Dr Jon Kellar

Dr Jon Kellar

Author: Mineral Choices January 14, 2022 Duration: 17:09

Dr Jon Kellar is a professor at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. During his 30-year career in education, Dr Kellar has had a remarkable impact on undergraduate studies of the minerals industry, creating programs that integrate mineral processing, extractive metallurgy and physical metallurgy. 

He joins our host Thomas Hale to discuss innovations in his field, the challenges of building reliable and responsible mineral supply chains, and how we can develop new strategies to meet growing global demands for key metals.


Hosted by Mineral Choices, A Rock and A Hard Place features conversations with Dr. Saleem Ali and Thomas Hale. They sit down with geologists, engineers, economists, and community advocates to pull back the curtain on the materials that literally build our times. Every smartphone, wind turbine, and electric vehicle is born from the earth, creating a story that is as much about geopolitics and ethics as it is about chemistry. This podcast digs into that story, examining the immense challenge of sourcing minerals for a sustainable future without repeating the environmental and social mistakes of the past. It’s a nuanced look at the tension between urgent global needs and local impacts, between extraction and conservation. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions that move beyond simple headlines, exploring the real-world dilemmas at the intersection of science, industry, and human lives. Tune in for a thoughtful exploration of the foundations of modern life, asking what it truly takes to power our world responsibly.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 32

A Rock and A Hard Place
Podcast Episodes
Steve LeVine Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:26
This week, our host Thomas Hale is joined by Steve LeVine Editor of The Electric, which focuses on the pioneering developments in electric vehicle batteries. They discuss Steve’s 18-year career as a foreign correspondent…
Cameron Scadding Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:43
In part 2 of our conversation, Cameron shares more of his perspective on why minerals matter. He discusses the impact of recent disruptions to international trade networks, the challenges of tracking global supply chains…
Cameron Scadding Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:33
This week, our host Thomas Hale speaks to Cameron Scadding, managing director of Perth-based Source Certain International, about their pioneering work. The discussion tackles issues around mineral supply chain integrity,…
Dr. Alex Speer Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:50
This week, we are again joined by Dr Alex Speer, former long time executive director of the Mineralogical Society of America. Dr. Speer is a MSC fellow and the secretary treasurer of the Geological Society of America's M…
Dr. Alex Speer Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:25
In the first part of this conversation, our host Thomas Hale talks to Dr. Alex Speer about his journey into the world of minerals, the importance of minerology in our day-to-day lives, and the complex questions of select…
Anna Poberezhna Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:53
In part two of this episode, Thomas Hale and Anna Poberezhna discuss how technologies, such as blockchain and the digitisation of water, create 'true value' and encourage holistic sustainability in the green economy.Anna…
Anna Poberezhna Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:35
In part 1 of this episode, our host Thomas Hale speaks to Anna Poberezhna, founder and CEO of Smart4Tech, about the challenges of sustainable mining and the nexus of minerals, water, and food. Anna discusses how companie…
Suzanne Green [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:33
In the final episode of Series 1, Suzanne Green joins Dr. Saleem Ali to discuss the circular economy and the lifecycle carbon trade-off between using plastic, metals & glass. They also speak about how universities & scie…
Dr Corby Anderson Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:14
For part three of our A Rock and A Hard Place interview with Dr Corby Anderson, the metallurgical and materials engineering expert gives us his reasoning for why minerals matter and explains what is needed from those asp…
Dr Corby Anderson Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:33
In Part 2, our host, Thomas Hale continues his conversation with Dr Anderson. This week the discussion moves on to universities, the courses they are having to offer to entice a new type of student and what options they…