Episodes
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
WSS S5E2: Mining Our Own Stories
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
Wednesday Sep 02, 2020
Dr. Bob Linnen, an economic geologist from the Department of Earth Sciences, joins the show to discuss the state of mining in Canada, the tech-building materials that are prompting a modern gold rush, and why are countries re-evaluating their own natural resources.
Friday Nov 01, 2019
WSS S4E6: Earth, Wind, and Fire: New Perspectives on Mining
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Friday Nov 01, 2019
Dr. Nigel Blamey joins the podcast to discuss the challenges facing the mining industry, what a mass extinction caused by gas would look like, and how oxygen has evolved.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2E8: Canada's Oil Disconnect
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Western Canada is one of the world's largest oil manufacturing regions, but in the last half-decade the industry has experienced a significant downturn, and is only just starting to recover. Western Science Speaks brings in geologist and former oil exploration CEO, Professor Burns Cheadle, for an objective breakdown of Canada's oil sector woes, the head-scratching reality of half the country importing oil from abroad, and how the sector impacts our relationship with the U.S.
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
WSS S2E7: Stirring the pot: Finding sustainable methods for metal extraction
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
Wednesday Oct 03, 2018
We rely on metal to power our daily lives. The good news is, Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of this vital material. However, balancing that productivity with the obligation to protect our increasingly fragile environment is a challenge that leaves Canadian miners and environmentalists grappling. Professor Kim Baines from the Department of Chemistry joins Western Science Speaks to discuss metal’s national importance, the common mining and separation techniques, and how chemists approach the obstacle of assembling an environmentally friendlier mining process.