The Rocks Meet Wall Street with Dave Lawie & Sam Scher

For Episode 51, the tables are turned as Imdex Chief Geologist and Technologist Dave Lawie takes over hosting duties and puts Sam in the hot seat.Fresh from the SME Current Trends in Mining Finance conference in New York City, Dave and Sam discuss the growing disconnect between how mining projects are evaluated financially and how they actually behave technically. From resource models and geometallurgy to critical minerals, permitting, and project risk, they explore why geology, mineralogy, metallurgy, and geochemistry remain central to project success. The conversation also looks at Sam's path into geochemistry, the origins of GeOCHemISTea, and the role mentorship has played throughout her career. How Sam found her way into geochemistryWhy technical risk is often overlooked in mining financeThe realities of critical mineral recoveryGeometallurgy, mineralogy, and project valuationWhere AI may (and may not) help the industryWhy mining needs better conversations between technical and financial teamsA candid discussion about the assumptions, risks, and opportunities that sit between a discovery and a successful mine. SME Current Trends in Mining Finance ConferenceImdexLKI Consulting