Dig Deep

What Makes Candidates Stand Out in Mining? | Advice from Industry HR Leaders (Part 1)

In this special series (Part 1 of 3) around HR and recruitment, we bring together three experienced HR leaders from across the global mining industry: Leanne Holmes, Head of People at Central Asia Metals, Paul Eagle, Vice President People & Culture at Evolution Mining, and Bridget Hunter, Group Manager Shared Services at Ivanhoe Mines. Together, they share practical perspectives on recruitment, careers, and what it takes to stand out as a candidate in today’s mining industry. Drawing on experience across operational and corporate environments, they highlight common mistakes candidates make, from generic CVs to lack of preparation and a limited understanding of mining’s unique challenges. The conversation also explores what differentiates strong candidates, including tailoring applications, demonstrating outcomes over activities, and showing genuine curiosity in interviews. Whether you're already in mining or looking to transition into the sector, this episode offers clear, actionable advice to help you better understand employer expectations and position yourself more effectively. KEY TAKEAWAYS Generic CVs are a major red flag; candidates must specifically link their skills and achievements to the unique operational context and safety requirements of the mining industry. Successful candidates demonstrate deep curiosity by researching the company's specific operations, recent financial results, and regional challenges before the interview. HR managers are more impressed by candidates who can articulate the tangible business benefits and results of their work rather than just listing daily tasks. In the high-stakes, collaborative environment of a mine site, a candidate’s alignment with core values (like safety, respect, and accountability) is often considered more important than pure technical competence. BEST MOMENTS "A CV is probably only 10% of the recruitment process... It should be a snapshot of a profile of yourself to get you that interview." "Mining is a very specific industry with unique challenges, and generic CVs don't really tell us how someone's experience relates to what we do."  "I think what impresses me most is when candidates don't just share successes, but they also talk about challenges, what they learned, and how they grew from that experience." "Understand the basics of mining—the life cycle of a project and the safety and environmental considerations—then make it clear how your skills can transfer." GUEST RESOURCES Paul Eagle: paul.eagle@evolutionmining.com https://au.linkedin.com/in/paul-eagle-80128740 Leanne Holmes: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/holmesleanne Bridget Hunter: https://za.linkedin.com/in/bridget-hunter-3a000230 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 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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Building a North American Aluminum Powerhouse: Chris Hopkins on the Thor Project

In this episode, we chat with Chris Hopkins, CEO of Canadian Energy Metals, a company advancing the Thor project, one of the more exciting emerging critical minerals developments in North America. Thor is attracting attention not only because of the scale of the deposit, but also because of its strategic importance. With North America currently importing most of its alumina, projects like this could play a significant role in strengthening domestic supply chains. Add to that a strong local infrastructure, including rail, power, and nearby hydro, and it becomes a very interesting development story. Chris brings a wealth of technical and leadership experience to the project, guiding it from early concept through testing and toward potential production. We talk about the discovery itself, the technical milestones that proved the project could work, and the broader role it could play in the future of critical minerals in North America. KEY TAKEAWAYS Initially thought to be 30 meters thick, the Thor deposit is actually over 90 meters thick. It represents approximately one-third of the world’s known aluminium supply in an area the size of a medium city. Currently, North America has no major domestic sources of aluminium. The Thor project is positioned to transform local supply chains and decrease reliance on imports. The processing techniques used for the Thor project are cleaner, more effective, and use less energy than traditional bauxite recovery. The project benefits from existing rail, power, and nearby hydro-infrastructure in Saskatchewan, which allows investment capital to go directly into development rather than remote site preparation. BEST MOMENTS "The magnitude, the sheer magnitude, was overwhelming." "I can't understate how important the potential for North America to have a domestic source of aluminium can be." "Every step is a de-risking step... the risks don't go away, they change." "For me, mining is the most exciting industry in the world. It has been a spectacular career." GUEST RESOURCES https://www.canadianenergymetals.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/canadian-energy-metals-corp/  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 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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

The Emerging Ideas Set To Shape Mining - with Janina Elliot

In this episode, we chat with Janina Elliot, Segment Director of Mining at Seequent, a global leader in subsurface software that supports the mining and mineral exploration industry. Seequent’s technology helps geoscientists and engineers better understand the earth beneath our feet, enabling smarter decisions around resource discovery, development, and management. In this episode, we’ll discuss some of the innovative work Seequent is doing across the sector, including insights from their recently released Geoprofessionals Data Management Report. We explore the challenges the industry faces in managing and integrating geological data, where technology is creating new opportunities for exploration and production, and how digital innovation is shaping the future of mining. Janina will also share Seequent’s perspective on the emerging ideas and technologies that could define the next chapter of the industry. KEY TAKEAWAYS More than one-third of geoscientists struggle with "data wrangling," spending significant time managing data rather than performing expert analysis. Seequent emphasises an open ecosystem approach, partnering with other technology providers to ensure seamless data integration across the entire mining lifecycle. New cloud platforms like Seequent allow for faster feedback loops, enabling explorers to adjust drilling patterns and targets in real-time based on live data. The ultimate goal of emerging mining technology is to automate mundane tasks, freeing geoscientists to be the "creative thinkers" the industry needs to solve complex problems. BEST MOMENTS "What we’re trying to do is to bring clarity to the complexity that is the underground." "A lot of our geoscientists in the field really struggle with the idea of having to spend a predominant amount of their time with data management and not being able to think about the problem." "Geoscientists truly are creative individuals... the idea is to provide technology that supports them every step of the way." "We’re all under a lot of pressure these days... to be able to open a conversation and to be open to the idea of integrating new technologies, new ideas, into existing systems." GUEST RESOURCES Website - https://www.seequent.com/ LinkedIn –               https://www.linkedin.com/in/janina-elliott-a0679212/               https://www.linkedin.com/company/seequent/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@Seequent X - https://x.com/seequentglobal Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/seequent.software/ 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 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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

Ethiopian Operations and Maintaining Integrity Under Acceleration - with Jorgen Evjen

In this episode, we chat with Jorgen Evjen, CEO of Akobo Minerals, a Scandinavian-based gold producer and exploration company with operations in Ethiopia. They have quietly taken one of the most unconventional paths in modern gold mining, from years of uncertainty and capital pressure to the high-grade Segele discovery. This story is as much about judgment, discipline and trust as it is about geology. We talk about the moment the project became real, what “responsible mining” actually means when decisions have consequences on the ground, and why Ethiopia’s perceived risk often differs from reality. We’ll also explore execution where plans met friction and how leadership assumptions had to change when operating far from a typical Nordic environment. Finally, we look forward: investor pressure, maintaining integrity under acceleration and what Akobo’s next phase truly depends on over the coming 12-24 months. KEY TAKEAWAYS Akobo Minerals has taken an unconventional path in gold mining, transitioning from years of uncertainty and capital pressure to achieving significant discoveries, particularly the high-grade Segele discovery in Ethiopia. Building strong relationships with local authorities and understanding the cultural context are crucial for navigating the regulatory landscape. The company's approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has shifted from a theoretical framework to practical, on-the-ground actions. Akobo Minerals faced significant operational challenges, including delays due to external factors like the COVID-19 pandemic and local conflicts. BEST MOMENTS "In 2015, we did an RC drilling campaign. It didn't come up with much. At that point, we were a bit like, okay, this is hard, this is difficult. But we kept on going." "Trust is undervalued or underestimated. It's number one in my book. I cannot compromise, even though I'm being told to compromise." "You have to work within the local framework. In Norway, we have an extremely flat management structure. In Ethiopia, you have an extremely silo-based management system." "We’re cash flow positive, we can finally lift site from the mine and back on to exploration. The mine will produce, we’re doing a new vertical shaft that will close to 10 double the output by the end of the year." GUEST RESOURCES Website: https://www.akobominerals.com Email: jorgen@akobominerals.com  LinkedIn (Company): https://www.linkedin.com/company/akobominerals/ LinkedIn (Personal): https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorgen-evjen X - https://x.com/akobominerals 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 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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

The Future of Patriot Resources: Capital Allocation and Project Prioritisation in a Tightening Market

In this episode, we chat with Dominic Duggan, CEO of Patriot Resources, a junior miner exploring for precious metals, copper and lithium across South America (Tassa), Zambia, Africa (Kitumba project) and in Canada. Dom has moved from the technical and operational side of mining into the CEO role, so we talk about how that changes the way you think from evaluating rocks to allocating capital and prioritising projects across multiple jurisdictions. We also get into what actually needs to be proven early to turn a project into a real development opportunity, the technical signals that justify expanding a drilling program, and why time on site often tells you more than a presentation ever can. We also discuss permitting, community engagement, capital discipline, and the kind of leader he’s consciously trying to be and much more.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Engaging meaningfully with communities can facilitate permitting processes and create mutual benefits, rather than viewing community engagement as a hurdle. Patriot Resources is prioritising its Tassa project in Peru, which has shown promising results with a maiden resource of 31 million ounces of silver equivalent Before committing to larger drill programs, the company looks for specific technical signals, such as consistent mineralization and the presence of sulfides Dom aims to be an authentic and approachable leader, focusing on understanding the operations and engaging with the investor community BEST MOMENTS "We're fortunate that there's been a relationship there for a number of years with the local community, but it's certainly something that we're looking to build on and get right from the outset." "The silver price has been really well supported. We certainly share a long-term view around a new price equilibrium or floor, away from the historical lows." "There are some technical signals that the team are seeing there, like the presence of sulfides in multiple locations, sort of consistent mineralization." "I certainly want to live the experience and spend as much time with the teams and in the assets as possible." GUEST RESOURCES Website:https://www.patriotresources.com.au Email (general enquiries):info@patriotresources.com.au Email (CEO)dduggan@patriotresources.com.au LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/patriot-resources-limited/ X (Twitter):https://x.com/Patriot_ASX 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 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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/