By Peter Kennedy
Canada’s mining conference season got underway in impressive fashion this week as industry delegates met to discuss key issues, including permitting, land use and the latest technology. Over 8,000 registered for the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC), while the more technically oriented Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup drew over 7,550 delegates from 44 countries to the Vancouver Convention Centre. That was up from around 6,000 last year.
The official AME Roundup attendance figure does not include the more than 2,000 who showed up for a free, family-friendly event featuring hands-on, interactive exhibits showcasing mineral exploration and mining.
Organizers attributed the level of interest to record high copper and gold prices, increased sponsorship and the growing view in governments and society at large that mineral exploration is now a matter of economic security and national sovereignty
“Without exploration, there are no future mines. And without future mines, Canada becomes more dependent, more expensive and more vulnerable,’’ said AME President and CEO Todd Stone.
AME Roundup attendees said these conferences are a rare opportunity to meet colleagues and suppliers and check out the latest technology in the mineral exploration sector.
Simon Bolster, Managing Director of gold assay technology company PPB Portable PTY Ltd. said he travelled all the way from Perth Australia to attend the AME Roundup. “This year you can feel an extra buzz in the air.’’
This year, AME took the opportunity to launch “Minerals for Tomorrow,” a national public engagement campaign designed to highlight the essential role of mineral exploration and push for a renewed national focus on supporting responsible mineral exploration. AMEC hopes that can be achieved by improving permitting certainty, protecting access to land for early-stage exploration and recognizing exploration as a strategic national priority.
According to B.C. Premier David Eby, a record $750.9 million was spent on mineral exploration in B.C. last year. Adjusted for inflation, this represents the fourth highest amount since 1990. However, industry officials said it is important to note that such spending is concentrated on a very small number of projects.
Meanwhile, as prospectors struggle to make a go of it, the value of exploration spending in B.C. has fallen behind other jurisdictions, including Ontario, Quebec and lately Saskatchewan. “That’s sad and a cause for concern,’’ Stone said.
It is why AME officials are pleased to see a provincial government initiative that will see a lift of $1.0 million to provide extra staff to support fixed permitting timelines and a further $2.0 million to support the Mineral Claims Consultation Framework (MCCF).
The MCCF, which begin operating in March 25, 2025, and aims to ensure proper consultation with First Nations before mineral claims are registered, has struggled to meet its service timeline of 90 to 120 days, currently averaging 127. Information released by the B.C. Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals earlier in January indicated a decline in mineral claims staking of 29% and a 60% decline in the area of claims staked against the seven-year average. “Properly resourcing the MCCF is key to getting early-stage mineral exploration and prospecting back on track,’’ AME said in a press release.
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