In this episode, we chat to Simon Finnis, Managing Director of McLaren Minerals, a company that’s been making waves in the critical minerals space since its recent listing. McLaren is advancing its titanium project in Western Australia, a region well known for its supportive mining environment. Titanium isn’t always the first mineral that comes to mind in conversations around critical resources, but its applications and strategic importance are growing rapidly. With McLaren positioned right in the middle of that evolution, Simon is here to share insights into the company’s progress, the broader titanium market, and how technology, community engagement, and smart strategy are shaping their journey. KEY TAKEAWAYS While titanium is not often the first mineral associated with critical resources, its applications in industries such as aerospace, medical, and pigments for paints are expanding rapidly, highlighting its strategic significance in the market. McLaren Minerals is advancing a sulphate ilmenite project in Western Australia, with a substantial inferred resource of 280 million tonnes at a grade of 4.8% heavy mineral. The market for sulphate ilmenite has seen a significant price increase, from $75-$85 per ton to $320-$350 per ton, driven by demand from smelters in the Middle East and China, which utilise the product for both titanium and iron production. McLaren is committed to conducting thorough environmental studies and community engagement as part of the permitting process BEST MOMENTS "Titanium metal is light, it's non-corrosive, so it's fantastic for replacement of body parts, but it's also fantastic for aerospace and other applications where you need light, strong metal." "The current market for sulphate ilmenite is between $320 and $350 a ton, so it's a huge change." "If your head grade of your mineral sand is say 6% and you take 25% slimes out, the grade of your ore going into your plant increases." "You've actually just got to do the work. You can't not do the test work that we've done and then expect things to work." VALUABLE RESOURCES Mail:        rob@mining-international.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ X:              https://twitter.com/MiningRobTyson YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DigDeepTheMiningPodcast  Web:        http://www.mining-international.org CONTACT METHOD rob@mining-international.org https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-tyson-3a26a68/ Podcast Description Rob Tyson is an established recruiter in the mining and quarrying sector and decided to produce the “Dig Deep” The Mining Podcast to provide valuable and informative content around the mining industry. He has a passion and desire to promote the industry and the podcast aims to offer the mining community an insight into people’s experiences and careers covering any mining discipline, giving the listeners helpful advice and guidance on industry topics.  This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/