Mining and money: an education 

I'm going to be brutally honest; mining investment is (or was, until recently) my least favourite part of the industry to write about. 

In the 15 years I’ve been working as a mining journalist, I have generally avoided straying into investment territory. In my former life as part of the editorial team at Aussie publisher, Aspermont, my remit was mining equipment, technologies and techniques. If you wanted to know which ultra-class truck to buy, I was your girl (still am, FYI). But alternative investment options for mining projects… not so much. Other members of the team were far more knowledgeable and experienced in that area, and so we all stuck to writing about what we knew. 

But since setting up The Intelligent Miner, the point of which is to tackle the subject of mining and all its interrelated subtopics in an unbridled way, I’ve become very aware of my comfort zone and the need to step outside of it. When writing the 2023 editorial calendar, I decided it was time to take the bull by the horns.

One of the reasons I shied away from mining investment is that I’d always perceived it to be a part of the industry that is relatively inaccessible to the majority. One of the few final strongholds of the ‘boys club’ which is, thankfully, fading from the mining industry.

It also seemed intimidating to the layperson. Mining is a sector which quite enjoys its separateness from other industries and parts of society (despite its integral role), maintaining a comfortable distance by using niche terminology and technical processes. It seemed a similar situation in the finance space. Their nexus didn't feel like a place where those of limited understanding would be welcome.

I was wrong. In January, I put out a call on social media for experts who would be willing to chat to me about alternative finance, green investment tools, reporting and disclosure and carbon trading. And a whole host of kind, interesting people opened their doors and contacts books.

I’m really looking forward to sharing what I’ve learnt with you over the coming month, and I hope my story inspires you start conversations with your own networks. When approached with honesty and vulnerability, a knowledge gap isn’t a challenge, it’s an opportunity to learn.

The experience reaffirmed my belief that often, an open mind is the most powerful tool of all.

Carly