ScienceEarth Sciences

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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23 episodes
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Avg 42 min
English

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S1 · E22
Thursday · 57 min
Platinum Group Metals and the 100% Recycled Myth, with Emma Schofield
Platinum Group Metals and the 100% Recycled Myth, with Emma Schofield. Emma Schofield is a chemist who spent 22 years in the platinum group metals (PGM) industry at Johnson Matthey, the world's largest secondary refiner. A former inorganic chemistry lecturer at Trinity College Dublin, she found her way into industry by reading the labels on lab bottles. Her work spanned catalyst chemistry, new uses for palladium and PGM policy, and she now consults as an associate with Satarla. PGM recycling is one of the circular economy's quiet success stories, driven by value and two centuries of stewardship. Yet Emma challenges the growing demand for 100% recycled platinum. With the market in deficit and only around a fifth of annual demand met by recycling, one buyer claiming recycled metal simply pushes others towards mined supply. The industry, she argues, still needs mining. The conversation also covers catalytic converter recycling, closed-loop supply chains, why design for recycling loses out to performance, extended producer responsibility, battery passports, the risks of stockpiling small metal markets, and why policymakers should swap cross-assuming for cross-learning. Produced by Critical Productions. Sponsored by Satarla. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
S1 · E21
September 24 · 54 min
Can Secondary Metals Close The Supply Gap? with Liv Carroll
Liv Carroll is a geologist and mining transformation specialist whose career spans the UK minerals industry, mineral exploration in Turkey and a decade using data and AI to transform mining and metals companies. The spark came at nine, when the Gaia Atlas of Planet Management showed her the scale of global resource use, later leading her to choose geology over medicine. She now runs her own advisory firm and starts a part-time PhD in January.Her research asks how to build secondary metal supply chains at scale, recovering metals from wind turbines, EV batteries and copper pipes. Liv argues business as usual cannot meet critical minerals demand driven by electrification, data centres and defence. The harder barrier isn't engineering. It's supply, demand, skills and policy, with government, industry and academia needing to work as one system.The conversation also covers the circular economy, why the UK exports its scrap copper, why transformation should be iterative rather than linear, the habit of thinking two steps ahead, and the value of diverse thinking in the minerals industry and why a thriving community is one you help build.Produced by Critical Productions. Sponsored by Satarla. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
S1 · E20
September 17 · 48 min
What Conflict Really Costs Mining, with Doron Tadmor
What does social conflict actually cost a mining company - not in reputation, but in dollars? Sarah is joined by Doron Tadmor, who recently completed his PhD studying how mining companies navigate stakeholder and political risk with indigenous communities. The conversation centres on Doron's paper in Resources Policy, which examined 28 large-scale mining projects in Peru and identified $31.9 billion in conflict-related costs - 93% of it from lost productivity due to blockades and suspended operations. But the more interesting finding is on the other side: companies that invest early in proactive community engagement see significantly lower costs over time. Sarah and Doron dig into what that engagement actually looks like in practice, why Doron thinks the industry should move past the idea of a "social license to operate" toward genuine "social integration," and why understanding a community's history with past mining projects matters as much as understanding the geology. It's a much needed conversation that puts hard numbers behind an argument many have made for years: doing right by communities and doing right by the business are actually the same strategy. Read Doron's papers below: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301420726001893 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1057/s41267-025-00778-y Produced by ⁠Critical Productions⁠. Sponsored by ⁠Satarla⁠.
S1 · E19
September 10 · 56 min
Imagine a Rubik's cube: The Future of Construction and Raw Materials, with Burak Kaplanoglu
Burak Kaplanoglu was doing sustainability work long before the word was fashionable, beginning with a concern for the people on site. Born in Istanbul and in the UK since 1995, he has built his career on some of the world’s largest capital projects, from the London 2012 Olympics to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Expo 2020. Two years ago he left a global consultancy to set up on his own as director of SBKaplan, and guest lectures at the LSE. At the heart of the conversation is a Rubik’s Cube: turn one face and every other shifts. That is exactly what happens when construction tries to decarbonise, automate or swap one material for another. We can no longer treat carbon, raw materials, human rights and economics as separate problems, Burak argues – they are faces of the same cube. Alongside embodied carbon, he asks us to weigh embodied human rights. The conversation also moves through a sector facing fewer people and more machines, why small contractors stay trapped in out of sight, out of mind, the trade-offs behind timber, concrete and diesel alternatives, and why honesty about what we don’t yet know may be the most responsible position of all. Produced by Critical Productions. Sponsored by Satarla.
S1 · E18
September 3 · 55 min
The Raw Materials Hidden in Our Cities - Gareth Byatt
We recycle steel. We're rather good at it. But recycling isn't the same as reuse, and that gap is quietly costing us. In the latest episode of the Responsible Raw Materials podcast, engineer Gareth Byatt makes the case with a simple question: can a steel beam simply remain a steel beam? Today, when a building comes down, we crush much of it, downcycling steel into low-grade rebar and burying valuable niobium, copper and nickel along with it. The materials survive, but their value doesn't. Gareth's argument is that reuse has to be designed in from the very start. If we only ask what we can recover once the demolition crew arrives, most of the important decisions have already been made. He also reframes our towns and cities as mines in their own right, full of steel, copper and concrete we've already paid to extract. What would our cities look like if we designed every building to be taken apart? Listen now: search 'Responsible Raw Materials' wherever you get your podcasts, or visit responsiblerawmaterials.com. Produced by Critical Productions.
S1 · E17
August 27 · 52 min
What Happens to a Smart Meter After It Leaves Your Wall - Helen Woodcock
What Happens to a Smart Meter After It Leaves Your Wall Helen Woodcock came to sustainability through risk management, and a refusal to accept that anything is simply the way it works. Over a career in energy services, she worked inside a major UK organisation installing smart meters, heat pumps and other household energy technology, responsible for their whole life cycle. She now works independently in Northern Ireland, helping smaller organisations understand their supply chains. She talks about the ripple effect and how if we can help small businesses understand their own story, values and operations, and ask better questions of its suppliers, those suppliers go on to do the same Her argument is simple. We keep digging for new material when huge amounts of copper, steel and precious metals sit in the technology around us. A smart meter, as Helen calls it, is a board in a box. Trace its materials back and the picture turns woolly by the third or fourth tier, as suppliers, mines and sites keep shifting. It also follows the same product the other way: why a meter can be almost entirely recycled yet not easily remade from a recycled one, why a single radiator becomes an ownership grey area the moment a heat pump goes in, and why doing the right thing depends on the system around it. Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com Visit Helen's YouTube Channel, 'Finding My Place': https://www.youtube.com/@finding-my-place Contact Helen at helen@purpull.com or visit www.purpull.com
S1 · E16
August 20 · 51 min
Peter Harvey: Mine Closure and the True Cost of Metals
Mine Closure and the True Cost of Metals Mine closure is one of the biggest unsolved challenges in responsible mining, and Peter Harvey has spent the last seven years at the heart of it. His route was unusual: environmental science, then outdoor education for young people excluded from school (companies he still directs), a master's in occupational psychology, and a decade enabling mineral exploration across West Africa, Asia and beyond, before seventeen years at Rio Tinto spanning exploration, operations and closure. His argument cuts to the core of sustainable mining: the true cost of extraction has never been in the price of the metal. We pay to pull minerals from the ground, not to clean up what's left, a closure liability the major mining companies alone value at over ninety billion dollars, and one few have any incentive to disclose. Design a mine with the end in mind, he argues, and you cut long-term liabilities and leave land genuinely fit for its next use. This episode also covers mine rehabilitation and post-mining land use, the sector's culture of poor transparency, who belongs at the table (governments, financiers, and Indigenous and First Nations communities), and a Navajo approach to planning seven generations ahead. Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
S1 · E15
August 13 · 1 hr 3 min
Tim Law: Why Tax Is the Most Powerful Word in Mining
Why Tax Is the Most Powerful Word in Mining Tim Law is a chartered accountant and tax expert who spent nearly two decades in corporate tax teams, twelve of them inside a major mining company. What makes him worth hearing is where that path led - from tax returns to the murkier questions of who owns, controls and benefits from the world's mineral wealth. His argument starts somewhere unexpected: tax, he says, is the least boring subject in mining, because it is where the balance between risk and reward is settled between companies and the countries they operate in. From there the conversation widens into corruption, which Tim traces not to weak regulation but to two stubborn human forces, greed and inequality. Companies don't take bribes, he points out; people do. Along the way he unpacks beneficial ownership (identifying the real people behind a company) and contract transparency (why public deals are negotiated differently). Expect candy-shop money laundering, a potato-buying scandal, an airport shakedown he talked his way out of, and a warning about the corners being cut in the rush for critical minerals. Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
S1 · E14
August 6 · 45 min
Michael Barron: The Role of Raw Materials in the Middle East
Gas, The Strait of Hormuz and the Raw Materials Geopolitical Landscape of the Middle East Michael Barron is a Middle East political risk specialist who came to natural resources by an unusual route. He studied Arabic, worked in consultancy, then moved into the oil and gas industry - a background that lets him read a gas field and a government with equal fluency. He is also the author of The Gaza Marine Story, which traces the untapped gas field off the coast of Gaza that, more than two decades after its discovery, has still not been developed. His central point is that political events can erupt overnight, but the trends that produce them - population growth, economic pressure, shifting alliances - build over years. Good risk management, he argues, isn't about predicting the next headline. It's about recognising those slower currents early enough not to be surprised. The conversation moves through Gaza, Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, gas as a feedstock for fertiliser, the region's under-explored mineral wealth, and why national interest matters more than any single government. Michaels Book, ‘The Gaza Marine Story: The Politics and Intrigue Behind Palestine’s Untapped Gas Wealth’ is available now - https://www.nomad-publishing.com/the-gaza-marine-story-2.html Listen to Michaels’ 2023 Responsible Raw Materials Conference presentation on ‘ Building Trust Using Beneficial Ownership Transparency’ here: https://responsiblerawmaterials.com/post/michael-barron-tim-law-building-trust-using-beneficial-ownership-transparency/ Produced by Critical Productions. Learn more at responsiblerawmaterials.com
S1 · E13
July 30 · 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
S1 · E12
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/
S1 · E11
July 16 · 44 min
Connecting the Dots - A Career Across Exploration and Research, with John Thompson
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
S1 · E10
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
S1 · E9
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.  
S1 · E8
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.
S1 · E7
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
S1 · E6
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/
S1 · E5
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.
S1 · E4
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/
S1 · E3
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.

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