M-Cubed Research Consulting

“Right now, it’s just spray paint and a dream”

This year, I want to start the yearly review, by reflecting on the ten years since I attended my first conference –

My interest in marine minerals began in 2013, I asked a question in a college chemistry lecture – it was delivered by a guy called Joshua Manning (I wish I could find him) about equilibrium.

I asked whether “if we can extract minerals at the same rate which they form, is that a system at equilibrium?” – the sixteen year old me didn’t get the answer he expected, “That would be a great question for an extended project” Joshua answered.

By extended, we’re now 12 years in…

Naturally, I began studying polymetallic sulphide deposits in the first instance – which are volcanogenic, rapidly mineralizing ore deposits. At the time, Nautilus Minerals’ Solwara 1 was a few years from starting production – in Papua New Guinea’s EEZ.

While researching I met Thomas Sunde, a solopreneur, who I teamed up with – following my mission to minimize the environmental impact of Marine Mining. For more, check out The Rio Choapa Intervention.

In 2015, Thomas invited me to the Underwater Mining Conference in Tampa Bay, Florida. The presentation that stood out to me, and has become ingrained in my memory is Sven Petersen telling the conference that polymetallic sulphide would not will the gap in Copper supply – that the industry was focusing on the wrong metals.

By my second conference, the 2019 Ocean Week Conference at NTNU in Trondheim, Nautilus was in deep shit – rather than deep water. The tide had turned away from Deep-Sea Mining – focusing very much on recycling to prevent it. It feels like the world has since changed.

‘At COP26, the mining industry was told it wasn’t welcome – what did it have to offer?” – Dr Sarah Gordon, Satarla and Imperial College London

The coronavirus pandemic, the Suez canal blockage, trade wars, and actual wars in the years since have challenged that – mining will be defined by critical minerals, and excercised strategically.

‘It is critical minerals that will drive the power and wealth of nations into the future’ – Chris McDonald MP, UK Minister for Industry

The pandemic also challenged me, and burdened me with some of my darkest days. I lost my research funding, my future, my independance and – for a while, the love for what I was studying. I’ve been more open about that this year – because I have got past it, I have found that love again.

I have been tracing back to when I decided to start my own company, M-Cubed Research Consulting. I think, I might have found it!

At 21:16 on Tuesday, September 28th 2021 – I had a permenent marker and a roll of stickers, and I flicked the pen: creating what would become our logo.

In 2022, I attended the UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon with an idea, for a business – kind of…

They wouldn’t let me in – so I went to the adjoining One Ocean Conference – and the idea began to grow.

But as any founder knows, sometimes life happens –

My grandfather, who inspired my fascination with geology had a battle with cancer – I showed him the first copy of the company information pack, and accepted my graduation certificate from him, just a week before he died. I told him, any legacy I go on to achieve – is a legacy I would share with him.

If you’ve read Cubed-Up 2024, you’ll know that M-Cubed was launched outside the UN Oceans Conference in Barcelona – with two handwritten signs tied together with my shoelaces – even so, the year ended on the verge of a breakthrough!

So how did 2025 go? Find out next week, in Cubed Up 2025!