PDAC e-News and Activities, January 15, 2012, No. 86

Upfront

PDAC 2012 Award Recipients Announced
The PDAC has announced the recipients of this year’s awards for outstanding contributions to and excellence in the minerals industry. The PDAC’s prestigious awards program goes back to 1977, when the first Bill Dennis Award for prospecting success was handed out. Recipients of the 2012 awards will be honoured at the PDAC’s awards evening on March 5th at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Gerald Panneton, president and CEO of Detour Gold Corp., is the recipient of the Bill Dennis Award for prospecting success or for a Canadian mineral discovery; Osisko Mining Corp. receives the Viola R. MacMillan Award for company or mine development; David Giles, director of exploration for Mexican-based Fresnillo plc, receives the Thayer Lindsley Award for mineral discoveries outside Canada. Deborah McCombe is the recipient of the 2012 Distinguished Service Award; the Mining Association of Canada receives the Environmental and Social Responsibility Award; NUNA Group of Companies is the recipient of the 2012 Skookum Jim Award for Aboriginal achievement; and the Mine Training Society (MTS) receives a Special Achievement Award.

Additional information about the awards is available on the PDAC website.

Robert Schafer to Assume Role of 2nd Vice-President
The PDAC is pleased to announce that Robert Schafer will assume the role of 2nd vice-president in March 2012. Schafer has been an active member of the PDAC since 1996 and has served on the PDAC Board of Directors since 2000. He has served on the Convention Planning Committee since 1997, is co-chair of the International Affairs Committee, and participates on the Health and Safety Committee and the Awards Committee.

Schafer is executive vice-president, business development, for Hunter Dickinson Inc., served as vice-president of exploration at Kinross Gold from 1996-2002, and held senior exploration management positions with BHP World Minerals and Billiton Exploration during the 1980s and early 1990s.

Schafer is the incoming president-elect of the Canadian Institute for Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) and will assume the presidency in 2013-14. He is a member of the board of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME), and was named a distinguished member of SME in 2006-2007. Schafer received the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME) William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal for career achievements in 2002.

“When representing the interests of the industry here and abroad, the PDAC should be a leader in developing ways for placing our industry’s best face forward with local communities and governments by recognizing their values and concerns, and operating within the proper social and regulatory regimes,” Schafer says. He is in line to become president of the PDAC in March 2016.

PDAC Past-President Inducted into Mining Hall of Fame
PDAC past-president John Hansuld was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame on January 12th at the annual induction ceremony at the Fairmount Royal York in Toronto. Hansuld, a pioneering geochemist, entrepreneurial company-builder and dedicated industry advocate, was president of the PDAC from 1993-1996, and helped expand the PDAC’s global profile.

Hansuld was inducted along with four other individuals: Ned Goodman, a company-builder, merchant banker and investment advisor; Phillip G. Hallof, one of the “fathers of modern geophysics”; and Robert Hunter and Robert Dickinson in a joint induction which recognizes their enduring partnership in Hunter Dickinson Inc. (HDI), one of North America’s most respected mineral exploration and mine development groups.

The PDAC’s Attendance at China Mining Congress and Expo 2011
The PDAC participated in the China Mining Congress and Expo in November in Tianjin. PDAC board member Keith Spence chaired a conference session on capital markets and international mining finance, and Spence and board member Joe Hinzer presented at a Canadian Institute for Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) event on mining finance.

Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver spoke at the opening ceremonies, and Natural Resources Canada held a post-conference forum with provincial and territorial governments to showcase Canadian companies. The B.C. government, led by Premier Christy Clark, had a mining-focused mission to China, which included China Mining. Spence says it was very effective in showcasing B.C. as a place for mining investment.

Conference attendance was 5,000, up from last year’s 4,500. One-fifth of attendance was international, from 60 countries. 200 people attended from Canada. (These figures are preliminary estimates.)

Mineral Exploration Features e3 Plus
e3 Plus was featured in the latest issue of Mineral Exploration, a publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration of B.C. (AME BC). The article, which explores the implementation of e3 Plus in the mineral exploration industry in B.C., says that more companies are relying on the program to help reduce project risks and improve their social, environmental and health and safety performance.

The article takes an in-depth look at how Callinex Mines Inc. is making use of the framework at two of its properties in north-central B.C. In the article, Angela D’Amato, GIS analyst and First Nations liaison for Callinex, says, “A person—anybody—could open up and manage an exploration camp using this program...It provides everything you need to know.”

Advocacy

2012 Federal Budget and the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit
The Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) program is due to expire on March 31, 2012. The METC is a significant factor in the success of the mineral industry in Canada, helping to increase exploration financing by providing an incentive for Canadians to invest in exploration. The PDAC is advocating for the METC to be extended and to be made a permanent feature of the tax system. The PDAC is encouraging members to contact the Canadian government to state the importance of the METC. Click here for contact and background information to support correspondence. For further information, please see the PDAC’s submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and contact Philip Bousquet at pbousquet@pdac.ca

Aboriginal Affairs

Expansion of Aboriginal Program at the PDAC Convention
The Aboriginal Program at the convention has been expanded this year to meet an increased demand for programming in areas of interest to both Aboriginal people and the mineral industry. Two sessions have been added on specific topics that affect industry, Aboriginal communities and governments.

On March 6th, a session titled “The consultation conundrum: The roles of government, companies and communities in practice” will feature a case history on consultation and will examine the expectations and procedures related to consultation along the mining sequence. Also on March 6th, the session “Early exploration, agreements and managing expectations” will highlight exploration-specific issues related to engagement, agreements and capacity building for Aboriginal communities.

Other highlights of the Aboriginal Program include a short course on Aboriginal awareness and relationship building, a technical session on community engagement, the popular and growing Aboriginal Forum, and the presentation of the Skookum Jim Award to recognize and honour Aboriginal individuals and businesses involved in the mineral industry. For more information click here.

PDAC Convention 2012

International Panel Luncheon: A Discussion on Royalties
A distinguished guest panel will share their experiences and knowledge about the value of royalties, how best to benefit from them, and the inherent risks and obstacles at the International Panel Luncheon on Tuesday, March 6th. Douglas Silver, former chairman and CEO of International Royalty Corporation, will moderate. Guest Panellists are: Tony Jensen, president and CEO, Royal Gold, Inc.; Randy Smallwood, president & CEO, Silver Wheaton; and David Harquail, president & CEO, Franco-Nevada Corporation. The luncheon will take place from 12 noon – 2:00 pm at the MTCC, South Building. Tickets are $70 each. To purchase tickets click here.

World Renowned Geologist Dr. David Groves to Speak at Innovation Luncheon
World renowned geologist Dr. David Groves will speak on geologic real estate value and the business of assessing the best investment at the Innovation Luncheon on Wednesday, March 7th. Dr. Groves, Emeritus Professor at the Centre for Exploration Targeting at the University of Western Australia, will present excerpts from the Market Motion Media Inc. course “The Geological Framework for the Business of Exploration and Mining” as taught to major banks and brokerage firms worldwide. The luncheon will take place from 12 noon – 2:00 pm at the MTCC, South Building. Tickets are $70 each. To purchase tickets click here.

First Ever CEO Panel at the CSR Event Series
Successful mining companies know that social and environmental considerations must be fully integrated into their company strategy. For the first time at the PDAC convention, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) will host a CEO-level panel to explore the relationship between corporate strategy and sustainable development. ICMM President Anthony Hodge will speak to the panel of mining CEOs about their experiences in keeping on top of the sustainability agenda. The event will be held Tuesday, March 6th, from 4:00 – 5:00 pm in room 718. No registration is required; seating will be on a first-come first-served basis.

Canadian Trade Commissioners at the Convention
The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) will be present at this year’s convention with over thirty Canadian Trade Commissioners from its Embassies and Consulates in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. Canadian companies interested in meeting with the incoming Trade Commissioners should contact Odette Corbu, Trade Commissioner, Regional Office of the Trade Commissioner Service, Ontario Region/DFAIT, at: odette.corbu@international.gc.ca.

The company should include in their e-mail the following information: company name and address; name of the company representative(s); type of company (prospector, developer, manufacturer, service provider, etc.); type of mine, equipment, service, technology, etc.; active international markets; target markets; and their request to meet with Canadian Trade Commissioners for up to five designated countries. Companies can expect to receive a response email with contact information to communicate directly with the Trade Commissioner(s) to set up meetings.

Student Affairs

Applications Now Being Accepted for Spots at the ABCs of Mining
For the fourth year in a row, Behre Dolbear is generously granting four complimentary course registrations for the ABCs of Mining workshop to PDAC student members. The PDAC is now inviting applications from student members for these four spots. The workshop will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Toronto on March 1st and 2nd.

If you are interested in applying please send your resume and a cover letter to PDAC Student Liaison Krishana Narinesingh at knarinesingh@pdac.ca. In your cover letter please indicate how attendance at this workshop will be beneficial to you and why you should be one of the four chosen applicants. The deadline for applications is February 3, 2012.

The two-day program gives an overview of the fundamentals of the mining industry with an emphasis on the business of mining. Registration includes coffee breaks, lunches and a cocktail reception the first night. Students must make their own travel and accommodation arrangements.

PDAC at GeoSkills 2012
The PDAC is again a sponsor of the GeoSkills conference taking place on February 1st at the Metropolitan Centre in Calgary. PDAC director Sherri Hodder will be speaking at the mini-course and PDAC director Michael Marchand is hosting the PDAC table at the student-industry mixer in the evening.

Mineral Exploration & Mining Virtual Career Fair
The PDAC and the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) have launched a virtual career fair that will allow employers and career-seekers to connect from wherever they are—home, office, coffee shop. The Mineral Exploration and Mining Virtual Career Fair, featuring exhibitors such as Barrick, Cameco, and SGS Canada, goes live on February 8th and 9th, 2012, and will be open until February 17th.

Employers: Design your own virtual booth, chat online with career-seekers, and receive detailed candidate information from the post-fair activity report. PDAC corporate members receive a 10% discount off the regular fair rate, and the early bird deadline has been extended to January 18th. For more information contact the PDAC Student Liaison, Krishana Narinesingh at knarinesingh@pdac.ca.

Career-Seekers: Chat online with employers, upload your resume to your personal profile, and apply for jobs listed at the virtual booths. Participation in the fair is free. Click here to register.

Government News

B.C. Furthers Its Commitment to Opening New Mines
On January 12th, the B.C. government made another announcement further cementing its commitment to opening new mines as part of the province’s Jobs Plan. Premier Christy Clark made the announcement, saying that the expansion of the Huckleberry mine near Smithers in northern B.C. will bring economic benefits to the entire province. Under the Jobs Plan, the province expects to see eight new mines and another nine mining expansions operational in B.C. by 2015. Click here for more information.

Minister of Natural Resources Writes Open Letter
On January 10th, Minister of Natural Resources Joe Oliver issued an open letter “on Canada's commitment to diversify our energy markets and the need to further streamline the regulatory process in order to advance Canada's national economic interest.” The letter, released the day before the start of the Northern Gateway hearings, focuses on the impact of environmental and other groups on the approval of major projects in forestry, mining, oil, gas and hydroelectricity. Click here to read the letter.

Industry News & Events

TGDG’s Upcoming Events
On January 24th, Xiaodong Zhao, senior geologist at Barrick Gold, will give a presentation on Barrick’s application of ASTER and satellite imagery to exploration at a Toronto Geological Discussion Group (TGDG) meeting. For more information visit the TGDG’s website. On February 7th, the TGDG will hold a morning workshop titled, “Why can’t the lab reproduce my gold assays?”, and an afternoon mini-symposium titled, “Why are they cutting my ounces?”. For more information click here.

Toronto Board of Trade’s 124th Annual Dinner with US Gold Chairman and CEO Rob McEwen
On January 30th, Rob McEwen, chairman and CEO of US Gold Corporation, will deliver the keynote address at the Toronto Board of Trade’s 124th Annual Dinner. Mr. McEwen has been recognized as one of Canada’s most innovative CEOs by Canadian Business Magazine and is a recipient of the Order of Canada. The event will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. For more information visit the Toronto Board of Trade’s website.

Looking Ahead

PDAC at Roundup 2012
Stop by the PDAC’s booth at the annual Mineral Exploration Roundup conference at the Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver, January 23rd – 26th. The PDAC is involved in several events at Roundup this year.

PDAC president Scott Jobin-Bevans will be giving a presentation titled “A Career in Mineral Exploration: New Challenges - Fantastic Opportunity” at a student event on Sunday, January 22nd. This free presentation is sponsored by Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc. and MinePros Personnel. Click here for more info.

Scott Jobin-Bevans is also one of the speakers in AME BC’s Mineral Exploration Industry Bootcamp for Newcomers short course. This course will provide a basic introduction to the mineral exploration industry for students and professionals new to the industry.

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