M-Cubed Research Consulting

Michael’s lifelong fascination with ore minerals was inspired by his granddad, whose hobby became a 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 produce metals at the same rate we use them, would that be a system at equilibrium?

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

During his time at Bangor University, he was asked to assist in planning an 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. See our video “The Power of Literature Review: How Two Words Saved $250,000” here.

At the University of Edinburgh, Michael was sponsored by Poseidon 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 change course – to instead champion exploration. Ten years after Michael started studying marine minerals, and with a refreshed sense of purpose, Michael founded M-Cubed Research Consulting with the aim to refocus on more critical elements, and to minimise the potential impact of far-more selective exploitation by identifying exceptional deposits around the world.