M-Cubed Research Consulting

Michael’s lifelong fascination with ore minerals was inspired by his granddad’s mineral shop in Cheddar Gorge – in which, Michael started work aged eleven.

At sixteen, during a lecture on chemical equilibrium, Michael posed the question – ‘if society could produce metals at the same rate we use them, would that be a system at equilibrium?’ – this question explored where ore minerals form at their fastest rates.

“Deep-Sea Mining: A Potential Source of Renewable Resources” was the first research project which Michael undertook, which focused on growing metal demand and suggested engineering polymetallic mineral formation at active hydrothermal vents sites.

Whilst researching for this work in late 2013, Michael first encountered Poseidon Offshore Mining.

During his time at Bangor University, Posiedon asked Michael to assist in planning a $250,000 exploration project for alluvial gold deposits around Rio Choapa, Chile. He conducted a literature review, and determined that the apparent river system was instead a truncated estuary: and that if gold had accumulated, it would be buried beneath reclaimed farmland. This realisation halted the project, and prevented financial and environmental losses. You can find out more about The Rio Coapa Intervention in our blog.

Instead, Posiedon sponsored Michael’s studies at the University of Ediburgh, as they sought to develop a process of using electrolysis to extract copper and gold from superheated hydrothermal fluids.

Michael planned an expedition to study a shallow (40m) hydrothermal vent within Lihir harbour, Papua New Guinea; and later sought to design laboratory proof of concepts.

The pandemic gutted this project, but it provided an opportunity to address the challenges faced in previous work – a paucity of real world data – and to instead champion exploration.

Ten years after Michael started studying marine minerals, Michael founded M-Cubed Research Consulting with the aim to focus on a wider array of critical elements; to minimise the potential impact of far-more selective exploitation; to support coastal developing countries; and, to provide opportunities for new ocean scientists.