“Mining doesn’t have a communication problem. It has a principles’ problem.”

I. The Wake-Up Call

Today, Rohitesh Dhawan, President and CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals, shared three lessons from mining that apply far beyond our industry.

His first lesson was geopolitical: mining companies that once operated largely as price takers are increasingly working in markets shaped by tariffs, subsidies, strategic alliances, and government intervention.

His third lesson was equally important: the most disruptive innovation in mining may not be technological. Driverless trucks, artificial intelligence, and remote operating centers matter, but the deeper transformations are relational, social, and organizational.

• From consulting Indigenous communities to sharing ownership.

• From talking in communities to creating genuine dialogue.

• From selling commodities to becoming materials-solutions providers.

But it was his second lesson that stopped me:

HOW you do something is more important than WHAT you do.

For more than a century, mining has justified its existence by explaining what it provides.

• No mining, no electricity.

• No minerals, no energy transition.

• No metals, no modern society.

All true.

• But truth alone does not create trust.

People may understand that mining is necessary and still question how minerals are produced, how risks are managed, how communities participate, and how prosperity is shared.

What mining produces is now table stakes.

How mining behaves is becoming its competitive edge.

Listening to Ro, I realized that this is not merely an ESG argument.

It points to something deeper.

Mining communication may have been starting from the wrong place.

• Not because the industry lacks values.

• But because values are not the same as principles.

Doris Hiam-Galvez. Chair of the 27th World Mining Congress presenting the “Turning Point: Mine Together”. Fireside Chat with Rohitest Dhawan (ICMM, CEO), Marna Cloete (Ivanhoe Mines CEO), and Mark Cutifani (former CEO of Anglo American and Vale).

II. The Missing Piece

For years, I believed that better mining communication required better storytelling.

Then I realized something was still missing.

• Storytelling can make a message clearer.

• Copywriting can make it more persuasive.

But neither can compensate for the absence of principles.

That missing piece was articulated decades ago by Stephen R. Covey.

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, a book I’ve read more than 7 times and am still learning from, Covey makes a distinction that is surprisingly absent from most conversations about ESG, corporate communication, and stakeholder engagement.

He distinguishes values from principles. The difference is profound.

Values are personal. Principles are universal.

Values influence behavior. Principles govern consequences.

Covey often challenged his audiences with a simple observation.

• Even Hitler had values.

The real question is not whether an individual—or a company—has values.

The real question is: Are those values grounded in principles?

Because principles operate whether we acknowledge them or not.

Just as gravity governs physics, principles govern trust, credibility, relationships, and leadership.

Covey illustrated this with what he called the Law of the Harvest.

On a farm, nobody expects to harvest wheat without first preparing the soil, planting the seed, and cultivating the crop. “The Supply Chain”.

There are no shortcuts.

You always reap what you sow.

Communication works exactly the same way.

• Companies do not harvest trust during a crisis.

• They harvest the trust they have been planting for years.

If they have planted silence, defensiveness, jargon, and reactive messaging, they will harvest skepticism. Fuel for NIMBY NGOs

If they have planted clarity, consistency, evidence, and dialogue, they will harvest credibility.

This, I believe, is the missing piece in mining communication.

For decades, we have been discussing what we value.

III. The Paradigm Shift

There is a famous moment in Stephen R. Covey’s seminars.

Without warning, he would take off his glasses, throw them onto the floor, and step on them.

The audience was shocked.

Why would someone deliberately destroy something that helps him see?

Because that was precisely his point.

A paradigm is not a new opinion.

It is a new way of seeing.

Until we change the lens, we continue interpreting the world through yesterday’s assumptions.

I believe mining communication is approaching one of those moments.

Off the record. Although Mark didn’t break anyone’s glasses, his ad made an impression on me. In fact, I lost my glasses (image) at the end of the congress. I see it as my offering to Inti Raymi: experiencing the moment when an entire industry undergoes a paradigm shift.

For decades, we have looked at communication through the lens of values.

We have invested enormous effort in defining mission statements, corporate values, ESG commitments, sustainability reports, and communication strategies.

All of these remain important.

The difference may appear subtle. It is not.

• Values tell us what we aspire to.

• Principles determine how we behave when those aspirations are tested.

• Values can be written on a wall.

• Principles reveal themselves under pressure.

That is why this is more than a communication issue.

• It is a leadership issue.

Changing from values to principles is not an adjustment.

• It is a paradigm shift.

And once you see it, it becomes difficult to look at mining communication in the same way again.

IV. The ICMM Evolution

The mining industry may already be making this shift.

For years, much of the sector’s public language was organized around values: integrity, respect, accountability, sustainability, responsibility.

• Important words.

• Necessary words.

But values alone do not tell us what happens when trade-offs become difficult, when pressure rises, or when commercial priorities collide with social and environmental expectations.

• That is where principles matter.

ICMM’s current Mining Principles are more than a statement of intent. They define environmental, social, and governance expectations and connect them to specific performance requirements and validation mechanisms. In other words, they attempt to translate aspiration into disciplined behavior. (⁠icmm.com)

• This evolution matters.

Fifteen years ago, I often heard mining leaders speaking mainly about corporate values.

Today, the conversation increasingly centers on principles, performance expectations, evidence, and verification.

That is not a cosmetic change in language.

It is the difference between saying what an organization believes and defining how it must behave.

• I heard that as more than an institutional update.

• I heard it as evidence of a deeper intellectual journey.

• Mining is moving from declarations to disciplines.

• From values that inspire to principles that govern.

• From intentions that sound right to expectations that can be tested.

This is also why Dhawan’s recent statement matters:

HOW you do something is more important than WHAT you do.

The what of mining is already understood.

• Minerals matter.

• Metals matter.

• Critical minerals matter.

But the legitimacy of mining increasingly depends on the principles that govern the how.

• How risks are explained.

• How communities participate.

• How environmental impacts are managed.

• How benefits are shared.

• How evidence is verified.

• How trust is built before it is tested.

The ICMM evolution therefore represents more than a standards exercise.

It may be part of the paradigm shift mining communication has needed for decades.

Because once principles become explicit, communication can no longer remain a layer placed on top of operations.

It must become the visible expression of how the organization actually behaves.

V. Beyond ESG

The distinction between values and principles does not stop at communication.

It changes the way we should think about ESG itself.

Over the past two decades, ESG has become one of the defining frameworks of modern mining. It has driven better reporting, greater transparency, stronger governance, and a broader understanding of environmental and social responsibility.

That progress should be recognized.

But ESG also faces a growing challenge.

As reporting frameworks have multiplied, so have accusations of greenwashing.

Companies increasingly find themselves judged not by the promises they publish, but by the evidence they provide.

Perhaps the problem is not ESG.

Perhaps the problem is that we have often confused reporting with reality.

This is where Covey’s distinction becomes surprisingly relevant.

Values tell stakeholders what an organization believes.

Principles determine how that organization behaves when those beliefs are tested.

The same distinction applies to ESG.

I would describe it this way:

Nominal ESG

ESG is expressed through commitments, policies, reports, disclosures, and compliance.

Necessary. Expected. But not sufficient.

Real ESG

ESG is demonstrated through principles, evidence, operational consistency, verification, and transparent stakeholder engagement.

• Not because it sounds better.

• Because it behaves differently.

That leads me to a simple proposition:

Real ESG begins where principles become operational.

Greenwashing is rarely created by the absence of reports.

It emerges when communication advances faster than behavior.

When values are published before principles are embedded.

When narratives become stronger than evidence.

The opposite is also true.

When principles govern decisions, communication becomes remarkably simple.

The story writes itself.

Because there is little distance between what the company says and what stakeholders experience.

Communication without principles is the shortest path to greenwashing.

Perhaps this is the future of ESG.

Not more communication.

Better principles.

VI. The Sexy CopyMining Manifesto

Mining has never had a communication problem.

• It has always had a trust problem.

• And trust is never created by words alone.

• It is created when words emerge from principles.

That is why Sexy CopyMining™ is not about writing.

• It is not about content.

• It is not about marketing.

• It is not even about storytelling.

It is about helping mining communicate from principles.

Because principles change everything.

They transform:

• Information into understanding.

• Understanding into trust.

• Trust into influence.

• And influence into better decisions.

That is why we believe the future of mining communication requires a new paradigm.

From Writing to Copywriting.

• Writing informs.

• Copywriting persuades.

Mining does not need to explain more.

It needs to help stakeholders understand why its decisions deserve trust.

From Values to Principles.

Values inspire.

Principles govern behavior.

• Values describe who we aspire to be.

• Principles determine what we do when our aspirations are tested.

From Information to Influence.

• Technical reports remain essential.

• Scientific evidence remains essential.

• Operational excellence remains essential.

But information alone rarely changes minds.

People make decisions when information becomes meaning.

• Meaning becomes trust.

• And trust becomes action.

This is why we believe communication should no longer be treated as the final stage of a mining project.

Communication should become part of project design itself.

• Not after permitting.

• Not after conflict.

• Not after criticism.

From the very beginning.

Because communication is not the last step of mining.

It is one of the first.

• Mining projects move at the speed of decisions.

• Decisions move at the speed of trust.

• And trust grows from principles.

• Not from values.

Welcome to Sexy CopyMining™.

People don’t trust companies because they communicate more. They trust companies because they communicate from principles.

VII. Why Am I Writing About This?

If you’ve read this far, you may be wondering why a geologist is writing about storytelling, principles, and communication.

• It’s a fair question.

The answer is that this journey did not begin with copywriting. Nor did it begin with artificial intelligence.

It began inside mining itself.

For almost four decades, I have worked across geology, mining, energy, critical minerals and international projects. Like many professionals in our industry, I spent years believing that better technical information naturally led to better decisions.

Experience taught me otherwise.

Again and again, I saw technically sound projects misunderstood.

• Not because the geology was wrong.

• Not because the engineering was poor.

• But because the story never reached the people who needed to understand it.

That question stayed with me for years.

Then, in 2022, something happened that brought many of the ideas I had been exploring together.

Green Cross UK

I was collaborating with Green Cross United Kingdom, the environmental organization founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, leading the Positive Mining initiative.

Our challenge was unusual.

We were not looking for the best mining projects.

We were looking for mining initiatives deserving recognition outside the mining industry.

Projects capable of demonstrating that mining could contribute positively to society.

Three initiatives were shortlisted.

Two finally received the award.

One of them was the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM).

The reason was not a communication campaign.

• It was not a marketing initiative.

• It was not a sustainability report.

• It was something much deeper.

ICMM had decided to translate its aspirations into Mining Principles—principles designed to guide the everyday behavior of its member companies.

As Rohitesh Dhawan explained when receiving the award, the Council had moved beyond simply expressing values. It had embedded commitments—such as eliminating harassment and discrimination—into the operational principles expected of every member.

That distinction stayed with me.

• Values express intentions.

• Principles shape behavior.

• And behavior is ultimately what creates trust.

A few months later, during PERUMIN 2022, I had the opportunity to share that recognition personally with Rohitesh Dhawan.

Four years later, at the World Mining Congress, I had a brief conversation with him and listened to him in the Fireside Chat.

His message was different.

But it pointed in exactly the same direction.

• Geopolitics.

• Critical minerals.

• Business model innovation.

And one sentence that particularly resonated with me:

How you do something is more important than what you do.

To me, that is another way of saying:

Principles matter more than declarations.

That is also why Stephen R. Covey remains so relevant. Covey often challenged his audience to change paradigms—to stop looking at the world through the same lenses.

Sometimes, he would literally throw his glasses onto the floor and step on them to make the point.

You cannot solve tomorrow’s problems by looking through yesterday’s assumptions.

I believe mining has now reached one of those moments.

The challenges of critical minerals, energy transition, geopolitics and societal expectations cannot be addressed with yesterday’s communication models.

They require a different way of thinking.

Not only about communication.

• About leadership.

• About trust.

• About influence.

That is why I created Sexy CopyMining™.

Not because mining needs better marketing.

But because I believe mining deserves a communication model grounded in the same thing that will define its future:

Principles.

Mining has a communication problem.

Projects worth millions of dollars are often delayed, misunderstood, mistrusted, or ignored—not because of poor engineering, geology, or economics.

But because of poor communication.

Mining professionals are trained to produce data, reports, studies, and technical documents.

Stakeholders make decisions based on stories, trust, emotions, and understanding.

That gap can cost years.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

— Maya Angel

The Mining Industry Was Built on Technical Excellence

• Mining has never had a data problem.

• It has never had a geology problem.

• It has never had an engineering problem.

For more than a century, mining professionals have solved extraordinarily complex technical challenges.

They have discovered deposits under deserts, mountains, jungles, and oceans. They have built mines in some of the most remote regions on Earth. They have supplied the materials that make modern civilization possible. The challenge today is different.

The industry now operates in a world where technical excellence alone is no longer enough.

1. Communities demand transparency.

2. Investors demand trust.

3. Governments demand accountability.

4. Employees demand purpose.

5. Media demand stories.

6. And social media amplifies every misunderstanding.

The New Mining Reality

A technically sound project can still fail.

Not because the resource is poor.

Not because the economy is weak.

But because stakeholders do not understand it.

Or worse:

Because they do not trust it.

Today’s mining leaders are expected to communicate with audiences that speak very different languages:

• Engineers

• Investors

• Governments

• Communities

• Journalists

• NGOs

• Employees

The problem is that technical language rarely works outside technical circles.

Why Stories Matter

Stories are not the opposite of facts. Stories are the vehicle that allows facts to travel.

Every successful leader understands this.

• Politicians use stories.

• Entrepreneurs use stories.

• Fund managers use stories.

• Technology companies use stories.

The mining industry often assumes that data will speak for itself.

Unfortunately, it rarely does. Data explains. Stories create understanding.

Consider a simple example

A mining company can say:

“Our project will produce 300,000 tonnes of copper per year.”

That is a fact.

But stakeholders may not care.

Now consider this:

“Our project will help supply the copper needed for washing machines in 150,000 households, freeing up 3 hours a day for their women and young daughters.”

Free time to study, learn, or dream.

Same project. Same copper.

Different story. Different impact.

The Cost of Poor Communication

Poor communication creates hidden costs that rarely appear in financial models:

• Delays

• Resistance

• Mistrust

• Misalignment

• Lost opportunities

• Slower decision-making

In many cases, these costs can exceed technical risks. A one-year delay can destroy millions in value. A misunderstanding can trigger years of opposition. A weak narrative can leave a great project invisible.

Communication is not a soft skill.

Good communication is a BUSINESS ASSET.

From Information to Understanding

Most miners focus on information. The best mining communication focuses on understanding. There is a difference.

Information answers:

• What?

Understanding answers:

• Why does this matter?

Stakeholders rarely make decisions because they have received more information. They make decisions because they understand the story behind the information.

And understanding creates trust.

What Is Storytelling for Mining?

Storytelling for Mining is not fiction.

It is not manipulation.

It is not marketing hype.

It is the discipline of transforming technical information into narratives that stakeholders can understand, remember, and trust.

It combines:

• Mining expertise

• Neuroscience

• Persuasive communication

• Copywriting

• Artificial Intelligence

To help mining professionals communicate with greater clarity and greater impact.

Better stories create better understanding.

Better understanding creates better decisions.

Why I Created Sexy CopyMining™

After nearly 40 years in geology, mining, energy, and consulting, I kept seeing the same pattern.

Good projects struggled to gain support. Good ideas failed to gain traction.

Technical experts often found themselves misunderstood by stakeholders who lacked their technical background.

The problem was rarely the project itself.

The problem was the communication surrounding it.

That realization led me to study copywriting, persuasive communication, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence systems.

Today, I combine those disciplines with decades of mining experience to help mining professionals communicate more effectively.

Better communication can accelerate better decisions.

“I am not a copywriter who discovered mining. I am a mining insider who discovered the power of storytelling.”

Mining is ultimately a trust industry. Trust travels through stories.

Get the Free Playbook

If you found this article useful, I created a practical resource specifically for mining professionals.

The Essential Storytelling Playbook for Mining Professionals

Inside you’ll discover:

• Why stakeholders think differently from engineers

• The neuroscience behind trust and persuasion

• How to simplify complex mining messages

• Common communication mistakes in mining

• Practical frameworks you can use immediately

• How AI can support mining communication

The Playbook is free.

Simply subscribe below and download your copy.

Subscribe and Download

Join mining professionals interested in:

• Mining Storytelling

• Copywriting

• Neuroscience

• Artificial Intelligence

• Critical Minerals

• Mining Communication

Turn technical information into stories that accelerate mining decisions.

If your project value is 10 but your message communicates a 6, stakeholders will value it at 6.

The gap is not your project.

The gap is your communication.

Subscribe and download the free Playbook.

• Mining Storytelling

• Copywriting

• Neuroscience

• AI

• Critical Minerals

Turn technical information into stories that accelerate mining decisions.