The Evolving Landscape of Mining: Alan Clegg Discusses Market Trends and Commodity Predictions

In this episode, we have a returning guest who appeared back in March 2022 (episode 226). Alan Clegg whose had a long and established career in mining for over 4 decades working in various aspects of metals & minerals value chain from exploration through to mine closure, including financing of projects, projects management & projects construction & execution, he’s done it all. He also published more than 20 technical papers & presented at numerous international conferences and today talks about a variety of topics including precious metals, PGM’s, the energy transition, ESG and more. Some controversial topics with valid explanations but with truth always in Alan’s mind. KEY TAKEAWAYS Gold has historically been viewed as a store of wealth, with its price fluctuations often reflecting the depreciation of fiat currencies rather than changes in its intrinsic value. Recent trends show a significant increase in gold prices, driven by global economic uncertainties and increased central bank purchases. Silver is primarily an industrial metal, with significant demand stemming from its use in electronics and solar panels. The market is currently facing a deficit, and retail interest in silver is growing as more individuals seek affordable ways to invest in precious metals. The platinum group metals (PGMs) market has experienced volatility due to shifts in automotive technology, particularly the transition from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles. Despite this, there is a projected market deficit for platinum, indicating potential future value. The so-called "green transition" is not a true transition but rather an addition of energy sources. The demand for critical minerals, particularly for battery production, is expected to outpace supply, raising concerns about the feasibility of fully replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources. BEST MOMENTS "Gold has been seen as a store of wealth for more than 5,000 years... an ounce of gold today is still an ounce of gold, despite price fluctuations." "The current estimates suggest that China may have as much as 30,000 tons of gold... a hedge against fiat currency failure." "The silver market is facing a net deficit of around 700,000 to 800,000 ounces in 2024, which is quite large." "For every thousand deposits of metals and minerals that we discover, only one or two become tier one producing mines." 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 GUEST SOCIALS alan@ukwazi.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-m-clegg-pr-eng-00227a9/ 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.