CRITICAL MINERALS (2026)
"Critical Minerals" marks my third collaboration with Utah-based mining startup Ionic MT. Working closely with the CEO and CMO, I helped address a key communication challenge: highlighting that their extracted halloysite ore contains up to nine high-demand minerals with many industry applications, while introducing the brand and detailing the rigorous science behind their technology.
Credits:
Concept, Creative Direction, Design, Animation: Juan Segura
Credits:
Concept, Creative Direction, Design, Animation: Juan Segura
Scrip and narration: Ionic MT
Voice Over: Jeff Rechner
Voice Over: Jeff Rechner
Music: Luke Brown
Map Data: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Map Data: © OpenStreetMap contributors
Tools used in the production:
- Adobe Suite
- Adobe Suite
- Cinema4D
- Otoy Octane Render
- Turbulence FD
- Xparticles
- Zbrush
- World Creator
- QGIS
- Blender
- Blender
From macro to micro: a key aspect of the animation was to develop a narrative and visual approach that could concisely introduce a US mining company positioning itself as a critical supplier in the competitive high-tech market, diving afterwards into the nanoscale.
From macro to micro: a stylized field of nanotubes, featuring atoms of Rare Earth Elements attached to them.
The narrative goal was to develop visually compelling metaphors for particle separation within a technically accurate animation of a solvent extraction process, seamlessly interweaving 3D info-graphics that represent market fluctuations
Built on a contrast of pristine materials, organic textures, and metallic surfaces, the visual direction provides a cohesive thread across cartographic views, infographics, and 3D assets. The sequence traces a narrative arc from macro market insights down to the micro-details of solvent extraction and industry use
The company´s logo is revealed through macro shots of a reduced mixture of liquid metals filling up projected outlines.
Concept and Visual exploration
Accurate references were used to create visuals and stylized representations aligned with Ionic´s branding guide: Halloysite rocks, nanotubes, mining site terrain references, mineral particles, etc.
Material references and company's brand colors
Visual Exploration
Vehicles and buildings integrated within the reduced visual style of the piece
The goal of the animation was to summarize a complex process in a simple and attractive way:
After mining halloysite, 9+ minerals are extracted from its nanotubes using industrial filtration.
The challenge was to create shapes and color palettes as close to real life as possible, to show the nanotubes in its organic natural state, and depict the 9 different minerals atoms are attached to them.
After mining halloysite, 9+ minerals are extracted from its nanotubes using industrial filtration.
The challenge was to create shapes and color palettes as close to real life as possible, to show the nanotubes in its organic natural state, and depict the 9 different minerals atoms are attached to them.
Alternative logo look development
Production Process
A technical challenge was animating a field of hundreds of detailed nanotubes that interact organically while being covered with millions of particles.
