When the mining industry says we are searching high and low for minerals - we mean it. When I joined the mining industry, I never thought I’d see the era of deep sea or space mining, but this summer, there seems to be so much attention on both! Whether or not any of this gets going soon is a whole other story, but I always knew geology was an out-of-this-world career path! 🥁 Learn more about space rocks in the News section, and, as always, I hope you enjoy the latest Weekly Nugget!
Jess Scanlan
Head of New Media
🔥 What's New
🚨 Today! 🚨 August Monthly Mining Roundup
Be sure to join in our our latest livestream, featuring special guest Ryan Sistad of Better In Our Back Yard! This is a discussion you won’t want to miss!
Upcoming: BHP Xplor Webinars On September 6th And 7th
BHP Xplor 2.0 is now open for applications! BHP Xplor is a unique, six-month accelerator program for early-stage explorers looking to fast-track their geologic concepts and become investment ready. If you’re interested in joining the upcoming webinars, learning more, or applying, click the button below!
See You In Beaver Creek!
The Prospector team is excited to again be attending the Precious Metals Summit in Beaver Creek! Stop by our booth to say hi and see what’s new, and be sure to catch founder Emily King on the Planet MicroCap live panel on September 12th at 9:20 AM in Room 1, Heritage Hall.
NASA Selects Geology Team For Artemis Lunar Landing
NASA has assembled an expert geology team to help plan scientific activities for the upcoming Artemis III mission, the first crewed lunar landing in over 50 years. Led by Dr. Brett Denevi, the team will determine geological objectives and design the surface science campaign that astronauts will conduct near the lunar South Pole. This includes advising on astronaut moonwalks, sample collection, photography, and measurements. Analyzing these lunar samples and data will reveal new insights about the Moon's formation and evolution and help NASA prepare for establishing a sustained human presence on the lunar surface.
Australia, Canada, And US Unify Critical Minerals Data
The U.S. Geological Survey, Geological Survey of Canada, and Geoscience Australia have collaborated to release over 40 geological, geophysical, and mineral resource datasets spanning North America and Australia. This international data compilation will enable new research into critical mineral deposits across borders and inform assessments of natural hazards and resources. It is part of the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative, a partnership between the three nations to understand critical mineral supplies through data sharing and scientific collaboration.
LME Warehousers Bet Great Metals Destock Is Over
The London Metal Exchange's warehousing business is rebounding as metal inventories rebuild from multi-year lows. Though bad for metal bulls, growing stockpiles signal recovery for the exchange's shrinking storage network after sharp capacity declines in 2021-2022, as weaker manufacturing activity globally drives inventory restocking. With the downturn's inventory rebuilding just starting, warehouse operators are expanding again - positive signs the slump may be reversing.
Mining Gibberish For Dummies
Stockhead provides a beginner's guide to understanding mining exploration results, explaining key terminology and metrics like drill results, grades, and mineral resource estimates. It outlines the exploration life cycle from early rock chip sampling to more reliable lab assays from drill cores. They stress the importance of understanding where a company is in this exploration process before investing, as early results may appear promising but lack rigor, while late-stage resource estimates offer more certainty of viable deposits worth mining. However, the article cautions that no data offers guarantees, and many complex variables determine if a mine is economically feasible.
What The Ascent Of Hydrogen As A Renewable Resource Means For Platinum
Surging demand for platinum-reliant proton exchange membrane electrolyzers could spur over 700,000oz of new platinum demand by 2030 as they become the dominant hydrogen production method - potentially exceeding 2 million oz if the net zero timeline accelerates. This enormous growth driven by electrolysis capacity projections dwarfs projected 2023 platinum supply of just 7.2 million oz. With platinum-based PEM fuel cells also critical for fuel cell vehicles, the exponentially expanding hydrogen economy makes platinum indispensable.
Will AI Take Geologist Jobs?
While AI like ChatGPT astonishes with creative output, its limitations and training on flawed data constrain applications in medicine or law. But revolutionary tools emerge, like chatbots offering cheap legal advice. Still, AI's exponential growth risks uncontrollable impacts if ethics and controls don't keep pace. Adapting attitudes and education is key to maximizing inevitable AI's benefits while avoiding algorithms controlling information flow. Fields like photography adapted before and will again, with new niches arising. But AI's rapid encroachment on jobs demands urgent solutions to avoid severe economic and social impacts.
Each week we want to get your opinion about the mining industry. We'll release the results with next week's Nugget!
What do you think are the main causes of “NIMBYism” (not in my back yard) for mining and mineral exploration?
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