Pioneering Lithium Production in the U.S. Amidst Rising Demand

In this episode, we're joined by Kevin Smith, Non-Executive Director at IRIS Metals, an ASX-listed company involved in lithium exploration in the historic Black Hills district of South Dakota. With one of the largest hard-rock lithium landholdings in the U.S., IRIS Metals is positioning itself at the heart of America’s drive for a domestic supply of critical minerals. In our conversation, we’ll explore how IRIS is balancing exploration risk with surging lithium demand, and what sets the company apart in attracting capital and partnerships. We’ll also take an educational lens, discussing the unique challenges of developing projects in the U.S. compared to more traditional mining jurisdictions. Kevin will share his insights on navigating the highs and lows of commodity cycles, advice for juniors aiming to transition from exploration to development, and the broader outlook for lithium and critical minerals KEY TAKEAWAYS The company is strategically positioned to be the first and largest lithium producer in the U.S. by the end of the decade, with a quick path to market due to its brownfields project Iris Metals is focusing on brownfields projects on private ground to minimise exploration risk and expedite the transition from exploration to production The lithium market is currently experiencing a downturn, with prices having dropped significantly from previous highs Iris Metals is actively engaging with investors and the local community, emphasising its commitment to responsible mining practices and economic growth BEST MOMENTS "We think that we can be the first and the largest lithium producer in the U.S. to come online here before the end of the decade." "Lithium is an immature market because it's a product that has not been widely used or adopted in industry like copper, lead, zinc." "We have a unique opportunity set, a captive market in audience in customer base. We're one of the few people that can deliver and execute on that." "The path to production is approximately 18 months from here... we think we have some good government support, some good commercial support from large strategic partners." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        ⁠[email protected]⁠ 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  https://irismetals.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/iris-metals-ltd/ https://x.com/IrisMetals CONTACT METHOD ⁠[email protected]⁠ ⁠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.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/