Deep Dives with DPI

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Aug 2026

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What does the minerals extraction industry look like in the future, and how can we ensure that the entire value chain is part of a sustainable transition? These are some of the tough questions we ask in the Deep Dives with DPI podcast, hosted by DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond. As society's expectations of the minerals sector rise against the backdrop of a complicated and unpredictable operating environment, the industry must live up to its commitments. The Development Partner Institute (DPI) was formed in 2017 to realise the vision set out in the Development Partner Framework for an industry that fosters: 🤝 Shared Purpose 🌱 Flourishing Ecosystems 🌍 Competitive Communities, Companies and Countries In the Deep Dives with DPI podcast, Florence will sit down with key members of our network, board and Partner companies to share catalysing conversations that go beyond the surface. We'll unravel the complexities of sustainability, mining and the energy transition, corporate social responsibility and how communities and the value chain can benefit from mining activities across the globe, using the Development Partner Framework as a lens. Our mission is to propel the minerals extraction industry into a sustainable future, and we believe in fostering genuine global conversations that move the needle. Subscribe to Deep Dives with DPI today and be part of the movement that's propelling the minerals extraction industry towards a thriving future.

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21 recent

August 4, 2026Episode 731 min

ASM and Responsible Supply Chains with Dr Robin Smith

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Dr Robin Smith, geologist, environmental scientist and project manager at the World Resources Forum. Robin has spent most of her career working on the fate and transport of contaminants in mining environments, with related work in remediation, waste management and community engagement. At the World Resources Forum she works on responsible sourcing and on the position of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector in global mineral value chains. Tune in to understand: Why the global race for transition minerals such as copper, lithium, cobalt and graphite carries a paradox, with the minerals needed to decarbonise often extracted under conditions that harm local communities and ecosystems. How the ASM sector supplies an estimated 20 to 26 percent of various critical raw materials, and why disengaging from ASM when it appears in a supply chain tends to worsen conditions on the ground rather than resolve the risk. Where Robin sees the greatest need for innovation: participatory governance, and systems that treat socioeconomic data from mining communities as seriously as estimates of mineral reserves or export logistics. What changes when capacity building is co-designed with miners themselves rather than delivered as a fixed curriculum written elsewhere. Why repeated consultation without visible follow-through fatigues communities and puts a company's social licence at risk.

July 1, 2026Episode 622 min

Seven Generations with Tjiwarl Youth Nikita Hunt and Zac James

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Nikita Hunt and Zac James, the Tjiwarl delegates who joined DPI's Youth Salon delegation to the First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) Conference in Vancouver and Toronto in April and May 2026. Tune in to find out: What it meant to be in a room of over 2,000 delegates—many of them First Nations peoples from across the world—where culture came first, leadership was conducted in culturally appropriate ways, and the conference was opened with smoking and song. How both delegates' understanding of leadership shifted through the experience The seven generations framework that shaped the conference's thinking: that decisions made today carry consequences for seven generations to come Why Zac frames Indigenous participation in mining and energy transition projects as a question of timing, not method The connections formed outside the conference rooms: conversations with First Nations and indigenous delegates from Canada, South Africa, and beyond, and what it revealed about communities globally What Nikita and Zac would say to Tjiwarl youth considering the program Their participation in the delegation was a direct extension of DPI's Regional Catalyst work on Tjiwarl lands, where DPI, Tjiwarl Aboriginal Corporation, and ARCA have been exploring the opportunity to turn mine rehabilitation into a carbon removal industry.

June 2, 2026Episode 552 min

Mining Demand, Innovation & Circular Economy with Kwasi Ampofo

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Kwasi Ampofo, a mining engineer and Head of Mining and Metals at BloombergNEF. For seven years, Kwasi has helped clients understand what the energy transition means for mining supply, demand, and investment decisions, bringing both mining expertise and data-driven analysis to the global commodities challenge. Tune in to understand: The three external pressures reshaping mining How mining companies solve problems by scaling, not by innovating at the fundamental level - shown by the cobalt demand curve Why education and perception matter more than mining admits - demonstrated by mining engineer graduates in Australia The transformational economic impact mining can deliver - from artisanal to large-scale lever, delivering value that reaches communities, not just corporations. Throughout the conversation, Kwasi emphasizes that mining is everyone's responsibility. If you consume metal products, you own an ore body sitting in drawers, garages, and landfills. The industry recovered only 3.5 percent of copper stock in use through recycling. Moving from a mining company to a material company model depends on consumers becoming suppliers in a closed loop system.

May 6, 2026Episode 422 min

Designing Regional Prosperity through Systems Innovation with Doris Hiam-Galvez

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Doris Hiam-Galvez, a system thinker who created the design sustainable prosperity method. With over three decades transforming organizations globally, Doris works at the regional system level to help resource-driven economies evolve past boom and bust cycles into resilient regenerative economic systems. Tune in to understand: Why urgency is real and gradual change is no longer an option. Where innovation is most needed: upstream design and initial conditions for success, integration of projects within regional economic and social ecosystems, and decision intelligence using data and systems models to reduce opinion-driven bias in evaluating projects and risks The critical leadership capabilities for navigating complexity: systemic awareness that sees beyond quarterly results, the ability to operate across multiple time horizons, and creating space where people feel safe to take risks and reach their full potential How regional economic development functions as risk mitigation. Why infusing the love of science without pushing recruitment would change mining's image permanently.

April 8, 2026Episode 321 min

Systems Thinking and Innovation with Jon Stanton

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Jon Stanton, Chief Executive of the Weir Group. As a global technology provider serving almost all major mines worldwide, Weir brings a unique vantage point on transformation across the mining industry. Tune in to understand: Why different stakeholder groups are at different stages of transformation—and what that means for collective progress. How innovation extends far beyond technology into regulation, capital efficiency, and stakeholder collaboration. Water consumption as a critical, granular challenge requiring system-wide solutions. The "great tsunami" of retiring talent leaving the industry, combined with urgent needs for data scientists, software engineers, and mining engineers. Why mining needs to be braver about its purpose. Throughout the conversation, Jon emphasizes that awareness exists across stakeholder groups, but progress requires getting granular. Leaders need to tackle specific challenges, build system-wide thinking, embrace uncertainty and risk, and figure out how to collaborate on connected solutions rather than working in isolated silos.

March 4, 2026Episode 233 min

Creating Mining's Future Workforce - Lessons from Ecuador with Iliana Rodriguez

In this episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond speaks with Iliana Rodriguez, President of Women in Mining Ecuador and former VP of Human Resources at Lundin Gold. Drawing from decades of experience across South America, North America, the Middle East, and Africa, Iliana offers critical insights into building mining's talent pipeline in a country new to large-scale mining. Tune in to understand: Why high school students in Ecuador's mining regions aren't choosing mining careers—and what this reveals about communication failures across the industry The difference between listening to be present and listening with the purpose of understanding, and why that distinction matters for long-term community relationships How Ecuador's first indigenous woman mining engineer is changing conversations by speaking both the technical language of mining and the cultural language of her community Why Women in Mining networks have evolved from addressing particular regional needs to forming a global movement of horizontal leadership and shared learning The importance of early regional investment—like building a community museum before the mine reaches peak production—to demonstrate respect for culture, history, and local identity How transformation requires leaders to get close to where conversations actually happen, break down silos, and continuously retrain themselves rather than relying on outdated business models

February 11, 2026Episode 132 min

Building Mining Projects from Day One - Lessons in Innovation and Community with Allison Coppel

In the first episode of Voices of Transformation, DPI Executive Director Florence Drummond sits down with Allison Coppel, CEO of Pacha Associates and co-founder of Maven Exploration. Allison shares her unique perspective spanning consulting work, a women-founded exploration startup, and direct experience advising projects across the mining value chain. Tune in to learn about: The shift in the US mining sector toward proactive social performance, moving beyond legal and permitting frameworks to build genuine long-term community relationships Maven Exploration's innovative model that considers land, people, and natural resources holistically from day one—before deciding whether a mineral deposit should even be developed into a business Why the most challenging stakeholders are often inside the company, and how organizational culture directly affects the ability to build strong external relationships The power of values-based leadership under pressure, and why defining company values isn't just "flowery language" but the foundation for navigating complex stakeholder relationships How Gen Z is reshaping mining's narrative through authentic digital presence—and what established leaders can learn from mentoring the next generation

June 24, 2025Episode 1329 min

E13: Youth Leadership in Mining's Future with Makomborero Carl Muropa

In this inspiring episode of Deep Dives with DPI, we explore the vital role of youth voices in shaping mining's future through conversation with Makomborero Carl Muropa, business and human rights lawyer and ambassador for DPI's Youth Salon. Drawing from his extensive experience across South and East Africa, Mako offers compelling insights into how young people can become authentic change agents in the mining sector. Tune in to understand more about: Shared Purpose through Youth Engagement : How mining companies can create meaningful opportunities for young people through capacity building, youth-owned supply chains, and authentic community partnerships that cascade economic benefits beyond traditional employment Flourishing Ecosystems in Evolution : The dynamic nature of ecosystems around mining operations, and how conscious development can create new models of harmony between existing communities and incoming mining operations, rather than disruption Development Partnerships that Recognize Value : The critical importance of tripartite partnerships between governments, mining entities, and communities—with special emphasis on recognizing indigenous peoples as custodians of land and young people as key contributors rather than obstacles

May 21, 2025Episode 1223 min

E12: Climate Innovation and Partnership with ARCA's Sean Lowrie

In this enlightening episode of Deep Dives with DPI, we welcome Sean Lowrie, Head of External Affairs for ARCA, one of DPI's associate members. Sean shares insights from his 30-year career in international development and his current work with ARCA, a climate technology company pioneering innovative ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Tune in to understand more about: How ARCA is developing technology that can turn carbon dioxide into rock using mining waste materials, creating a potential multi-billion dollar opportunity for the mining industry The importance of building relationships with host communities and traditional owners before defining projects Why experimentation is crucial for balancing urgent climate action with responsible risk management The power of multi-stakeholder collaboration in creating shared value and overcoming challenges in the minerals value chain

February 11, 2025Episode 1117 min

Mining's Forever Impact - Indigenous Perspectives with Mark Podlasly

In this powerful episode of Deep Dives with DPI, we sit down with Mark Podlasly, Chief Sustainability Officer at the First Nations Major Projects Coalition and DPI Board Director. Drawing from his experience growing up near Canada's largest open pit copper mine on Nlaka'pamux Nation territory, Mark offers unique insights into mining's relationship with Indigenous communities and its critical role in the energy transition. Tune in to understand more about: The evolving dynamics between mining companies and Indigenous communities, driven by increased investor scrutiny and climate change imperatives The importance of creating lasting benefits for communities that host mining operations "forever" The critical need to incorporate Indigenous knowledge and participation from project inception through closure DPI drives collective impact for sustainable development.