Breaking the Mold: Why Mining’s Fear of Social Media is Costing It Influence
The mining and METS industries pride themselves on being built from grit, discipline, and precision. But when it comes to social media and influence, we’re still digging with hand tools.
While other industries have embraced personality, storytelling, and digital visibility, mining for the most part remains risk-averse, conservative, and “too professional” for its own good.
And it’s costing us; in capital, in talent, and in credibility.
1. The legacy mindset: professional to a fault
The roots of mining’s marketing conservatism run deep. Decades of capital-raising traditions, boardroom formality, and compliance culture have shaped how companies communicate.
For years, looking “corporate and established” was a prerequisite for trust, especially for junior miners seeking investment. The result?
Every presentation deck looks the same.
Every ASX announcement sounds the same.
Every website looks like it was built by the same accountant.
Today, investors, partners, and future employees crave authenticity and accessibility, not boilerplate corporate language. The ones attracting attention and investment are those whose leaders step forward as people, not just as company names.
2. The new frontier: influence through authenticity
Mining has always preached but never taken grasp of what other sectors have already mastered: that people invest in people, not just projects.
Look at the new wave of industry voices:
Aaron Witt from Build Witt, who shares unfiltered, worksite-level content that feels more real than any recruitment campaign.
The team at Money of Mine Podcast, who talk about mining markets and operations with energy, humour, and relatability.
They’re not wrapped in corporate polish. They’re relatable, consistent, and human — and that’s exactly why people listen.
These creators are reshaping how the mining community engages online. They reach audiences that traditional PR strategies can’t even find.
3. Why mining companies stay silent — and why that’s dangerous
Ask any mining executive why they don’t post more on LinkedIn and you’ll hear one of three answers:
“We don’t want to say the wrong thing.”
“We don’t want to look unprofessional.”
“That’s not how it’s done in our industry.”
But those are exactly the attitudes keeping mining brands invisible. In an age where capital flows to credibility, silence is riskier than visibility.
When companies shy away from showing their people, culture, and day-to-day realities, they’re not protecting their reputation — they’re erasing it. The market doesn’t reward faceless entities anymore. It rewards authenticity, transparency, and storytelling.
4. The LinkedIn advantage: professional and social can coexist
LinkedIn has quietly become one of the most powerful platforms for mining and METS influence. It bridges the gap between corporate professionalism and social authenticity.
The data is staggering:
Organic reach is still high compared to other networks.
Impressions and engagement are driven by storytelling, not budget.
Posts that show personality — a project milestone, a leadership reflection, a photo from site — routinely outperform sponsored campaigns.
And it doesn’t require a seven-figure ad spend.
A few hours of strategy and consistency can generate more exposure than an industry magazine ad that costs $15,000 for one issue.
LinkedIn is the modern trade show — but open 24/7, global, and free.
5. The cost of staying invisible
Mining has an influence gap, not because the work isn’t exciting, but because it’s being communicated in all the wrong ways. We’ve treated marketing as an afterthought — a line item that comes after the feasibility study, the listing, or the next funding round.
But visibility is now part of the feasibility. Investors research leadership teams online. Graduates choose employers based on what they see in their feeds. Communities form opinions from the stories that circulate.
If your company isn’t showing up, someone else is shaping the narrative for you.
6. Standing out in a sea of sameness
There’s a reason why many mining entities feel interchangeable. Their messaging is wrapped in the same tired language: “experienced management,” “tier-one asset,” “responsible exploration.”
But audiences today, whether they’re investors, employees, or communities are far more sophisticated. They scroll past the jargon looking for something real:
A leader talking openly about challenges and lessons learned.
A geologist explaining why a discovery excites them.
A tradesperson filming a 20-second video from site, showing what their day actually looks like.
These moments are gold. They cut through the corporate noise and build credibility that money can’t buy.
7. Influence is the new capital
For mining companies, particularly juniors and service providers, social media is the most undervalued asset class in their toolkit.
The ROI is unmatched:
Low cost. Organic reach on LinkedIn or TikTok can rival paid campaigns at a fraction of the spend.
High authenticity. Real people, unscripted, drive more engagement than brand-managed posts.
Compounding effect. One authentic voice from the company (the CEO, a superintendent, an engineer) can influence investors, job seekers, and communities simultaneously.
Mining doesn’t need to become entertainment — it just needs to become visible.
8. The call to action
Mining’s next frontier isn’t automation, AI, or even green metals — it’s authentic communication. The companies that learn to show personality, speak honestly, and use social channels strategically will control the narrative. Those that cling to “corporate comfort” will fade into the noise.
It’s time to stop hiding behind logos and start leading with people. Because the world isn’t just investing in assets anymore.
Final Thought
The miners, explorers, and service providers that will win the next decade won’t necessarily have the deepest pockets. They’ll have the strongest voices, the most human brands, and the courage to show the real story behind the pit, the plant, and the people.
In an industry built on visibility — geology, exploration, exposure — it’s ironic how invisible so many companies are online. It’s time to change that.