The Dark Side of Mining Deals

In mining, people often imagine shimmering gold bars, sparkling diamonds and the excitement of discovery. What they don’t see is the shadow side, the part where ambition collides with greed, where strangers from across the world believe they can dictate your worth and where saying “no” sometimes costs you peace of mind.

I once had a young man from Pakistan reach out through my company email, presenting himself as someone eager to learn, to find markets, to build something. At first it seemed genuine, the kind of inquiry you treat with care, professionalism and hope. But slowly the tone shifted. He moved from email to my personal socials, crossing boundaries that should never be crossed in business.

He pressed harder, wanting me to open doors and share knowledge for free, insisting I guide him through markets and research for his so called gold mines. The real test came when the question of charges arose. Instead of negotiating respectfully, he lashed out, cursed me and declared that he alone would decide what I was worth. In that moment, I realized how easy it is in this industry to be stripped of dignity if you let desperation or manipulation define the terms.

I chose professionalism over ego and wished him well, quietly stepping back from the conversation. But walking away did not bring silence. He turned angry, vindictive even, filling my inbox with insults, blasting me across messages, trying to stain what he could not control. It was only when I threatened legal action that he finally stopped.

That experience cut deep, not because of his words, but because it reminded me of how toxic mining deals can become when trust and respect are absent. Behind every inquiry, there is always the risk of deceit, of abuse, of someone seeing you not as a partner but as a target.

Yet within that darkness lies a choice: to hold your boundaries, protect your name and never let anyone decide your value but you. The dark side of mining deals is real, but so is the power of walking away with your dignity intact.