See You There: The 59th PDAC Convention

Although Canadian mineral exploration has been in the doldrums since the bottom fell out of the spending boom in 1988, members of the mining fraternity can at least look forward to their annual party.

Now in its 59th year, the annual convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is the largest gathering of mining and exploration people from across the country and from outside Canada. Every March, thousands of prospectors and developers (as well as promoters) pace the blood-red carpets of the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto for three days of hand-shaking, back-slapping and deal-making. It’s widely believed that more deals are struck at the PDAC convention than at any other meeting of North American mining representatives.

It’s also a great opportunity to renew old acquaintances and exchange information on various technical aspects of the industry.

With the overall theme being mining’s vital role in society, the papers and sessions throughout the convention will focus on this subject. Here’s a day-by-day account:

Morning Session

Mining’s Vital Role in Society

* The contribution of the mineral industry to society — Frank Pickard, president and CEO of Falconbridge, and Joe Mavrinac, mayor of Kirkland Lake, Ont.

* Mining and the environment — Frank Frantisak, vice-president, environmental health and hygiene services, Noranda

* The future role of mining to society — Christopher Hinde, editor-in-chief of The Mining Journal, and Hugh Wynne-Edwards, science advisor for Teck

Afternoon Session

Gold Deposits:

Only in the States, Eh?

* The Homestake mine: an early Proterozoic iron formation-hosted gold deposit — Richard Bachman, Homestake Mining Co.

* The geology and mineralization of the Cove/McCoy deposit — Tony Eng, senior geologist for Echo Bay Mines

* The geology and mineralization of the Post, Betze and Purple Vein deposit, Goldstrike mine, Nevada — Larry Kornze and Keith Bettles of American Barrick

* The geology and mineralization of the Chimney Creek deposit in Nevada — Stephen Atkin of Goldfields Mining Corp.

* Where would you rather have your gold mine?: the U.S. or Canada, and why — Jack McOuat, president of Watts, Griffis & McOuat

Morning Session I

Experiences in Developing

Gold Mines

* Placer Dome’s experiences in developing low-grade gold deposits — W.A. Trythall, general manager, evaluations, for that company

* Challenges at the Nickel Plate mine (B.C.) — Gill Leathley, senior v.p. of operations for Corona

* BP’s experiences in developing the Hope Brook mine (Nfld.) — John Auston, senior vice-president, Mining, BP Canada Limited.

* Review and update of the Sonora project — Martin Quick, president, Sonora Mining Corp.

* Have we learned a lesson? — Graham Farquharson, president of Strathcona Minerals

Morning Session II

The Realities of

Environmental Compliance

* Consolidated Professor: Environmental Update — Roger Cotton, partner with Baker & McKenzie

* Exploration/development and environmental requirements in the Maritimes — Keith Phinney, senior environmental specialist for Monenco Consultants

* How to Stay Green and Clean in Mineral Exploration — Lee Barker, director of Eastern Exploration, Corona Corp. and Lawrence Curtis, consulting geochemist, O’Connor Associates Environmental Inc.

* Windy Craggy: compliance with the unknown — Gerald Harper, president of Geddes Resources

Afternoon Session

Provincial Activities

* The Ontario Bureau of Mines: a 100-year prospect — J. Gammon and V.G. Milne

* Financial assistance to prospecting: Quebec’s recent experience — Jean-Pierre Lalonde

* Mt. Milligan success highlights alkaline suite porphyry deposits: B.C.’s new copper giants — V.A. Preto and J.L. Nelson

* A possible genetic link between carboniferous tectonics and metallic mineral occurrences in Nova Scotia — R.J. Ryan and R.C. Boehner

* Rare metals and rare earths in Labrador — R. Miller

* A new base metal discovery in the Siluro-Devonian Tobique belt of New Brunswick — R.A. Wilson

Morning Session I

Geological Survey of Canada

Presentations

* Geological setting of the Proterozoic Ruttan copper-zinc deposit (EXTECH): a revision — D.E. Ames, J.S. Scoates and J.M. Franklin

* Observations on the structural controls of gold-only deposits in the Canadian Appalachians, with an exploration perspective — B. Dube, M. Malo, A. Tremblay, F. Mengel, G. Lynch, K. Lauziere and R. Godue

* Indicator minerals in glacial sediments — L.H. Thorleifson

* Tectonic setting and evolution of Ordovician rocks and associated base metal deposits in the Bathurst, New Brunswick camp — C.R. van Staal

* Possible “new” metallogenic district in the Quebec Appalachians, outlined by regional heavy mineral geochemistry– Y.T. Maurice

* New high-resolution seismological and electromagnetic studies of the Buchana mine, in Newfoundland — C.D. Spencer, D.E. Boerner, B. Milkereit and A.G. Jones of the Geological Survey of Canada; L. Reid of B.P. Minerals; J. Wright and J. Hall of the Memorial University of Newfoundland; and P. Carroll of the University of B.C.

* Drift prospecting for gold and base metals in permafrost terrain, district of Keewatin, N.W.T. — W.W. Shilts

* Types of stratabound copper deposits and their economic importance — R.V. Kirkham

*Relationships of SEDEX deposits to syndepositional faulting, hydrothermal alteration and volcanism in the MacMillan belt of the Yukon — R.J. Turner and W.D. Goodfellow

Morning Session II

Financing in the ’90s:

Fight for the Future

A panel of experts in the fields of finance and investment will discuss the challenge of raising capital today as the fight for investment dollars intensifies. They will examine ways in which companies have succeeded in raising funds and will offer suggestions for innovative financing. Opportunities and incentives offshore will also be discussed.

Afternoon Session

New Canadian

Discoveries

* Lightning zone, Matheson, Ont. — Ian Atkinson/John Wakeford of Noranda Exploration Co.

* Update on Eskay Creek, B.C. — James Stewart and Jerry Blackwell of Corona

* Grevet Township, Que. — M. Caron of Exploration VSM

* Mt. Milligan, Prince George, B.C. — J. Franzen and R. Dickinson of Continental Gold Corp.

* MacLeod Lake project — Stewart Winter and Steve Vaughan of Windy Mountain Explorations