In this episode, we chat with Steve Virtue, a communications and public affairs executive within the mining industry with deep expertise providing leadership to the sector, whether junior miners, producers, and mining suppliers.  He brings a 25 year career as a public affairs professional, having spent much of the past 15 years working in and around the sector, helping to improve outcomes for some of the largest brands in mining. He brings exceptional skills as a government relations, communications, and stakeholder engagement professional.

As an active listener to the podcast, Steve discusses political risks in mining as we have seen a recent surge in government intervention around the world within our industry and wanted to provide some content around this and how mining companies could possibly navigate their way around certain situations and how to best market yourselves in the media. We also speak about branding and social media in our industry.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Public affairs play a crucial role in supporting mining operations by managing relationships with government stakeholders, ensuring smooth operations, and mitigating political risks. Effective public affairs strategies can help mining companies navigate regulatory changes and maintain profitability.
• Governments are seeking genuine partnerships with mining companies rather than transactional relationships. Mining companies need to be proactive, ambitious, and constructive in their engagement with government officials to foster trust and collaboration.
• The political landscape is increasingly volatile, with significant changes in government leadership around the world. Mining companies must be prepared to adapt to these shifts, as new administrations may introduce unpredictable policies that can affect operations and profitability.
• The media industry is undergoing significant changes, with a decline in traditional outlets and a rise in citizen journalism. Mining companies need to adapt their communication strategies to effectively engage with audiences through digital platforms and social media, ensuring their narratives are heard amidst the noise.

BEST MOMENTS

"Governments are looking for partners. They want a real meaningful relationship, not just a transactional one where you come to me, solve my problem, and then move on."

"The reality is that they do still require a very human touch. Public affairs is the exclusive domain of the relationship."

"If you're tired of hearing your own voice, then let somebody else's voice speak for you. Talk about your social license to operate in the community."

"There's a real education process that needs to happen. Mining is an environmentally friendly cause in many respects."

VALUABLE RESOURCES

Mail:        rob@mining-international.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/

X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast 

Web:        http://www.mining-international.org

This episode is sponsored by Hawcroft, leaders in property risk management since 1992. They offer:

• Insurance risk surveys recognised as an industry standard
• Construction risk reviews
• Asset criticality assessments and more

Working across over 600 sites globally, Hawcroft supports mining, processing, smelting, power, refining, ports, and rail operations.For bespoke property risk management services, visit www.hawcroft.com

GUEST SOCIALS

www.linkedin.com/in/stevevirtue/

https://x.com/stevevirtue

Email -

stevevirtue@icloud.com

ABOUT THE HOST

Rob Tyson is the Founder and Director of Mining International Ltd, a leading global recruitment and headhunting consultancy based in the UK specialising in all areas of mining across the globe from first-world to third-world countries from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. We source, headhunt, and discover new and top talent through a targeted approach and search methodology and have a proven track record in sourcing and positioning exceptional candidates into our clients' organisations in any mining discipline or level. Mining International provides a transparent, informative, and trusted consultancy service to our candidates and clients to help them develop their careers and business goals and objectives in this ever-changing marketplace.

CONTACT METHOD

rob@mining-international.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/

Podcast Description

Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.