A Rock and A Hard Place
Welcome to A Rock and A Hard Place, a podcast brought to you by Mineral Choices. In each episode, Dr Saleem Ali and Thomas Hale speak to experts about the integral but too often hidden role of minerals in our modern world. From complex communications infrastructure to next-generation clean energy solutions, minerals are the key to unlocking a brighter and sustainable future. However, supplying enough minerals to meet the world’s ever-increasing demand is a significant challenge. Stuck with a choice between accelerating conventional mining activities and finding new alternative mineral resources, what is the global solution to this global problem?
Episodes
32 episodes
Opportunities and Obstacles for Deep-Sea Mining
Join me for part two of my conversation with Erika Ilves, Head of Strategy & Business Development at The Metals Company as we discuss some of the opportunities of deep-sea mining and the real challenges and obstacles still being deal...
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Season 4
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Episode 12
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13:11
The Fundamentals of Deep-Sea Mining
Join me on this exciting episode as I speak with Erika Ilves, Head of Strategy & Business Development at The Metals Company, about the fundamentals behind deep-sea mining. We start out discussion off b...
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Season 4
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Episode 11
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23:20
Challenges in Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
Join us for part 2 with Hugh Brown as we identify some of the common challenges in ASM he has observed throughout his travels. We also learn more about how his photography attempts to bring humanity to these important issues, rather than dismis...
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Season 4
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Episode 10
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15:05
The Power of Photography and Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining
Join us this week as we have Hugh Brown on the podcast, a best selling documentary photographer passionate about telling stories about the artisanal and small-scale mining sector. In this episode, we talk about the power of photography in telli...
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18:53
Mineral Education Organizations and Best Practices in Geo-Communication
Join us for another episode with Courtney Onstad, a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. In this episode we discus some of the best practices and methodologies that should be implemented in the geoscience communi...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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19:27
Geoscience Communication & Mineral Literacy
On this episode, I am joined by Courtney Onstad, a PhD candidate at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, studying geoscience communication. Her research focuses on how science communication theory can inform geoscience communication pr...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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22:32
Gendered Impacts in Mining & Challenges for Women in ASM/LSM with Dr. Lynda Lawson
Join us for another conversation with Dr. Lynda Lawson, Senior Fellow at Queensland University’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). In this episode, Dr. Lawson highlights the roles of women in ASM and the gendered impacts in both the LSM/ASM...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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16:05
Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) and Formalization with Dr. Lynda Lawson
Join us for a timely discussion about the artisanal and small-scale mining sector with Dr. Lynda Lawson, Senior Fellow at Queensland University’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI). In this episode we provide a clear definition and descriptio...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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21:43
Mineral Security Education and Energy Communication with Anna Broughel
Join us for the second episode with Dr. Anna Broughel as we discuss the importance of not only educating future mining engineers but also international affairs students and political scientists about the mineral challenges facing society. We ex...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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13:14
Energy Leadership & The Nexus of Energy Policy and Material Demands with Anna Broughel
Join myself and Dr. Anna Broughel, Director of Energy Leadership at Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), VP of Communications at the U.S. Association of Energy Economics, and adjunct lecturer in energy economics at the School of Advanced I...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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17:31
Mineral Geopolitics & Quantifying Global Critical Mineral Supply with Simon Jowitt
In episode two of my conversation with Simon Jowitt, we explore the ongoing geopolitical challenges facing the extractive sector. Whether it is global pandemics, competition with China, human rights challenges, or political insecurity in key mi...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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19:39
Economic Geology with Simon Jowitt
Join us for season four of A Rock & A Hard Place! In this first episode, I sit down with Dr. Simon Jowitt, associate professor of economic geology at the University of Nevada-Las Vega...
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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16:01
The Role of Aggregates in Society with Libby Pritchard
Join us on this episode as we speak to Libby Pritchard, the Occupational Health, Safety and Sustainability Director for the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association (NSSGA). In this episode we will discuss the role of aggregates (ston...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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16:36
NIMBY Challenges, Ukraine's Supply Chains, and Material Independence with Corby Anderson, Part 2
Join us for part two with Corby Anderson as we discuss the challenges of NIMBY, or "Not In My Backyard," which threatens the successful development of mines and facilities to help reduce foreign influence in material supply chains. Corby also t...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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11:31
Generational Workforce Gaps in Mining and the Timeline Problem of Critical Mineral Development, Corby Anderson Part One
Corby Anderson, director of both the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy and the Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling at the Colorado School of Mines, joins us once again to discuss some of the generational workforce gaps in the min...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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15:19
Geoscience Communication and the Geopolitics of Mineral Supply Chains, Part 2 with Adam Simon
In Part 2 with Adam Simon we discuss several components of effective geoscience communication and some of the current research projects Adam is involved with at the University of Michigan. We also discuss some of the current issues around the p...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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20:15
Labor shortages and teaching about the history of mining featuring Dr. Adam Simon, Part 1
Join us for season 3 of A Rock & A Hard Place! Dr. Adam Simon joins Thomas Hale to speak about the current challenges of labor shortages in the mining sector and the importance of educating new generations about the essential role mining pl...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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18:25
Dr Sarah Carmichael Part 2
Our host Thomas Hale continues his discussion with Dr Sarah Carmichael, professor at the Department of Geological and Environmental Science at Appalachian State University. They cover the often unexpected political bipartisanship both for and a...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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14:53
Dr Sarah Carmichael Part 1
Our host Thomas Hale is joined by Dr Sarah Carmichael, professor at the Department of Geological and Environmental Science at
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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17:18
Steve LeVine Part 2
Steve LeVine, editor of EV battery publication The Electric, continues his conversation with our host Thomas Hale. They address...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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13:24
Steve LeVine Part 1
This week, our host Thomas Hale is joined by Steve LeVine Editor of The Electric, which focuses on the pioneering developments in electric vehicle batteries. They discuss Steve’s 18-year career as a...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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16:26
Cameron Scadding Part 2
In part 2 of our conversation, Cameron shares more of his perspective on why minerals matter. He discusses the impact of recent disruptions to international trade networks, the challenges of tracking global supply chains, and the solutions prov...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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14:43
Cameron Scadding Part 1
This week, our host Thomas Hale speaks to Cameron Scadding, managing director of Perth-based Source Certain International, about their pioneering work. The d...
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15:33
Dr. Alex Speer Part 2
This week, we are again joined by Dr Alex Speer, former long time executive director of the Mineralogical Society of America. Dr. Speer is a MSC fellow and the secretary treasurer of the Geological Society of America's Mineralogy Geochemistry, ...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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11:50