The realities of climate change and the global need to transition to non-carbon emitting energy generation, distribution, and utilization are creating fundamental national security implications and driving an order-of-magnitude demand increase for a wide array of critical and essential minerals. Significant increases in the production of critical and essential minerals are strategically vital to achieving the desired green energy transition. This lecture will present the scale of critical and essential mineral requirements and focus on the many technical, human resource, jurisdictional, financial and ESG challenges and opportunities that the mining industry faces.
Speaker Bio
Edward (“Ed”) C. Dowling Jr. joined Compass Minerals as president and chief executive officer (CEO) in January 2024. He continues to serve on the company’s board of directors, as he has since March 2022.
Dr. Dowling has more than 30 years of leadership experience and international mining expertise. Prior to joining Compass Minerals, Dr. Dowling served as the president, CEO and member of the board of directors of SSR Mining Inc. (f/k/a Alacer Gold Corp.), a publicly traded hard rock mining company (2008-2012), and was chair of the board (2013-2020). Previously, he was president and CEO of Meridian Gold Inc. (2006-2007), executive director for mining and exploration at De Beers S.A. (2004-2006) and executive vice president for operations at Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (1998-2004). Additionally, he formerly served as chair of the board of PJSC Polyus and of Copper Mountain Mining Corporation. Dr. Dowling currently serves on the board of directors of Teck Resources Ltd.
A former petty officer in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Dowling earned a Bachelor of Science in mining engineering and mineral processing, a Master of Science in mineral processing, and a Doctorate in mineral processing from Pennsylvania State University.
ABOUT THE LECTURE SERIES
The G. Albert Shoemaker Lecture Series in Mineral Engineering was established in 1992 by Mercedes G. Shoemaker to honor the memory of her husband, a Pittsburgh civic and industrial leader dedicated to supporting higher education. G. Albert Shoemaker graduated from Penn State in 1923 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and led an eminent career in the mineral industries. After working as an engineer with Babcock and Wilcox, he joined Pittsburgh Coal Company, a predecessor of CONSOL Energy, where he worked for 35 years, retiring as president of the company in 1966. After retirement, he continued to consult with many companies developing interests in coal. Al engaged in many civic and philanthropic activities, including serving on the boards of several corporate and non-profit organizations. He was elected a Distinguished Alumnus of Penn State and served on the Board of the Penn State Foundation for ten years and as a member of the University Board of Trustees for over twenty years, from 1957 to 1978, and as board president from 1970–73.