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PODCAST

GeOCHemISTea

Every geoscientist is capable of understanding and applying geochemical data, however, at GeocHemiSTea we understand that there is an incredible amount of nuance and accumulated knowledge. We are here to break down the impediments towards geoscientists learning more about this exciting field! Are you a student wanting to break into the field? Listen to each episode to see how reknown geochemists got to where they are today. Are you intrigued by integrating geochemistry, but don"t know how? Stay

science earth sciences

All Episodes

01:05:33

What If We Treated Waste Like Ore with Anita...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/09/23

What if we treated mine waste with the same curiosity and rigor as the orebody itself?This month on GeOCHemISTea, Sam sits down with Dr. Anita Parbhakar-Fox to talk about rethinking mine waste across the life of mine. From environmental geometallurgy and waste characterization to valorization, closure planning, and the push toward net-zero mine waste, Anita challenges us to stop seeing waste as an afterthought.Plus, over tea, we dig into the geoscience skills shortage, the pressures facing

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01:11:52

From Hand Samples to Satellites: Geochemistry with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/09/02

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, Sam talks with Dr. Brenda Bowen, Professor of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah, about using remote sensing to understand geochemistry at the scale of entire landscapes.Brenda traces her work from the Navajo Sandstone and ancient fluid-flow systems to modern salt flats, desert environments, and Mars analogs. We explore how multispectral and hyperspectral data can map mineralogy, how minerals preserve records of water and environmental change, and how

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01:02:09

The Fallacy of the Deep with Mark Arundell

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/07/21

Is the next generation of mineral discoveries really hiding at extreme depths, or have we overlooked opportunities much closer to the surface?In this episode, Sam sits down with returning guest Mark Arundell, geoscientist and geochemical consultant, to challenge one of exploration's most widely accepted assumptions: that bigger discoveries require deeper drilling. Together they explore the "fallacy of the deep," discuss why statistics matter when interpreting exploration success, and

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01:20:13

The Rocks Meet Wall Street with Dave Lawie & Sam Scher

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/06/17

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,

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01:39:39

Data Levelling Panel with Pedro Acosta-Gongora & Tom...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/05/20

For our 50th episode of GeOCHemISTea, we’re doing something a little different... a panel discussion that brings together two very different perspectives on one deceptively simple problem: levelling geochemical data. Joined by a government survey geochemist, Pedro Acosta-Gongora, and a mathematical geologist, Tom Carmichael, this conversation digs into what levelling really means in practice, why it’s become standard in regional datasets, and where it can quietly distort the geological signal. From

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00:46:52

From Evidence to Origin: Solving Mysteries with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/04/15

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, Sam sits down with Gabe Bowen to explore the world of forensic isotope geochemistry and the power of isoscapes.From identifying where someone has lived, to reconstructing movement through hair and teeth, isotopes are becoming a powerful investigative tool—bridging geochemistry, ecology, and forensic science.They break down:What forensic isotope geochemistry actually is (and what it isn’t)How isoscapes turn isotope data into geographic mapsWhy hydrogen, oxygen,

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00:55:29

Beyond Bulk Geochemistry: Cobalt, Nanoparticles, and...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/03/18

This episode of GeOCHemISTea explores cobalt cycling, critical metals, and why geochemists need to think beyond bulk chemistry to understand how elements behave in surface environments. Sam is joined by Owen Missen, lecturer in environmental geology at the University of Tasmania and researcher with CODES, whose work focuses on the environmental geochemistry and mineralogy of elements like cobalt and tellurium.The conversation explores why cobalt matters in modern technology, how nanoscale particles

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01:16:07

Fit-for-Purpose Geochemistry and Fewer Bad Programs...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/02/18

Simon Bolster joins GeOCHemISTea to unpack what actuallymakes near-surface geochemistry work in mineral exploration: understanding regolith and landforms before you ever “put dirt in bags.” With four decades in gold exploration, Simon argues that many programs fail not because geochemistry is “bad,” but because sampling and analytical choices do not match the terrain,the cover, or the project stage.The conversation moves from regolith terrain assessment andmapping as the real starting point, to why

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01:18:46

From Geomet to the Mill: Breaking Down Silos with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2026/01/21

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, host Sam Scher engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Professor Mohsen Yahyaei, a mineral processing engineer and director at the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Center. They explore the impact of geographical differences on mental health, particularly how varying daylight hours can affect mood and productivity. The discussion transitions into the importance of integrating geological and processing data to optimize mineral extraction processes,

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01:00:09

Volcanoes, Mush, and Mineralization with Mike Stock

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, Sam talks with Mike Stock, Professor at Trinity College Dublin, about magma systems from eruption to emplacement. Drawing on work in the Galápagos and Ireland, Mike explores how the same geochemical and petrological processes govern both volcanic activity and ore formation.The conversation focuses on breaking down silos between volcanology and economic geology—highlighting shared tools, concepts, and models that are often studied in isolation. The episode closes with

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01:00:47

The mineralogy hidden in your assays with Scott Halley

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/11/19

This month on GeOCHemISTea, Sam sits down with Scott Halley to talk about extracting meaningful mineralogy from standard four-acid assay data. Scott walks through how the classic MINSQ approach evolved into modern linear-programming methods that handle solid solutions, honor thermodynamics, and produce fast, first-pass mineralogy models.They also dig into ambiguity in geologic interpretation, “cognitive entrenchment” in porphyry systems, and how linking calculated mineralogy to rock physics is

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00:48:39

Geochemistry Without Borders: A Conversation with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/10/15

Alecos Demetriades, applied geochemist and Chair of the IUGS Commission on Global Geochemical Baselines (2024–2028), joins GeOCHemISTea to unpack the Global Geochemical Reference Network (GGRN): why a 160×160 km grid matters, how harmonized sampling/analysis underpins trustworthy baselines, and what QA/QC must look like before interpretation. We touch on FOREGS, leveling national datasets to global references, and practical ways exploration and mining teams can access, use, and contribute to these

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00:56:05

Geochemical exploration in low sulfidation epithermal...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/09/10

This month on GeOCHemISTea, we welcome back Simon Griffiths, Principal Consultant at Third Planet Exploration Services, to unpack the geochemical exploration strategies for low-sulfidation epithermal systems. From vein textures to vanadium-rich roscoelite halos, Simon walks us through practical strategies for geochemical targeting and alteration mapping. He shares insights into sampling, spectral workflows, and how roscoelite at Porgera became one of the most reliable vectors to high-grade gold

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00:58:58

From Sardis to the lab: a gold assay deep dive with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/08/13

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, we're joined by Hugh De Souza to explore the evolution of gold analysis; from 4,000-year-old fire assay traditions to disruptive technologies like photon assay. With over 40 years at research and industry analytical labs and deep experience in mineralogy, geochemistry, and lab innovation, Hugh shares his unconventional path into analytical geochemistry, breaks down the physics behind modern methods, and reflects on what the future holds for gold assay. Whether

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00:53:27

Fine Fractions & Big Discoveries: A Deep Dive into...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/07/09

This month on GeOCHemISTea, we are talking about one of exploration geochemistry’s most foundational, and rapidly evolving, methods: stream sediment sampling. Sam is joined by geochemical consultant and educator Mary Doherty, lead author of a 2023 review on stream sediment geochemistry, published in Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis.Mary shares a career’s worth of field, lab, and leadership experience, from carrying samples for her USGS geologist father as a child to building geochem

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01:02:15

Into the Plume: Hydrothermal Geochemistry and Alvin...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/06/11

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, we're diving deep, literally, with Andy Campbell, oceanographer, geochemist, and former senior leader at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Andy takes us back to his PhD days at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where he conducted some of the earliest geochemical research on seafloor hydrothermal systems in the Guaymas Basin. His work on manganese cycling, water column anomalies, and hydrothermal plume modeling not only helped lay the foundation for

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01:29:56

Geothermal Geochemistry and the Roads Less Taken with...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/05/15

In this episode of GeOCHemISTea, Sam sits down with geochemist and geothermal expert Stuart Simmons to discuss the unpredictable paths that shape a career in geoscience. From early work in epithermal gold systems to pioneering research in geothermal energy, Stuart shares how professional pivots, academic curiosity, and a chance encounter at a pub in New Zealand all influenced his decades-long contribution to both industry and research. The conversation also dives into the geochemistry of geothermal

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01:04:00

Probing paleorecords to understand future climates...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/04/09

Join us this month on GeOCHemISTea as we sit down with Brittany Hupp, Assistant Professor at George Mason University in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences. Brittany specializes in micropaleontology, sedimentology, and low-temperature geochemistry, exploring ancient climates and ocean conditions to better understand modern environmental challenges.In this episode, Brittany shares her unconventional path into geosciences—from a dairy farm in rural Ohio to oceanic research

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01:07:09

Dynamic mapping of tailings oxidation with Oscar...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/03/12

This month GeOCHemISTea talks with Oscar Benavente, an environmental geochemist at SRK Consulting, about using satellite imagery to monitor mine drainage and environmental change. They dive into how Google Earth Engine, Python, and machine learning are transforming geochemical monitoring—mapping water bodies, tracking sulfide oxidation, and improving mine site remediation.Oscar shares insights from his career spanning geothermal exploration, environmental geochemistry, and consulting. They also

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00:58:58

The trials and tribulations of historic geochemistry...

GeOCHemISTea ·

2025/02/12

Historical geochemical datasets can be challenging with variable methods, missing metadata, and shifting detection limits, but they’re also an invaluable resource for mineral exploration and mining.In this episode, we break down what qualifies as historical data, common pitfalls to watch for, and best practices for integrating legacy datasets into interpretation workflows. We also explore the newest geochemical data from field-portable and scanning technologies, examining how they complement and

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