The Crucible - Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM)

An open conversation on embracing challenges and thoughtful leadership.

Listen in on this captivating conversation between Prelisha Singh, Mark Munroe, and Nomsa Mbere who discuss their experiences in leadership, pitching the appropriate leadership relationship, and the symbiotic nature of leadership roles.

Their conversation spotlights the importance of being open to learning, adapting one's leadership style to their environment, and addressing unconscious bias on the basis of gender. Visit the SAIMM Website

Celebrating 90 Years of Mintek's Legacy in Mining and Metallurgy.

This episode of The Crucible the podcast celebrates Mintek's 90th anniversary and its contributions to the mineral and metallurgical industry. Zelmia Botha (Project Manager Feasibility Studies | Exxaro) is joined by industry stalwart, Roger Paul, who is preceded by a 35 year legacy with Mintek. Roger shares his passion for research and Mintek's significant contributions to mineral and metallurgical innovation. Visit the SAIMM Website

An insightful discussion on ownership, mining, and professional growth.

In this episode of The Crucible podcast, SAIMM YPC Office Bearer, Connie Chijara, hosts Tokyo Ndlela, Managing Partner at Tokyo Ndlela Attorneys Inc., SAIMM YPC Office Bearer, entrepreneur, and lawyer in the mining industry.

Tokyo shares his background, starting in the oil and gas industry before transitioning to mining law, and discusses the benefits of entrepreneurship, such as developing an ownership mindset and the importance of personal growth. Visit the SAIMM Website

A riveting discussion on the importance of leadership, culture, and people.

Join SAIMM YPC Chairperson, Kondwani Banda and CEO of OIM Consulting, Arjen de Bruin as they discuss Arjen's illustrious career in the mining industry and essential tools that influence productivity in the minerals industry. Arjen unpacks the importance of leadership, culture, and a people-centric approach in driving productivity improvements. Visit the SAIMM Website

A riveting discussion on the importance of leadership, culture, and people.

Join SAIMM YPC Chairperson, Kondwani Banda and CEO of OIM Consulting, Arjen de Bruin as they discuss Arjen's illustrious career in the mining industry and essential tools that influence productivity in the minerals industry. Arjen unpacks the importance of leadership, culture, and a people-centric approach in driving productivity improvements. Visit the SAIMM Website

In this episode, William Joughin, President of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) and Director of SRK Global talks to host Zelmia Botha who is the Immediate Past President of SAIMM.

William shares his background and experience in the mining industry, including his work at Anglo American, SRK Consulting, and his involvement with various organisations like the South African National Institute for Rock Engineering (SANIRE) and the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM).

He discusses the importance of SAIMM in creating a platform for professionals to engage, learn, and share ideas, as well as its role in addressing challenges faced by the minerals industry through collaboration with other institutes, the Minerals Council South Africa, and the government. William highlights the benefits of SAIMM membership, such as access to publications, conferences, and networking opportunities. He also emphasises the importance of research and development, and the need for the industry to transition towards renewable energy and sustainable practices.

The conversation touches on topics like the impact of global events on the industry, the brain-drain of young engineers, and the value of creating a global network through SAIMM. Visit the SAIMM Website

In this episode, Dr Elmar Muller, Executive Manager: Hydrometallurgy at Mintek, talks to host Zelmia Botha about Rare Earths and the global impact and sustainability thereof.

The key points they discuss include Rare Earth minerals being abundant but difficult to mine and extract, with low concentrations in ores (around 0.3%). They are essential for many modern technologies like electronics, renewable energy, defence systems, etc. Global consumption is around 200,000-300,000 tons per year. China currently dominates the production (97% in 2011). Other countries like the US, Australia, and South Africa are investing in developing their own rare earth supply chains to reduce reliance on China.

The major challenges include high costs, environmental impact, lack of downstream processing facilities, and skills shortages. Recycling, finding alternatives, and reducing waste are key focus areas to improve sustainability.

Collaboration between the government, the private sector, and research institutions is crucial for South Africa to develop a rare earth industry. Dr Elmar also presents some action items that could assist South Africa to develop a Rare Earth industry.

Zelmia briefly mentions conferences like the Rare Earths Conference and the Battery Materials Conference which are being organised by the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) which aim to facilitate such collaborations. Visit the SAIMM Website

In this episode, Simone Naicker, a mining influencer and speaker and Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Exxaro Resources, shares her insights on mentorship, personal branding 'My Tiara is a Hard Hat', and the role of young professionals in the mining industry.

Key points include: Mentorship providing developmental value by facilitating knowledge transfer and skills growth through guidance from experienced individuals. A connected economy involves collaboration across borders, industries, and demographics, enabled by digital connectivity.

Simone also discusses how organisations should benchmark best practices and collaborate to optimise mentorship programmes and leverage diverse mentor pools. She also explains how cross-gender mentorship offers valuable perspectives, however ethical considerations like preventing inappropriate conduct, are important. Connect with Simone Naicker on LinkedIn · Visit the SAIMM Website

In this episode, Dr Frank Crundwell (Founder of CM Solutions Metallurgical Consultancy and Laboratories) talks to host Nthati Monei on the topics of range versus specialisation and interdisciplinary approaches in the raw materials industry.

Dr. Crundwell is a chemical engineer with extensive experience in the mining and metallurgy industry. He shares his career journey, highlighting the importance of being well-versed in various disciplines and combining ideas from different fields to solve complex problems. Dr Crundwell emphasizes the need for curiosity, continuous learning, and developing rules of thumb to become an effective generalist.

The conversation also touches on the potential impact of AI on professional services and the need for mining companies to invest in research and development to address challenges like lower ore grades. Overall, the podcast provides insights into the value of interdisciplinary thinking and the evolving nature of careers in the mining and metallurgy sector. Visit the SAIMM Website

Adapting sampling and blending methodologies to the changing environments.

In the mining industry, we're witnessing a transition towards sustainable mining practices and increasing emphasis on resource efficiency. In this episode, we explore how the sampling and blending methodologies can be adapted for the changing environments with Richard Minnitt, Chris Robben, Martin Lischka, and Terence Nkosi. Visit the SAIMM Website