By: Alberto Persona
Associate Director – Fertilizer Analytics
Fertecon | S&P Global Commodity Insights
April 25, 2025 – 1pm MT

MT Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: Mining for Nutrients: The Evolving Role of Phosphates and Potash (And Let’s Not Forget Nitrogen)

Description:

Since 2020, the fertilizer industry has been affected by a rather interesting phenomenon: after decades relegated to the realm of niche industries, suddenly even mass media started offering some commentary on it. Spikes in energy prices, geo-political tensions involving (but not exclusive to) Russia and Belarus, resource nationalisms, carbon markets, CBAM, tariffs and counter-tariffs… Almost every month there has been something sufficiently “big” that kept the world on their toes, with a good seasoning of “risks to food security” to add further spice. This presentation aims at serving three purposes: firstly, a quick refresher of the market fundamentals for key fertilizer nutrients (N, P, K) and their very integrated value chains. Secondly, demystifying some of the occasionally rushed claims about a lack of fertilizer availability, when the real concern should be affordability instead. And thirdly, looking ahead at what the industry can expect in the future – with a focus on opportunities and challenges for the mining sector overall.

Bio: Alberto Persona

Alberto Persona is a member of the Fertilizers team within S&P Global Commodity Insights, where he oversees the group’s analysis of phosphate products (including fertilizers, raw materials and non-fertilizer uses). He is also leading the “Sustainability in Fertilizers” team. A regular presenter at many industry events, Alberto also contributes to the analysis of industries other than phosphates, such as developing the Ammonia Energy Substitution Index (AESI) methodology for low-carbon ammonia valuation, the Nutrient Extraction Model for fertilizer demand, or contributing to cross-sector analysis such as integrating our fertilizer analysis with teams focusing on biofuels, energy storage, battery metals or crop science. He joined Fertecon (now part of S&P Global) in 2015 after a few years at CRU Group, having previously worked at FEEM. He holds two Master of Science in Economics degrees (London School of Economics and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice).

Webinars are limited to 100 registrants. To register for this free Webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/1FQxZZWsRg-Xxgq0dABPvQ

The Webinar will be recorded and posted on YouTube. A summary and links to the video will be posted on the MMSA Web site after the event: https:\\www.mmsa.net.

A New Era of Competition in the Battery Supply Chain:
Materials and Infrastructure Diplomacy as Weapons of War 

By: Chris Berry
House Mountain Partners – Founder and President
February 21, 2025 – 1pm MT 

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE 

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: A New Era of Competition in the Battery Supply Chain: Materials and Infrastructure Diplomacy as Weapons of War

Description: Despite the current geopolitical tumult resulting from President Trump’s return to the White House, the battle to build resilient and stronger battery supply chains continues to intensify. While wars of the past have been characterized by guns, bombs, and “boots on the ground”, future conflicts look destined to be centered around advanced materials and economic tools such as tariffs, export controls, and interest rates. This presentation will look at where the United States has been and where we are going as these unconventional tools are increasingly used to compete and dominate the resource-based conflicts of the future.

Bio: Chris Berry  Based in Washington DC, Chris has been an independent analyst for the past fifteen years with a focus on battery metals supply chains including lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, copper, vanadium, and rare earths. His work supports a roster of global clients including investors, mining companies, oil and gas companies, and EV manufacturers across six continents.

His advisory work has a specific focus on how battery metals supply chains are evolving to create opportunities and threats during the energy transition in the coming decades. Aside from traditional supply, demand and pricing analysis, his recent work has focused on battery recycling, alternative extraction technologies, and how battery metals will play an increasingly strategic role in geopolitical and supply chain realignment.

Before shifting focus to analysis of these trends, Chris gained twelve years of capital markets experience on both the buy side and sell side.

He has visited and performed economic analysis of metals deposits on six continents and has been featured in multiple media outlets including the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR, the South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera and CNN International.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration in finance with an international focus from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies

Video:

The video is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/QTFWw_P7B7o 

PPT slides:

Slides>

Questions and Comments

Betty Gibbs: Comment about tariffs that other countries put on their exports to U.S. and balance with what U.S. may impose.
Mark Bowron: Assuming that the implementation of tariffs is sustained, what is the lag time before we begin to see manufacturing and minerals processing return to the US?
Kristin Guerin-Davey: Do you feel like even if we do see that impact of tariffs without any sort of legislative permitting change is there really something that US miners can do to take advantage of this?
Curtis Clarke: Have you heard how close Direct Lithium Extraction might be to commercialization and disruption of the salar lithium business?
Shoaib Khan: What future of LIB recycling industry in the USA do you envisage amidst this tariff war and overall trump policies?
Lewis Kleinhans: How do see “environmental” objections thwarting forward movement in development as it has in the past?
Mark Bowron: Several mines had their permits pulled by the Biden administration; i.e. Resolution in AZ, Twin Metals in MN, federal coal leases moratorium in the PRB etc. Would you care to make some predictions under Trump?
Resa Furey: You said you expected the IRA spending to go forward, but what about impoundments that the Trump administration is trying to use? The Webinar will be recorded and posted on YouTube. A summary and links to the video will be posted on the MMSA Web site after the event: https:\\www.mmsa.net.

Future of AI – Spotlight on Domain Knowledge

By: Rajive Ganguli, PhD, P.E.
Malcolm McKinnon Professor of Mining Engineering Associate Dean
January 17, 2025 – 1 pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: Future of AI – Spotlight on Domain Knowledge

Description: This talk, intended for a broad audience, will introduce AI and its abilities. Its application to the mining industry will be discussed with real industrial examples. The goal of the talk is to provoke questions about AI and the role of domain knowledge. It is hoped the audience will not be shy and perhaps come prepared with questions.

Bio: Rajive Ganguli, PhD, P.E. Dr. Rajive Ganguli is the Malcolm McKinnon Professor of Mining Engineering at the University of Utah. Besides academia, he has worked as mine foreman and engineer in both India and the USA. He has been teaching and applying AI to mining industry problems for about 25 years. He is the author of the chapter, “Machine Learning the Language of Safety” in the new Mine Safety and Health Handbook from SME. The free AI software from his research group, UteAnalytics, has been downloaded from 28 countries since its release in 2023.

Video:

The video is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/qXijn2hgMYg

PPT slides:

Slides>

Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed. Andrea Brickey: Thanks, Prof. Ganguli! Where do you see AI/ML being most effective to the minerals industry? Where should we be focusing research efforts? Srirajan Rajagopalant: thank you Prof Ganguli – we work in Risk Management – https://www.haz360.cloud

Betty Gibbs: Have you applied any of this technology to ore reserve estimation?
Betty Gibbs: What do you think of language summarization by ai?
Betty Gibbs: Each mine has its own jargon. can you add your mine’s jargon to Betty Gibbs:the system?
Lewis Kleinhans: What AI accomplishment has most impressed you?
Kristin Guerin-Davey: With this being a newer technology, how can you convince companies to change their current practice and/or to change their definition of success with a project using AI?
Lewis Kleinhans: 2nd to LLM’s?
Art Ibrado: Will AI be able to assist in mill performance optimization? Example, whether to adjust pH in rougher or cleaner flotation of copper to improve concentrate grade? Will AI do correlation analyses? Is this a stupid question?

Mission Impossible: Mineral Shortages and Permitting Delays Put Net-Zero Out of Reach

By: Debra Struhsacker, Environmental Permitting & Government Relations Consultant
and
Sarah Montalbano, Policy Fellow Center of the American Experiment

November 15, 2024 – 1 pm MT

Presented by:
MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE and WOMEN’S MINING COALITION
The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

A strong mining industry is vitally important to America. WMC members bring the message that
U.S. jobs depend on mining and that today’s regulations and modern technology ensure state-of-the-art environmental protection at our country’s mines. WMC members provide policy makers with first-hand information about the technological advancements and environmental stewardship of today’s mining industry. We provide members of Congress, policy makers, and regulators with facts about the modern mining industry and the importance of mining to the U.S. economy and our daily lives. The Women’s Mining Coalition facilitates and provides the opportunity for our members to band together for a stronger voice with their Congressional delegation and with regulating agencies.

Title:
Mission Impossible: Mineral Shortages and Permitting Delays Put Net-Zero Out of Reach

Description:
Mining has never been more important to the future of the U.S. than now. Federal and state governments are mandating ever-stricter requirements for wind and solar electricity generation and setting ambitious targets for vehicle electrification. Artificial intelligence (AI) data center demands on the electricity grid are causing the first rise in electricity demand in two decades. At the same time, federal regulators are actively denying permits and creating rules to slow exploration and development. Policy roadblocks, including the broken permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act, threaten domestic mining, conventional and renewable energy, transmission lines, and other infrastructure projects the U.S. will need to achieve its netzero ambitions.

Bio:
Debra Struhsacker and Sarah Montalbano Debra Struhsacker and Sarah Montalbano are coauthors of the report “Mission Impossible: Mineral Shortages and the Broken Permitting Process Put Net Zero Goals Out of Reach” for Center of the American Experiment. Ms. Struhsacker is an independent environmental permitting and government relations consultant, one of the founders of the Women’s Mining Coalition, and a longtime member of the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. Ms. Montalbano is an energy policy fellow at American Experiment and a senior fellow at the Independent Women’s Forum Center for Energy and Conservation.

Video:

The video is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/qXijn2hgMYg

Read the full report here:

Report>

Slides>

Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed. Mark Bowron: Are we overstating demand for new copper mines by 2025 by ignoring recycling of copper? EV now will or should be recycled.

Xavier Ochoa: With the increase in power demand, would Nuclear have to be considered? If so, Uranium and lead demand ought to exist…

Xavier Ochoa: Do you know if the reliance on Chinese imports of these 20 minerals is based on mining capacity, installed processing capacity or the sum of both? Seems like we don’t look at whether it is upstream or downstream sourcing shortfalls.

Curtis Clarke: Interesting that ‘blue’ states have much lower land areas captured in the 31 M acre tally!
Tomasz Nadrowski: How do you see the chances of Manchin and Barraso’s Bipartisan Energy Permitting Reform Act passing in 2025?

Lisa Ross: Other than the withdrawal of the US from the Paris Climate Agreement, is there any speculation as to what impact the Republican Sweep will have?
Mark Leo-Russell: Are we also considering the increased water needs that go with the mining, processing and use of these commodities?

Bruce Hansen: Where do we stand in regard proposed legislation to fix the Hudbay issue related to using lode claims for facilities ancillary to mining

Curtis Clarke: Immense reserves of U discovered and defined in SK Canada in the past 15 years. Just need capital investment to be developed.

Cathy Suda: Are there data on how many of the mining operations in countries other than China have all or partial Chinese ownership?

Xavier Ochoa: Going back to upstream and downstream production control by China, we can relatively easily and faster build processing and refining capacity… vs. exploration-mining. Xavier Ochoa: Is there something that can be done to raise awareness on the CHIPS NEPA exception with the incoming administration and the new Congress and Senate?

Barbara Brown: Given increasing drought conditions elsewhere, water will be an issue in places like MN

Andrea Martin: and an overabundance of water such as in the upper Midwest, has its own problems for mining too!

Barbara Brown: Have you thought about the amount of capital investments that might be needed for these mines? Money goes to the virtual world, not to bricks, mortar and holes in the ground.

Xavier Ochoa: Financing extra production in the US and Friendly Jurisdictions is limited to the market. Should the US Government instrument a market incentive for investors to be compelled to jump in?

Xavier Ochoa: The opportunity is that NEPA represents a bureaucracy and ‘parasitic industry’ that maybe be put into the crosshairs of the new administration.

Barbara Brown: And this is long-term investment – NOT near term returns

Barbara Brown: If we’re going to subsidize wind and solar, we should be subsidizing raw materials

Curtis Clarke: Since S-K 1300 replaced Industry Guide 7, US-listed companies can now declare asset values on mineral resources. This now enables capital raises on the market to explore and develop new mines. Tax incentives can be implemented to spur the market – much like the Flowthrough tax incentive which has been so successful for Canada.

The First 200 Years of Aluminum:
What Comes Next?

By: Ken Evans B.Sc., Ph.D., FIMMM, FRSC, C. Chem
Consultant
June 28, 2024 – 1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: The First 100 Years of Aluminum: What Comes Next?

Description:

The changes in the aluminum industry in the last 20 years have been unprecedented; not just in terms of the technology, but with consolidations, plant closures, and the emergence of China and India as major players whilst the US and Europe have declined. Stability of countries which are the main sources of bauxite is a major issue this commodity faces.

This webinar will provide an overview of the technology required to process bauxite to the metal form of aluminum, as well as the key technical changes in the manufacturing route. The driving forces behind locations of production of bauxite, growth predictions for aluminum demand through 2050, and a review of past and current producers will be discussed. We will dive into the current production of bauxite, alumina, and aluminum, and how it has changed over the years, as well as the drastic changes since 2020. Finally, we will discuss the major issues the industry is facing, such as decarbonization, red mud/bauxite reside, availability of bauxite, how the industry and regions are approaching these issues, and what is next for the industry.

Bio: Ken Evans, Ph.D.

Ken Evans has a B.Sc. in Chemistry and PhD from Manchester University in England.

Ken joined the Research Division of British Aluminum in 1971 and is effectively still working for the same entity. British Aluminum merged with Alcan and then was taken over by Rio Tinto. He has worked on cell chemistry of the electrolysis process to make aluminum, extraction of alumina from bauxite, production and uses of aluminum oxides and hydroxides, red mud management and uses amongst many other related areas.

Ken has held a wide variety of technical and management roles within Alcan/Rio Tinto from leading research groups, developing new products, acquiring new businesses, divestment of businesses, selling technology, closing and then remediating closed alumina plants/red mud sites. He is still doing work for Rio Tinto and the International Aluminum Institute, in addition to being involved in several EU funded projects on utilization of bauxite residue (the major waste from the industry – 165 million tonnes a year).

Video and Slides:

The video is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/oIPnVD0qNA8

SLIDES>

Questions:

Below are the questions asked and answered in the video:

Robert Schafer: Is there any potential for shortfall in bauxite resources/reserves? Able to match project growth in demand over the next 25 years?

Alister Horn: How tied are alumina refineries to the specific bauxite they were designed for? Can refineries easily switch to a different feedstock or not?

Elizabeth Zbinden: The decline in alumina & aluminum processing in USA and other places you mentioned: how much is due to increased environmental regulation; how much due to other economic reasons?

Alister Horn: As good quality bauxites decline, costs rise, etc., will recycling ever be more significant?

Lithium Ion Battery (LiB) Recycling –
Current Practices and New Innovations

By: Azita Yazdani, P.E.
Exergy Systems, Inc.

April 19, 2024 – 1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: “Can We Make U.S. Battery Supply Chain Sustainable?”

Description:
The demand for battery metals – in particular lithium – has been growing exponentially in recent years due to the high demand for electric vehicles as well as the general trends nationally and globally for electrification. Worldwide battery markets are expected to grow 5-10-fold over the next decade. While the demand for the battery metals is growing, larger number of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are expected to reach end of line and require handling and proper recycling. Meanwhile, the estimate for percentage of batteries collected and recycled continues to be in dispute (from 1-5%).

Building a sustainable supply chain remains questionable in western countries, who have relied heavily in the past years on overseas suppliers, to produce battery grade minerals and to make batteries. Several new companies have been launched in the last few years to recycle LiBs. This presentation will review the current state of battery recycling practices and present the pros and cons of each. New innovations in battery recycling will also be presented.

The U.S. and its allies have established a vision for a secure battery materials and technology supply chain by 2030. Many of the practices today for collection and recycling of batteries remain questionable. Despite large scale investments in recent years, environmental and processing inefficiencies remain. This presents new opportunities for innovation in the sector.

Bio: Azita Yazdani, P.E.

Ms. Yazdani is the Founder and CEO of Exergy Systems, Inc. (Exergy), a hardware technology company, deploying advanced membrane and electro-separation technologies for recovery and purification of resources in industrial processing. She is also the founder of a new venture, Re-Volt Metals Corporation, that aims to bring to market sustainable and clean metals and minerals processing including for battery waste, mining, and minerals (from brines) industries, utilizing new and advanced separation technologies.

Ms. Yazdani is a seasoned clean technology executive with more than 30 years of experience in industrial processes and technologies. She is the recipient of Resources Award from the International Sustainability Summit and has served on Presidential National Advisory Council on Environmental Protection and Technology (NACEPT). She currently serves on the U.S. Department of Energy Critical Materials Institute (CMI) and its Industry Advisory Council. She has also acted as technical advisor to the U.S. EPA SBIR and EPA Sustainable Industry Project.

Exergy has launched proprietary and patented products for recovery and recycling of water and chemicals (like acids) in several industrial segments. The Company has been working on deploying its various technology innovations to help industrials achieve “net zero footprint” in their manufacturing operations.

Ms. Yazdani is a contributor of the “Industrial Pollution Prevention Handbook” by McGraw-Hill as well as published and presented numerous research and technical papers. She has received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, at Berkeley and is a graduate of the Entrepreneurial Management program from UCLA Anderson School of Business. She is also a registered chemical engineer in California.

Video and Slides:

The Video is on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/A9G_zAVIr-I

SLIDES>

Questions:

The questions are answered in the video.

Dave Jakelski – Would you include copper in this story – how much copper is in a LIB?

Michael Meyer – Is there work ongoing on improving battery design and  construction to ease/improve the recycling process?

Marco Carrasco – Is there any list of batteries recycling by the state? What are the top states that are recycling batteries around the USA?

Lee “Pat” Gochnour – With your list of Goals, please consider adding “Investigation, and where possible, implementation of Regulatory/Permit Streamlining with the Gap in Supply equation…”

JS Zuker – What % of recycled Li can be added to the supply needed, as is projected in 2030 ?

Marco Carrasco – How about the lithium iron phosphate battery (LiFePO 4 battery) or LFP battery? Is technology researched Li recovery?

Scott Jolcover – American Battery Technology Company is recycling Lithium Ion batteries of all types at 2500 Peru Drive McCarran, NV near Tesla Gigafactory 1/Panasonic

Dave Jakelski – Hhow does your technology compare to others in terms of energy use and cost (relative).

JS Zuker – Many thanks!

Azita Yazdani to Everyone: – Thank you!

karen Jass – Great presentation at a simplified level about the realities of this side of mining.  Nice!

Speaker: Chris Berry

March 15, 2024 –  1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: “The End of the Beginning – An Update on Global Competition for Dominance of Battery Metals Supply Chains”

Description:

Chris Berry continues the discussion about minerals supply with a focus on Battery metals. The webinar is an update to the Webinar Chris presented in January 2021: The Size of the Prize – Building a Domestic Battery Metals Supply Chain.

https://mmsa.net/resources/webinars/the-size-of-the-prize-building-a-domestic-battery-metals-supply-chain/

Chris Berry BIO:

Based in Washington DC, Chris Berry has been an independent analyst for the past fourteen years with a focus on battery metals supply chains including lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, copper, vanadium, and rare earths. His work supports a roster of global clients including investors, mining companies, oil and gas companies, and EV manufacturers across six continents.

His advisory work has a specific focus on how battery metals supply chains are evolving to create opportunities and threats during the energy transition in the coming decades. Aside from traditional supply, demand and pricing analysis, his recent work has focused on battery recycling, alternative extraction technologies, and how battery metals will play an increasingly strategic role in geopolitical and supply chain realignment.

Before shifting focus to analysis of these trends, Chris gained twelve years of capital markets experience on both the buy side and sell side. He has visited and performed economic analysis of metals deposits on six continents and has been featured in multiple media outlets including the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR, the South China Morning Post, Al Jazeera and CNN International.

Chris holds a Master of Business Administration in finance with an international focus from Fordham University, and a Bachelor of Arts in international studies from The Virginia Military Institute.

The Webinar has been recorded and posted on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FUqR_QZq9TM

Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed.

Alister Horn: Why is China so dominant in refining?

James Sorensen: I believe it’s partly due to its vast size which in turns yields large land and mineral resources. Another factor is they’ve been ahead of the game, have much cheaper labor, and less environmental regulations.

Garrett Bell: Is manganese effected similarly to the other “main” battery metals you have identified?

Liz Lappin: Curious about price volatility related to flooding the market with supply (and any ability for countries and/or companies to protect against that — stockpiling, offtake terms?)

Alister Horn: Is price volatility not a disincentive to long-term investment in battery metals, infrastructure, etc?

Anthony Staley: Comment: you noted that a weak point of the IRA was that it did not address mine permitting.  I would add another weakness: as it pertains to recycling, it does not address regulation reform for the Lithium Battery management and in the intermediate recycling product, Black Mass.

Greg Gillian: Reacted to “Comment: you noted t…” with 👍

Liz Lappin: Thank you Chris, great presentation!

Alister Horn: Great presentation, thanks Chris!

Chris Berry: Reacted to “Great presentation, …” with 👍

Greg Gillian: Thank you for your presentation and time, Chris. Very informative.

SLIDES>

January 19, 2024

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE
The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Description:

How much nickel is consumed today? Where is it used and where does it come from? Looking ahead, what are the expected future uses of nickel and is there enough supply to meet demand?

The importance of Nickel to modern life and society and is crucial for the production of stainless steel, specialty alloys, electroplating, battery production, and other uses. The importance of nickel to modern standards of living is demonstrated by the fact that per capita consumption of nickel was 8.8 times higher in 2018 than was the case in 1956 and is higher now; in other words, every human on Earth uses ~10 times more nickel in 2023 than they did ~60 years ago. This increase is larger than the case for other infrastructure metals like copper, indicating the continuing and increasing importance of nickel for modern standards of living and the energy transition. Global nickel demand is also accelerating beyond these underlying trends as the world transitions to a low- to zero-CO2 and carbon neutral energy and transport future that necessarily involves the greater use of batteries for energy storage associated with renewable energy systems. This means that understanding the current nickel market and current and likely future sources of this metal are key to enabling the energy transition and associated climate change mitigation. This presentation will provide an overview of current and likely sources of nickel, present reserves and resources, likely changes in supply and demand, and energy transition-related challenges and opportunities for the nickel sector.

Bio: Simon Jowitt is currently the tenured Director of the Ralph J. Roberts Center for Research in Economic Geology and the Arthur Brant Chair of Exploration Geology at the University of Nevada Reno, Nevada, USA. He has a BSc (Hons) degree in Geology from the University of Edinburgh, an MSc in Mining Geology from the Camborne School of Mines, and a PhD from the University of Leicester, all in the UK. Simon spent eight years at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia before moving to spend seven years as an Assistant and then tenured Associate Professor of Economic Geology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His research focuses on the use of geochemistry to unravel geological processes in a variety of settings with direct application to understanding not only mineralizing systems but also igneous petrology, mineral exploration, global tectonics and the links between magmatism and metallogeny. He has also undertaken extensive research on mineral economics, global metal resources and the security of supply of the critical elements, and the “economic” side of economic geology, as demonstrated by a number of recent publications on global base, precious, and critical metal and mineral resources and the impact of the energy transition and COVID-19 on the global minerals industry. Simon also studies the environmental impact of mining and the potential uses of mining and other wastes for metal production and CO2 sequestration. He has published more than 110 scientific papers and peer-reviewed book chapters since 2010, is currently the Vice-President for Student Affairs for the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG) and was awarded the SEG’s Waldemar Lindgren Award in 2014.

MORE >

May 6, 2022

MMSA has presented several Webinars related to critical minerals and the supply chain. This Webinar summarizes sources of critical mineral deposits, uncertainties about how the demand will be met, and effects of regulation on domestic production.

MORE >

In 2018, the United States identified thirty-five critical minerals due to concerns regarding supply risk and their importance to the nation’s economy and defense. This presentation will examine the deportment and production potential of five “critical minerals” (selenium, tellurium, arsenic, antimony and bismuth) in the copper pyrometallurgical supply chain from mine to metal. Potential areas for future investigation and investment will be discussed to increase the recovery of these critical minerals from the existing copper supply chain.

MORE >  VIDEO >

Jan 15, 2021

This issue of material criticality has been receiving much attention recently from governments all over the world. Net import reliance can hint at the supply-based risk for materials. Current efforts to increase supply stability of critical materials through by-product or co-product production alongside more common elements is summarized. A metal can be defined as a by-product if the revenue gained from the sale of that metal is not enough to cover the full cost of the mine. On the other hand, if the full costs of the mine can be covered solely by the sale of the minor metal, then it is considered a co-product.

MORE >  VIDEO >

To help inform the public policy dialogue about the Nation’s reliance on imports of the critical minerals needed for the domestic manufacturing and technology sectors and to develop conventional and renewable energy infrastructure, the MMSA Government Committee has scheduled a Webinar for August 19, 2020, featuring Nedal Nassar of the U. S. Geological Survey. He is the principal author of the report: Evaluating the mineral commodity supply risk of the U.S. manufacturing sector; published in Science Advances, February 2020. Mr. Nassar will discuss the findings of the paper with a slide presentation, followed by an audience Q & A.

MORE >  VIDEO >

Regulation S-K 1300: Emerging Trends in SEC Review Feedback

By: Dr. Kwame Awuah-Offei Union Pacific/Rocky Mountain Energy Professor of Mining Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology
March 28, 2025 – 1 pm

MT Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA CPD Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: Regulation S-K 1300: Emerging Trends in SEC Review Feedback

Description:

Mining companies registered with the SEC have been required to comply with Regulation S-K 1300 for their annual reports covering fiscal years ending on or after January 1, 2021. Consequently, most mining registrants filed their first S-K 1300 compliant disclosures in 2022. The US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC), as part of its disclosure review program, has been issuing comment letters in response to these filings. This seminar covers two projects conducted by our team: (i) an overview of trends in SEC comment letters for the first year; and (ii) insights into SEC comments on cash flow analysis in technical report summaries.

We reviewed comment letters from the SEC’s EDGAR database based on Standard Industrial Classification codes for mining, the content of the comment letters, the names of SEC staff listed, and other criteria. Our first analysis found that SEC staff reviews have been comprehensive, covering the breadth of S-K 1300 and ensuring compliance with the rule. Our second analysis found that SEC staff do not view the presentation of cash flows as graphs alone to be compliant.

Bio: Dr. Kwame Awuah-Offei

Kwame Awuah-Offei is the Union Pacific/Rocky Mountain Energy professor of mining engineering at Missouri University of Science & Technology. He is also the principal consultant at Sphinx Mining Systems. He served as the mining engineering academic fellow at the US Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) during the rulemaking process that led to Regulation S-K 1300. In that time and the period immediately after, he led the technical aspects of the rulemaking process. He has since taught over 300 industry professionals about S-K 1300 and consulted for many mining firms on compliance issues with S-K 1300.

The webinar can be found at the following link:
https://youtu.be/9FEhm0ChWkQ

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Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed.

Greg: When it comes to cash flows, the assumptions regarding forecast prices (forecast metal prices or commodity prices), we have seen quite a lot of volatility in the market now. Does the SEC abandon the trend in the three year tailing average price and they allow forecast price, and do you feel as if there is going to be more scrutiny of the assumed prices supporting the cash flows by the SEC because of the current market conditions?

Greg: If you have different price assumptions, does that require you to have an explanation for a particular year when you are using different metal prices in your cash flows in your resource/reserves for different projects or different mines? Is there an expectation for them to all be the same?

Debbie: I want to know if you had seen the mineral Executive Order that President Trump issued last week and there is a provision in there that references these regulations and it’s a little hard to understand, but it appears a move to potentially rescind some of these regulations. Can you explain it?

Greg: Do you feel as if there is a change in attitude to the strictness of the compliance with SK-1300 over the years its been in place and do you feel there will be changes going forward as to enforcement to specifics of the rule.

The Webinar will be recorded and posted on YouTube. A summary and links to the video will be posted on the MMSA website after the event: https:\\www.mmsa.net.

By: Emily Hendrickson, President

Women’s Mining Coalition

May 16, 2024 – 1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA GOVERNMENTCOMMITTEE

The MMSA Government Committee offers this Webinar to help members and others in the mining community navigate the difficult process of dealing with government agencies and legislators. The Committee tracks bills presented to Congress and other regulations that affect the mining industry. Another function of the Committee is to comment on legislation and collaborate with other mining organizations on matters of importance to the industry.

Title: “Effective Advocacy & Engagement: On Capitol Hill & In Your Community”

Description:

The mining industry in the United States is currently facing a challenging dichotomy between acknowledgement by governments and the public of the need for domestic mining in support of the energy transition and secure supply chains in a post-covid world, contrasted with a severe lack of understanding of how the modern mining industry operates in today’s regulatory and social landscapes. This presentation will discuss the crucial role that advocacy plays for the mining industry and how we can all actively engage our networks to change the face of mining. We will also discuss best practices for engaging with communities, Tribal Nations, elected officials, and other stakeholders, and how to “walk the walk” when the rubber meets the road of mine development and operation.

The Society concerns itself with fundamental principles and with problems facing the industry in such areas as legislation, economics and education, as well as environmental concerns, labor relations, and health and safety. Representatives of the Society from time to time testify before legislative bodies and provide advice to federal agencies. This series of Webinars highlight government actions that affect the mining industry.

Bio: Emily Hendrickson

Emily Hendrickson is the President of the Women’s Mining Coalition, a grassroots organization focused on advocating for the United States’ modern mining industry by bringing constituents together from across the country to communicate with and educate policy makers since 1993. By day, Emily is the Manager, External Affairs U.S. for Integra Resources Corp., where she is focused on the successful development of gold and silver projects throughout the Great Basin of
the Western U.S. through meaningful stakeholder engagement, with particular emphasis on Environmental Justice communities and historically underrepresented stakeholder groups. Emily is a vocal advocate for responsible mining and believes that authentic partnerships between industry and stakeholders are vital to a more sustainable future for all.

Video and Slides:

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Friday, May 19 – 1 pm MT

Water stewardship and management in mining is increasingly becoming a key component of mine development and operation. Water related issues (water resources and water quality) have the potential to create short and long term operational, environmental, reputational and financial risks. Water related costs and risks are also the most difficult to quantify, as they are closely tied to the social license of a project and have the potential to generate decades of post closure management costs. This webinar provides an overview of water related issues and risks for mining projects, and the tools for water stewardship and management.

Presenter: Patrick Williamson, Principal Hydrogeochemist, INTERA

Bio: Patrick Williamson has over three decades of experience in managing geochemical and hydrogeologic investigations for mining projects, including water balances, water resource evaluation and development, waste rock characterization, mine dewatering, and permitting studies for due diligence, Preliminary Economic Assessments, Feasibility Studies, operations, and closure. He is an experienced project manager/principal with a technical focus on mine waste geochemistry/hydrogeology and extensive experience in the mining sector in Mexico and Latin America. Prior to joining INTERA, Patrick established and managed two hydrogeology/ environmental practices in Mexico, where he developed business offerings for mine hydrogeology, geochemistry and social license for water and mining. Patrick has spoken extensively on the topic of best practices for environmental management for mining at conferences throughout Latin America.

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Mining & Metallurgical Society of America 2021 ESG WEBINAR SERIES

#1 ESG Experts Panel Discussion October 1, 2021
QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

A recent survey conducted by law firm White & Case found that 45% of key industry decision-makers expected Environmental/Social/Governance (ESG) issues to represent the largest risk to the industry and nearly 79% of those surveyed said they expect investors to push the industry more aggressively on ESG. The accepted standards of environmental stewardship, social license and governance of mineral endowments are constantly changing. QPs must know the issues of importance to society and be prepared to adapt and respond to changing societal norms.

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The second Webinar is a Panel session and assembles experts on social issues. Over the course of 90 minutes the panel discussion will identify and introduce topics of importance that are faced by mining companies, mineral property developers and explorationists today.

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The third webinar will provide perspectives on U.S. Indian law – the distinct body of law that relates to the legal relationships between the federal government and Indian tribes and how these laws affect the evolving governance landscape in the mining industry.

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The 4th webinar in the series of five assembles experts in Environmental issues related to social license to operate for mines. The panel discussion will identify and introduce topics of importance faced by mining companies, mineral property developers and explorationists today.

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The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about ESG designed for professionals working for mining companies. This webinar presents information about the evolution of ESG and its impacts on economic development in traditionally energy-producing states.

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By: Victoria Yehl, M.Sc., P.Geo.
BC Securities Commission Manager, Mining
September 20, 2024 – 1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs. 

Title: What you should know about National Instrument 43-101 and beyond

Description: The talk will discuss the basic principles of National Instrument 43-101, the Canadian Disclosure Standards for Mineral Projects. This will include some of the ways regulation is done and some of the most common problems people have when making disclosure. The talk will also cover the securities regulatory environment for mining disclosure, some comparisons to S-K 1300, JORC and global developments and some new information about the modernizing of National Instrument 43-101. Questions are most welcome. 

Bio: Victoria Yehl, M.Sc., P.Geo.

Victoria is the Manager, Mining at the BC Securities Commission after joining as a Senior Geologist in 2016. Work at the Commission has included development of advanced analytics for the mining team, participation in policy work. and presentation of many short courses/lectures on National Instrument 43-101. Prior to the Commission Victoria spent over 20 years with a senior tier mining company. Her experience in the exploration and mining industry is global, covering the full range of exploration, production, and business development for multiple commodities. Victoria is committed to the industry through extensive volunteering with the Vancouver Mining Exploration Group (MEG), Association for Mineral Exploration (AME BC) Roundup Conference, and various roles within the Geological Association of Canada (GAC) to name some. Victoria holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from University of Toronto, a Master of Science in Geology from Queen’s University, and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Mining) from Simon Fraser University. Finally, she is also a registered professional geoscientist with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia.

The Webinar has been recorded and posted on YouTube:   https://youtu.be/Z94QnXSAC1A

Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed.

Patrick Hollenbeck:   Question asked in video.

Suellen Barnhard:   Can you go back to ESG and indigenous tribes

Curtis Clarke:   There is a perception that policing of misbehaving issuers is inadequate. Perhaps meta-statistics could be publicized about how many sanctions were imposed and how severe the sanctions were. Thoughts?

James Sorensen:   Is there some consideration being made for better guidance on capital estimation expectations? Like AACE guidance or something similar.

Bill Wilson:   Clarification: MMSA has two levels of members; Regular Member & QP Members that require additional requirements relative to areas of expertise

Tony Adkins:    Can you go into a bit more detail in what it would take to upgrade historic drill data to 43-101 standards?

Donald Cameron:    Is there a published list of proscribed promotional terms such as “world class” that you mentioned? I got slapped for inserting “bonanza” to describe grade in historical workings, as described in old published report.  It would be good to have a list that we can check.  For example, is there a big difference between “bonanza” and “high-grade”?  I see the latter in many reports.

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By: Jeff Parshley
SRK Consulting
May 17, 2024 – 1pm MT

Presented by: MMSA QP ENHANCEMENT COMMITTEE

The MMSA QP Enhancement Committee offers a series of webinars about a wide range of topics designed for the professionals working for mining companies and those involved in the preparation of studies and disclosure documents. The Webinars are also of interest to the legal, financial, management and academic sectors of the industry. The Webinars qualify for Continuing Professional Development credits for MMSA QPs.

Title: Mine Closure and Associated Costs: Impact of Closure and Key Points to Consider

Description:

Although specifically included in the key public disclosure standards, mine closure and associated costs are often considered relatively unimportant due to the timing of closure expenditures late in the mine life cycle. During early project phases closure plans are typically conceptual and may (or may not) provide adequate detail for estimating costs at the required level of accuracy. The impact of closure costs on NPV calculations may be limited for many projects due to the effects of standard discounting procedures, and as a result, considered inconsequential in decision making. However, when evaluating closure and closure costs as a Qualified Person, it is important to understand the true cost of closure (less discounting).

This webinar will address key points to consider as a QP when evaluating closure plans and then look at key aspects of closure costs and methods used to estimate them. We will explore the major costs, determining the accuracy of the cost estimates, typical areas of cost uncertainty, and the effects of NPV calculations on cost estimates. We will also look at how closure costs evolve over time as projects evolve.

Bio: Jeff Parshley

Jeff Parshley is a corporate consultant at SRK Consulting in Reno, NV. Jeff has worked in the mining industry for more than 40 years, specializing in mining environmental issues including environmental impacts, permitting, mine closure, and environmental geochemistry. He has worked on mine closure projects for the last 35 years and developed a number of cost estimating models that more realistically captured reclamation and closure costs. In the early 2000s the mining industry and regulators in the State of Nevada joined to investigate the concept of a standardized approach to reclamation cost estimating which ultimately resulted in the creation of the Standardized Reclamation Cost Estimator (SRCE). Jeff was the principal author of this public domain software. Since the original release in 2006, SRCE has been used by the industry globally in more than 30 countries.

The Webinar has been recorded and posted on YouTube: https://youtu.be/bGqGoEnAAHc?si=xNl-XtvXB5Pr849E

Questions and Comments

The following comments and questions were answered after the presentation was completed.

Patrick Williamson: Material balance.  Is this the accounting process for movement of materials around the mine during operation?

Greg Gosson: Should closure costs be added to each tonne processed.

Garrett Bell: How important is this to the investment community?

Ray Dorow: Legacy sites. I find that costs associated with characterizing tailings facilities and how best to integrate monitoring instrumentation have been significant. Any guidance from your experience for developing early cost estimates (percentage or take the time and effort to calculate based on depth/area of zones of interest)?

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November 19, 2021

The SEC was one of the first governmental agencies in the world to adopt guidelines for technical disclosure by … mining companies. Form S-3 was promulgated in 1939, and updated with Form S-18 in 1981, which became Industry Guide 7 in 1992. Since 1992, countries around the world have adopted reporting codes which over time generally conform to the CRIRSCO template, promulgated by the “Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards”. On October 31, 2018, the SEC adopted amendments to modernize the property disclosure requirements for mining registrants in the US. This resulted in an amendment to 17 CFR 229.102 Subpart 229.1300. commonly called SK-1300 or the “Rule”.

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Annual reports filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) covering any fiscal year that starts on or after January 1, 2021 would have to comply the Commission’s new rules on mining property disclosures (Regulation S-K subpart 1300). S-K 1300 requires mining companies to provide certain disclosures about their material mining properties and attach a technical report summary (TRS) prepared by a qualified person as an exhibit, if they are disclosing mineral resources and reserves for the first time or material changes to their previous resource and reserve disclosure. The SEC’s rules require that the qualified person include certain information “to the extent the information is material” (17 CFR § 229.601(b)(96)(iii)(B)) and cautioned that the TRS should not contain large amounts of information.

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Presenter: Robert Cameron
Dec 11, 2020

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has published new disclosure requirements replacing Industry Guide 7 for Registrants engaged in mining operations. These new requirements are currently referred to as S‐K 1300 which will become mandatory for Registrants as of January 1, 2021. Dealing with the new regulations is not as overwhelming for consultants as they might initially appear. This webinar will outline the content of the new Technical Report Summary and a Registrant’s annual summary reporting which an outside technical consultant might be asked to provide technical expertise and assistance.

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April 23, 2021

The mining industry has a checkered history of success in due diligence study. Since such studies are impacted by significant levels of uncertainty in the resource sector due to the nature of mineral deposits and the myriad of complex factors involved in their evaluation, due‐diligence reports are typically based on opinions and judgments developed on the basis of experience and technical analysis, often generated using less than complete information. Added to the complex technical nature of the due diligence are issues driven by basic human nature. With an increasingly diverse population of buyers, investors and lenders, and markets fueling demand for growth in the industry, it is critical for the mining industry to perform high quality due diligence that can support groups to make measured and informed decisions with respect to their investment or financing.

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July 15, 2020

The free one-hour ethics webinar will present a variety of professional ethics topics for discussion by participants. Topics will include:

• Who is your client?
• Aspects of insider trading: what and when can or should you disclose something?
• Dealing with a client who wants a more favorable report
• Professional competence and specialized knowledge
• Confidentiality versus protection of the public’s health, safety, and welfare
• Whistle blowing
• Bribes or facilitating payments? (The webinar did not get to these slides. These topics will be covered in a follow-up Webinar.)

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August 28, 2020

Panelists: David Abbott, Barney Guarnera, Mark Jorgensen, Michael Nees, John Fognani. The free one-hour ethics webinar follows the MMSA Ethics Webinar presented July 15. The main topic focuses on how mining companies address corruption and bribery when working internationally. Often in other countries, bribery or payments to individuals or organizations are necessary to do business. In the U.S. a company is required to follow laws against bribery, so how can a company do business when ‘bribery’ is the only way to get things done.

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February 8, 2019

Presentation by David M. Abbott, Jr.
AIPG Ethics Chairman Emeritus and Ethics Columnist
Consulting Geologist LLC

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