PDAC honours six industry leaders

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) held its annual awards gala during the PDAC 2014 convention in Toronto earlier this month. Six exemplars of excellence in the industry were recognized. The award recipients are selected by the PDAC’s board of directors, based on the recommendations of the association’s awards committee.

Ross McElroy is the recipient of this year’s Bill Dennis Award for a Canadian mineral discovery or prospecting success. McElroy was selected for leading Fission Uranium’s (TSXV: FCU; US-OTC: FCUUF) team of geologists in the one of the biggest uranium discoveries in northern Saskatchewan’s Athabasca basin region in recent years. The Patterson Lake South property is a high-grade, shallow-depth uranium discovery on the southwestern margin of the Athabasca basin. McElroy has over 30 years of experience as a geologist. Under his leadership, Fission’s uranium discovery has rejuvenated exploration in the Athabasca basin.

Capstone Mining (TSX: CS; US-OTC: CSFFF) took home the Viola R. MacMillan Award for company or mine development. Capstone was singled out for showing leadership and management in developing the Minto and Cozamin copper mines in the Yukon and Mexico. It also earned praise for acquiring the Pinto Valley copper mine, which the company runs as an intermediate copper producer. Located in the Globe–Miami mining district in Arizona, Pinto Valley is expected to produce 130 to 150 million lb. copper in concentrate annually.

The Goldrush discovery team from Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX; NYSE: ABX) accepted the Thayer Lindsley Award for international mineral discoveries. The team is responsible for discovering the 14.1 million oz. Goldrush gold deposit in Nevada. The deposit, located in the eastern part of the Cortez mining district, 6 km southeast of Cortez Hills, could be the largest Carlin-style discovery in Nevada since Cortez Hills more than a decade ago. At over 10 million oz. gold, discoveries like the high-grade Goldrush deposit have been hard to come by since 2001. The 25-person team was led by Rob Krcmarov, senior vice-president of global exploration; François Robert, vice-president and chief geologist; Ed Cope, vice-president of North American exploration; Kevin Creel, chief exploration geologist; Mark Bradley, district geologist; and Alejandro Ly, project geologist.

Roger Wallis received the Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding contribution and dedication to the PDAC over the past 47 years. He joined the PDAC in 1967, and has been an active PDAC committee member since 1993. Wallis has taken a leadership role in becoming more proactive about industry issues — particularly around environmental and corporate responsibility — and has been an integral member of the convention-planning committee. A natural leader, Wallis has raised the convention standard year after year.

Teck Resources (TSX: TCK.B; NYSE: TCK) won this year’s Environmental and Social Responsibility Award. Teck received the award for its outstanding accomplishments and commitment to sustainability, environmental and social initiatives. In 2011, Teck developed a comprehensive strategy, focusing on long- and short-term goals to achieve the company’s vision for sustainability. The sustainability strategy supports six areas that represent the biggest challenges and opportunities for the mining sector: community, people, water, biodiversity, energy and materials stewardship. Dedicated to building value through partnerships, Teck aims to address local and global sustainability issues.

Jim MacLeod received the Skookum Jim Award for Aboriginal achievement in the mineral industry. MacLeod was rewarded for his leadership on the environmental impact of the mining sector and his work advocating for more education and training programs for Aboriginal youth within the industry. He is a pioneer in mineral exploration and environmental impact, and from the beginning recognized the link between mining and environment, and the importance of managing this relationship. Founder of the Mistissini Geological Resources Centre, MacLeod has worked closely with aboriginal communities as a consultant on projects and training in mining and exploration. He also serves on the board of directors of the Cree Mineral Exploration Board and the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association.