Pat Risner
South32
Session: Workforce Development
Presentation Title: Recruiting talent for a greenfield domestic critical minerals project
Biography: Pat Risner is the President of South32 based in Tucson. For the last 6 years, Pat has led the development of the Hermosa project and establishment of South32’s new business in the US. He also represents South32 on the joint venture board for the Ambler Metals project in Alaska. The Hermosa Project in Arizona is the only advanced mine development that will produce two USGS-listed critical minerals as its primary products. The project is fully permitted, fully funded with a commitment of $2.16B and construction is nearly 40% complete.
Pat is a mining executive with more than 30 years of industry experience in complex global environments. He has held executive roles and worked on projects across the United States, Australia and Canada. Pat was previously the Chief Health, Safety and Environment Officer for BHP, the world’s largest mining company, and the President of BHP’s US mining business. Pat holds a degree in Mining Engineering from the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
Anita Bertisen
MineAlign
Session: Workforce Development
Presentation Title: Attracting students into mining and minerals careers
Biography: Anita Bertisen is founder of MineAlign, drawing on over 20 years of experience in the global mining industry with companies like Rio Tinto, AngloGold Ashanti, and Newmont. Her career has taken her across operations, contract mining, project design, business improvement, innovation, and operational technology. Born and raised in the Netherlands, Anita’s passion for mining began early, driven by her love for exploring mountains and seeking out new experiences, taking her career abroad. Throughout her life, Anita has thrived in complex and dynamic environments, leveraging her unique blend of skills to lead and inspire.
As the founder of MineAlign, she is committed to bringing this wealth of knowledge, leadership, and passion to every collaboration, helping teams and organizations align with their goals and unlock their full potential. Beyond her professional achievements, Anita is dedicated to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the mining industry helping to attract the workforce of tomorrow.
Jamey Jones
US Geological Survey
Session: Exploration & Engineering Feasibility Studies
Presentation Title: Critical minerals mapping across the United States under the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI)
Biography: Jamey Jones is the Science Coordinator of the USGS Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI). Based in Anchorage, AK, Jones is a bedrock geologic mapper with expertise in the framework geology and mineral resources of Alaska, the Lake Superior region, and the western United States.
Mathew Oommen
WSP
Session: Exploration and Engineering Feasibility Studies
Presentation Title: Challenges and opportunities for critical minerals feasibility studies
Biography: Mathew Oommen, Ph.D., has more than 30 years of experience in the global mining industry, having managed and developed projects in Indonesia, India, Australia, and the U.S. He oversees mine design and planning, operations reviews, mine costing for mining, utility, and financial clients and coordinates with teams working on PEA, PFS and FS studies. Mathew has worked on several mineral commodities, including coal, copper, phosphate, potash, and industrial minerals.
Mathew has worked for clients in Indonesia, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Venezuela, Myanmar, and the United States. Mathew has significant experience in the compilation of reports according to JORC Code 2012 guidelines, National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) Technical Reports and leads efforts on projects and advising clients on SEC regulatory filings in the USA under the S-K 1300 regulations.
Thomas Lograsso
DOE Critical Materials Innovation Hub
Session: Dinner Keynote
Presentation Title: DOE Critical Materials Innovation Hub: A federal response to R&D gaps
Biography: Dr. Thomas Lograsso, Director of the DOE’s Critical Materials Innovation Hub and Ames Laboratory’s Division of Critical Materials, has recently led transformative efforts to secure and innovate the U.S. critical materials supply chain. Under his direction, the Hub receives over $30 million annually to advance research in rare earth recycling, substitutions, and efficiency. In 2024, he received the DOE AMMTO Visionary Award for renewing the Hub, and in 2025, he played a central role in strengthening U.S.-India cooperation on critical mineral strategies and research collaboration.
Michael Moats
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Session: Processing and Recycling
Presentation Title: Overview of critical mineral recovery challenges
Biography: Dr. Michael S. Moats is a Professor of Metallurgical Engineering and Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology. He oversees a $4 million annual budget and leads a team of 27 faculty and staff. Prof. Moats has been a professor for 20 years and worked in industry for vendors to the mining industry for 7 years prior to joining academia.
Michael (Mike) is the Focus Area Lead for Enhancing and Diversifying Supply at the Critical Materials Innovation Hub, managing approximately $6 million in projects aimed at strengthening the domestic supply chain for critical minerals. In 2023, he testified before the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on America’s critical minerals crisis and co-founded the O’Keefe Critical Mineral Center at Missouri S&T.
Dr. Moats is a Fellow of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) and recipient of the AIME James Douglas Gold Medal for his contributions to nonferrous metallurgy. Dr. Moats has held numerous leadership roles within the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME), including Chair of the MPD Division and co-chair of Extraction 2018. He has served on numerous SME committees including Structure and Governance, Audit and Strategic Nominating Committees.
Prof. Moats is internationally known for his work in copper electrowinning and electrorefining and has assisted operations on six continents. His research has led to industrial adoption of empirical models that impact millions of pounds of copper production annually. Dr. Moats has served as Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on more than $46 million in research awards between 2022 and 2025.
Fabian Villalobos
RAND School of Public Policy
Session: Policy, Supply Chain Economics & Workforce
Presentation Title: Strategical Implications of Critical Minerals Policies
Biography: Dr. Fabian E. Villalobos is an engineer at RAND and a Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. Dr. Villalobos has an interest in the intersection of technology, economics, and geopolitics and primarily focuses on issues in national security. Dr. Villalobos has a specific interest in vehicle electrification policy, critical minerals supply chains, and their impacts on climate change, trade, and international relations.
Dr. Villalobos’ recent work has included research on Critical Minerals and Technology Supply Chains, U.S.-China Technological Competition, Technological Risk, Electric Vehicles, Hypersonic Missiles, Fighter Turbine Engines, Submersibles, and Autonomous Systems. Villalobos has been invited to speak about critical minerals and battery supply chains to audiences that include the U.S. Dept. of Defense, Dept of State, Dept. of Commerce; staffers in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; the United Nations; foreign ambassadors, ministers, advisors, consulates, and embassies; think tanks and research institutes; and university lectures.
Dr. Villalobos’ commentary on critical minerals, battery supply chains, and electric vehicles has been featured in The Hill, Barron’s, DefenseNews, New Security Beat, and more. He has been quoted in the New York Times, Factcheck.org, Indopacific Defense Forum, The Wire China, and more.
Dr. Villalobos has a background in materials science and chemical engineering. He is a co-inventor and co-author of patents. Previously, he worked in industry at startups and established manufacturers alike supporting R&D, product development, quality assurance, business development, and more. He also holds an associate degree in liberal arts.
Jeremy Mehta
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Session: Workforce Development
Presentation Title: Education and Workforce Needs, Challenges and Opportunities Facing the U.S. Critical Minerals and Materials Sector.
Biography: Jeremy Mehta is a Technology Manger working on Critical materials in the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Jeremy manages programs seeking to advance innovations and processes that mitigate key critical material supply chain challenges from bench-scale through prototyping and small pilots. In addition to technology development, Jeremy organizes education and workforce develop strategies and programming for the critical minerals and materials sector at DOE. Prior to joining DOE, he ran a research experiences for undergraduates program while earning his PhD in physics and taught high school physics while earning a masters in education, both at Binghamton University.
Aaron Noble
Virginia Tech
Session: Brutal facts to sustainable solutions
Presentation Title: Evaluating pathways for rare earth element process technology development
Biography: Aaron Noble is a professor and the head of the Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering and the interim department head of Materials Science and Engineering at Virginia Tech. His instruction and research are in the general areas of mineral and metallurgical processing, process economics and mine environmental management with a specific focus on critical mineral production. He has published 50 journal papers, delivered more than 130 professional presentations, and has received three U.S. patents with four additional patents pending. Over the last 10 years, he has participated in over 50 research projects with a personal share of nearly $16 million, many focused on REE/CM production from unconventional resources including acid mine drainage, coal refuse, mine tailings, phosphogypsum, and others. Noble has a B.S., an M.S. and a Ph.D. all from Virginia Tech and all in mining engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.