and sustainability specialist Dr Sarah Gordon sits down with engineers, investors, policymakers, researchers and community leaders from across the mineral value chain to explore how decisions about raw materials are really made: what works, what doesn't, and the trade-offs in between.

New episodes every Thursday.

Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com

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14 episodes
Updated Thursday

Episodes14

Newest first

Thursday · 41 min
David Strang: Challenging Everything the Industry Takes for Granted
David Strang: Challenging Everything the Industry Takes for Granted David Strang has had an unusual route into mining leadership. A Glaswegian raised in a South African mining town, he studied applied earth sciences at Stanford on an athletics scholarship, ran for Great Britain at the 1996 Olympics, then learned company-building under Ross Beaty at Lumina Copper - a portfolio eventually acquired for more than US$1.6 billion. In 2016 he co-founded Ero Copper, where he is now executive chairman of a business running copper and gold operations in Brazil. At the heart of the conversation is David's habit of questioning what the industry takes for granted. Why don't geologists have a stronger voice? Why do we assume experience only comes with age? Why shouldn't a young engineer use AI to rethink how a mine runs? And why can't a mining company create value that outlasts the ore body itself? We also explore social licence, the sector's push into AI, his sponsorship of Stanford's Mineral-X programme, and a goat-herding project that shows what genuine community partnership looks like. Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
July 23 · 52 min
Melody McNeil: Above Ground First - What Mining Can Learn from International Development
Melody McNeil is an agriculture and natural resource economist who has spent decades working with USAID and Catholic Relief Services across East and Central Africa, Afghanistan, and South Sudan - not inside mining companies, but alongside them, and who has seen first-hand what happens when above-ground conditions are treated as an afterthought. The conversation centres on a deceptively simple question: if you were the CEO of a small exploration company, how would you do it? What unfolds is a genuinely thought-provoking discussion about how the extractive industries value risk, and whether they are truly accounting for the full picture. Melody argues that geology should not come first; that the moment exploration begins, expectations form, politics mobilise, and communities start to position themselves around what may or may not materialise. The cost of catching those signals late is often borne most heavily by the people least equipped to absorb it. Together, Melody and Sarah explore informal land tenure, benefit sharing, elite capture, and the idea of treating the operating environment as part of the asset itself - not a checklist to complete, but an input to every decision from day one. They also ask a more uncomfortable question: does knowledge gathered on the ground truly belong to the company that gathered it? And what happens when it never makes it back to the communities it came from? To hear more from Melody at the 2026 Responsible Raw Materials conference, where she speaks on ‘Creating Certainty Above Ground: How Stakeholder Alignment, Political Foresight, And Community Trust De-Risk Critical Mineral Projects’ visit: https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/melody-mcneil-2026-creating-certainty-above-ground-how-stakeholder-alignment-political-foresight-and-community-trust-de-risk-critical-mineral-projectsmelody-mcneil-2026/
July 16 · 44 min
John Thompson: Describe, Don't Quantify - A Career Across Exploration and Research
John Thompson is a geoscientist who spent five decades deliberately moving between industry and academia. After studying geology at Oxford, he went on to explore for magmatic sulphides in Norway and Maine, spend four years in Australia, found the Mineral Deposit Research Unit at UBC, and serve as Chief Geoscientist and VP of Technology at Teck. The thread running through John's career is something he diagnoses with frankness - a limited attention span. What is clear from this conversation is how that apparent flaw became a kind of competitive advantage. Where most scientists pick a lane, John kept changing lanes, accumulating a different sort of knowledge: the kind that comes from four hours in a truck with a geologist who eventually tells you everything. The conversation also moves through the politics of bridging a sceptical academic faculty at UBC, what running 200 people across metallurgy and environment at Teck taught him, and the three problems he still wants to solve: the mystery of IOCG deposits, the full-stack challenge of mine waste, and the case for in-situ recovery. Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
July 9 · 41 min
Anne Thompson: A Geologist's Career at the Edge of Certainty
Anne Thompson is a geologist, mineralogist, and self-described snake that sheds its skin. Over four decades she has worked as an exploration field geologist in Australia and the Southwest Pacific, built and sold an applied mineralogy consulting company, helped produce the Atlas of Alteration, and served on the council of the Society of Economic Geologists. She also hosts her own podcast, Discovery to Recovery. What makes Anne compelling is her refusal to take the comfortable position - from her roots as an environmental activist in the 1970s, through a pivotal moment in Crested Butte where she realised the mine was not the problem, to working first-hand during the Bre-X scandal and witnessing the regulatory reform it eventually forced. This episode also covers women in geoscience, the evolution of spectroscopy in the field, and what Anne sees as the sector's most urgent challenge: training the next generation of economic geologists for the world as it is today, not as it was forty years ago. To hear more from Anne at the 2024 Responsible Raw Materials conference, where she speaks on ‘The Unrecognized Risk Of Parachute (Geo)Science’ visit: https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/anne-thompson-2024/ Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
July 2 · 41 min
Caroline Tiddy: ‘If we don’t learn how to adopt and adapt, we’ll miss the game‑changers’ - From academic research to real‑world impact
In this episode, we sit down with Professor Caroline Tiddy, Chief Scientific Officer at MinEx CRC and Associate Professor of Geosciences at Adelaide University. From her beginnings in rural Australia to an unconventional pathway through chemistry and geology, Caroline shares how she found her niche in geochemistry, and why she initially resisted economic geology altogether. Reflecting on pivotal career moments, including a shift from purely academic research to industry-focused, applied science, she reveals what it takes to build a meaningful, impactful career in the geosciences today. Caroline offers a candid look at the human side of resource development, highlighting the growing importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), community engagement, and social responsibility in the raw materials sector. She shares lessons from her own research into leadership pathways for women in geoscience, as well as practical insights on how to bring people along in challenging conversations without alienating them. We also delve into the realities of academic life, including the uncertainty of fixed-term contracts, the evolving Australian university landscape, and what it means to lead through change, including the recent merger that created Adelaide University. Finally, Caroline looks ahead to the future of raw materials, discussing the urgent need to embrace emerging technologies like AI, reduce environmental footprints, and rethink how the industry adapts in a rapidly changing world. Want to find out more about Responsible Raw Materials? Visit ⁠www.responsiblerawmaterials.com⁠ for 100s more resources, videos and links.  
June 25 · 24 min
Caitlin Byrt and Samantha McGaughey: The  Green  Tech  Revolution  Growing  Beneath  Our  Feet
What if the key to sustainable metals, minerals, and nutrient recovery has been growing in front of us all along? In this episode of Responsible Raw Materials, Professor Caitlin Byrt and Dr Samantha McGaughey from the Australian National University reveal how plant biology is inspiring breakthrough technologies that can extract critical resources from industrial and urban waste. From salt‑tolerant wheat now grown in 11 countries to plant‑inspired separation systems for metals and nutrients, this conversation shows how nature’s own engineering could reshape the future of energy, agriculture, and responsible resource supply. They also discuss the challenges of deep‑tech commercialisation, the importance of cross‑disciplinary collaboration, and why the next wave of innovation will come from the spaces between scientific fields. Want to find out more about Responsible Raw Materials? Visit www.responsiblerawmaterials.com for 100s more resources, videos and links.
June 18 · 36 min
Pim van Geffen: Why Mining Needs to Use It's Data Better
From the Arctic tundra of northern Quebec to the laboratories and boardrooms shaping the future of critical minerals, Dr Pim van Geffen’s career has been driven by curiosity, and a passion for understanding the materials that underpin modern society. In this episode of the Responsible Raw Materials  podcast, Pim shares the experiences that sparked and sustained his fascination with geology and geochemistry. Along the way, we revisit how a chance encounter with a mining company during his master’s studies led to what became a two-decade international career spanning exploration, geometallurgy, data science, and resource stewardship. Pim explains how applied geochemistry and better use of data can improve decision-making, from exploration and processing through to environmental management and mine closure. We discuss why industries often fail to fully leverage the information they already collect, how technology and data science are transforming resource understanding, and why more integrated approaches are essential for reducing waste, improving efficiency, and minimising environmental impacts. The conversation also explores Pim’s current work supporting efforts to understand Europe’s critical mineral potential at a time of growing concern over resource security and supply chains. Looking ahead, Pim shares his thoughts on the future of resource extraction, the challenges the sector must confront, and how innovation could help society meet rising demand while leaving a smaller footprint behind. Find out more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
June 11 · 28 min
Geertje Schuitema: Listening, Trust, and Raw Materials - What Psychology Teaches the Mining Sector
This episode of Responsible Raw Materials explores what happens when psychology meets geochemistry. Joining us is Dutch psychologist and behavioural scientist Prof. Geertje Schuitema whose career has spanned research into electric vehicle adoption, smart energy technologies, and, more recently, the societal challenges surrounding critical raw materials. From tackling ‘range anxiety’ in the early days of electric vehicles to understanding why people need an override button on smart technologies, we explore how human behaviour shapes the adoption of new systems and infrastructure. But the conversation quickly turns to mining, public trust, and why the extractive industries often struggle to communicate effectively with society. Drawing on insights from the Horizon Europe VECTOR project, we unpack what the public really thinks about mining and critical raw materials, why listening matters more than persuading, and how open conversations can help bridge the gap between industry and society. We also reflect on the 100 Perceptions of Raw Materials documentary and what happens when people are trusted to form their own opinions, without being pushed towards a particular conclusion. This episode is a thoughtful discussion about responsibility, transparency, and what the mining sector can learn from psychology: that being responsible isn’t only about meeting regulations, it’s also about integrity, honesty, and connecting with ourselves. Watch Geertje's talks from previous Responsible Raw Materials Conferences, and learn about the importance of trust and effective engagement in the raw materials space: https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/geertje-schuitema-2025-learnings-from-working-in-a-large-interdisciplinary-consortium/ https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/geertje-schuitema-2024/ https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/geertje-schuitema-a-community-perspective-on-just-transition/
June 4 · 41 min
John Howchin: The Power Behind Responsible Mining
In this episode, Sarah Gordon speaks with sustainability expert John Howchin about the powerful role finance plays in shaping the future of mining and raw materials. With decades of experience working at the intersection of investment and sustainability, John reflects on how the real leverage for change lies not just with operators, but with the owners of capital. From the early days of ESG and corporate accountability to today’s global investment landscape, the conversation explores how engagement, rather than divestment, has driven real progress, and why responsible capitalism must continue to evolve. John shares insights on stewardship, the rise of sustainability standards, and the challenge of translating high-level ambitions into practical action on the ground. Looking ahead, they discuss the scale of the energy transition, the growing demand for new mines, and the complex realities of developing projects in community-sensitive areas. With a focus on data, transparency, and access to patient capital, this episode asks what it will take to build a mining system that is both responsible and viable in a rapidly changing world. To find out more, visit www.responsiblerawmaterials.com for hundreds of free videos and resources.
May 28 · 26 min
Madhurii Sarkar Amoda: Mining, Communities & Integrity
In this episode, we sit down with Madhurii Sarkar Amoda, a leading voice in community development, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable mining practices in Nigeria. From growing up in Lagos to navigating the cultural complexities of rural mining communities, Madhurii shares her remarkable journey into the mining sector and the lessons she’s learned building trust between corporations, governments, and host communities. She opens up about managing expectations, negotiating difficult stakeholder relationships, and why integrity and long-term social impact are essential for sustainable development. With nearly a decade at Segilola Resources Operating Limited, Madhurii discusses the realities of community relations in the gold mining industry, the importance of ethical sourcing, and the urgent need for stronger rehabilitation and land-use policies in Nigeria’s mining sector. This is a powerful conversation about leadership, cultural understanding, conflict resolution, and creating win-win partnerships that benefit both businesses and communities for generations to come. To hear Madhurii's discussion from this years Responsible Raw Materials conference, visit https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/madhurii-sarkar-amoda-2026-trust-as-infrastructure-the-missing-link-in-creating-certainty-in-extractives/
May 21 · 24 min
Louise Porteus: From Exploration to Legacy - Trust, Land, and Long-Term Value
In this episode, we speak with Louise, an environmental and social leader in mining, about her journey from growing up in an Australian coal community to working across 50+ countries - and ultimately finding her place in the raw materials sector. Driven by a desire to create real-world impact, she shares why she moved from development and consultancy into operations, joining Thor Explorations as it grew into gold mining in Nigeria. Louise discusses what responsible mining looks like in practice - from cutting emissions and making early sustainability decisions to building deep, lasting trust with local communities. She also reflects on the challenges of balancing commercial success with social and environmental responsibility, especially in regions where land holds deep cultural meaning. Looking to the future, the conversation explores mine closure, community legacy, and how the industry must rethink extraction to create long-term value beyond the life of a mine. To find out more about responsible mine closure and wider responsible mining practices, visit www.responsiblerawmaterials.com for hundreds of free videos and resources.
May 14 · 47 min
Laura Mallabone: Everything Is Interconnected - Why Risk Drives Responsible Mining
In this episode, Sarah Gordon speaks with Laura Mallabone, Regional Director of Satarla, South Africa, and chemical engineer turned risk and sustainability specialist, about the critical role of risk management in shaping responsible mining. From her early career in engineering and insurance to working within major mining companies, Laura shares how her perspective evolved - and why integrating risk across organisations remains one of the sector’s biggest challenges. The conversation explores how decisions are really made in mining, and why risks are still too often treated in isolation rather than as interconnected systems. Laura highlights the importance of values-driven decision-making, trust, and transparency, arguing that sustainability is not just about recognising risks - but actively managing them in ways that shape long-term outcomes. Together, they unpack complex topics including investor behaviour, the lasting lessons of major industry events, and the growing influence of “critical minerals” narratives. The discussion also dives into the realities of energy transitions, the role of coal and nuclear, and why context matters when defining what is truly “critical.” To find out more about Satarla, visit: www.Satarla.com
May 8 · 23 min
Josephine Weston: Capital Matters and Reimagining Mining for a Sustainable Energy Future
In this episode, Sarah Gordon speak with Josephine Weston about the future of mining, sustainability, and the energy transition. Originally from Perth, Jo shares her journey into environmental engineering and discusses the growing importance of mine rehabilitation, cultural engagement, and collaborative decision-making across the mining sector. We also explore the Capital Matters initiative - a program bringing together leaders from across the industry to tackle project inefficiencies, encourage open dialogue, and rethink how mining can evolve for a more sustainable future. A fascinating conversation on innovation, responsible raw materials, and why the next 20 years will be critical for the industry. Hear Jo speak at the Responsible Raw Materials Conference 2026: https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/josephine-weston-2026-water-is-the-glue-of-mining-front-end-water-decisions-in-mining-projects/
May 1 · 6 min
Welcome to the Responsible Raw Materials Podcast
The Responsible Raw Materials podcast explores the systems, decisions, and people behind the materials that underpin modern life. Hosted by geologist and sustainability specialist Sarah Gordon, this series takes a deep dive into the complex, interconnected world of raw materials - spanning mining, recycling, agriculture, finance, policy, and community impact. From the buildings we live in to the technologies driving the energy transition, raw materials are essential, yet often overlooked or discussed in isolation. This podcast aims to connect the dots, bringing together diverse voices from across the ecosystem to examine how decisions are made, how risks are understood, and how outcomes shape our world. Through candid conversations with engineers, investors, policymakers, community leaders, and on-the-ground operators, the series explores not just successes, but also the challenges, trade-offs, and tensions inherent in the system. Topics range from responsible mining and investment dynamics to community impacts, risk management, and the material demands of a rapidly changing world. Balancing technical insight with human stories, Responsible Raw Materials is not about simple answers - it’s about better questions, broader perspectives, and more informed conversations. Whether you work in the field or are simply curious, this podcast offers a space to learn, reflect, and engage with one of the most important and complex systems shaping our future.