Bacon, McLaughlin to address PDAC convention at Royal York

At the 59th annual convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), Quebec Mines Minister Lise Bacon will address the audience. Also scheduled to address the convention is Audrey McLaughlin, leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada. The convention will be held March 24-27 at Toronto’s Royal York Hotel. McLaughlin will be guest speaker at the luncheon jointly held by the PDAC and the Canadian Club of Toronto on the Monday, while Bacon will be keynote speaker at the Monday night awards banquet.

Although the overall level of activity on Canada’s mining scene has declined this year because of the recession and lower metal prices, many are hopeful that a recovery will get underway this summer. As well, interesting new discoveries continue to be made as exploration activity by senior companies remains high.

Focusing on the mining industry’s importance to Canada, the PDAC has chosen mining’s vital role in society” as its theme for the 1991 convention.

A spokesman for the PDAC said attendance at this year’s convention is not likely to be significantly affected by the current recession and the Gulf conflict. Early indications suggest that more than 3,000 delegates will attend the convention as most of the hotel rooms set aside for the event have already been booked, and all exhibit space has been rented out. Last year’s convention drew 3,200-3,400 delegates.

Monday morning’s keynote session will deal with a number of topics, including the contribution made by the mineral industry to society. Mining and the environment, as well as the future role of mining in society, will be discussed. Monday’s afternoon session will feature a number of U.S. gold deposits such as the Homestake, Cove/McCoy and Goldstrike mines.

Scheduled for Tuesday morning is a special session presented by senior firms Placer Dome, Corona Corp. and BP Canada. The companies will discuss their experiences in developing low-grade gold deposits. Tuesday’s afternoon session will highlight the new realities of environmental compliance with which mine developers in Canada must cope.

On Wednesday morning, a panel of experts will discuss the challenge of raising capital in today’s difficult financial climate. They will examine ways in which companies have succeeded in raising funds. Suggestions for innovative financing will also be presented along with foreign opportunities and incentives.

Some of Canada’s most exciting new base and precious metal discoveries will be the focus of Wednesday’s afternoon session. Delegates will hear about the high-profile Lightning zone and Eskay Creek gold deposits, as well as the Grevet base metal deposit and the Mt. Milligan copper-gold project in British Columbia.

Delegates will be able to take a close look at rock samples from some of those discoveries; a total of 20 core exhibits will be displayed at the convention’s core shack.

Of special interest this year is a pre-convention seminar on sampling and ore reserves which will take place Saturday. A team of experts will discuss the practical aspects of sampling and ore reserve estimation.

Entertainment includes the Kilborn Engineering reception Sunday night, the awards banquet Monday night, the 7th annual Kirkland Lake Night on Tuesday and a gala dinner on Wednesday night. The latter will feature well-known international star and man of a thousand voices, Andre Philippe Gagnon. Master of ceremonies for the gala dinner will be Mike Carbone and music will be provided by the Bobby Deangelis dance band.