Executive geologist and board director Caoilin Chestnutt joins us in The Crib Room, sharing her remarkable journey from accidentally enrolling in geology at Trinity College Dublin to becoming a trailblazer in Australia's mining sector.

In our chat, Caoilin offers expertise spanning gold, coal and critical minerals exploration. We examine the stark differences between commodity cycles, highlighting how metallurgical coal's recent designation as a critical mineral by the US could reshape global perceptions. Caoilin champions Queensland's world-class met coal assets whilst addressing the industry's exploration crisis, where discovery rates lag far behind depletion. She advocates for unified industry messaging similar to the CSG sector's successful reputation turnaround, and reveals exciting innovations including bioprospecting – using plants and microbes to detect deep ore bodies.

From discussing asset attractiveness amid divestment trends to how the pubs of Dublin stack up against Moranbah's Black Nugget, Caoilin delivers exceptional insights on mining in Queensland, Australia and the world.