student skills needed for Mining Industry

MINING INDUSTRY ON YOUR RADAR

By William Doyle-Marshall

“Mining. This is a very powerful word yet most of us know very little about it. Strangely the only association we have with it is tragedy. Workers being trapped in mines or people narrowly escaping with their lives following some disaster, then of course there is the other consequence of selfish employers doing not enough for miners who work beneath the surface for man hours daily. These scenarios are the ones we associate with mining.”

Hardly do we ever hear of the billions of dollars the mining industry accounts for. We hardly ever hear that some of the services that governments provide are paid for with mining taxes. And even further in most communities we almost never of parents encouraging their children to consider the mining industry where they could be employed gainfully.

Papua New Guinea exhibitors at PDAC2013

Afghanistan booth at PDAC2013

While I am not one who travels along the negative path, I must confess that the recently concluded Prospectors and Developers of Canada Association convention downtown Toronto opened my eyes to these attributes.

Over 30,000 people from 125 countries, for a second consecutive year attended the International Convention, Trade Show & Investors Exchange. With 30,147 investors, analysts, mining executives, geologists, government officials, students and international delegations, the Convention remains the world’s premier event for the mineral industry.

"We are so proud of the tremendous success of the PDAC 2013 Convention,” said Executive Director, Ross Gallinger. “The level of excitement and interest in the mineral exploration and development industry continues to be strong, and the Convention has once again provided an outstanding program that attracts government, industry, financial institutions and Aboriginal communities."

“We are actually one of the richest countries when it comes to mineral endowment in the whole world. We are inviting prospectors and developers and investors to take advantage of the exciting opportunities,” said Oliphant Godfrey Oliphant, deputy minister in the South African Ministry of Mineral Resources who was among convention attendees. He came to strengthen his country’s relationship with the mining community. A major part of his presence was to state his country’s exciting story of mining.

Glenn Nolan, President of the Association told delegates about efforts to invest in the next generation of talent. Its student programmes are building awareness by delivering exceptional programmes and services to students. Mining Matters, a PDAC supported organization has educated more than 500,000 students and teachers across Canada about the industry. A student industry mineral workshop was part of the convention as well. It provided hands-on instruction, built skills and connected geo-science students to the industry.

Student membership in the organization grew 50% last year and student participation at this year’s event was at an all-time record high as well. Nolan announced there is a continued need to find more talent. Working with government, industry and educators is vital to improve the supply of skilled individuals in the sector to continue Canada’s leadership position internationally.

Joe Oliver, Minister for Natural Resources announced that the Government of Canada had updated the Exploration and Mining Guide for Aboriginal communities. This will further facilitate greater participation of Aboriginal peoples in the benefits of new resources projects in Canada. The guide was developed by his department in partnership with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, the Mining Association of Canada, the Canadian Aboriginal Mining Minerals Association and PDAC. The guide helps Aboriginal Canadians to better understand the mining cycle. It is also used by Canadian companies operating abroad.”

He told the opening ceremony of the convention “With more than 200 active mines in Canada producing more than 60 different metals and minerals, the sector is a key economic driver in dozens of rural, remote and Aboriginal communities across the country.

Canada’s mining industry broke records in 2011 for exploration spending, production and exports, delegates heard. Canada remained the world’s top destination of mineral exploration attracting 16% of budgeted spending. Close to 60% of the world’s publicly listed companies are listed here on the Toronto Stock Exchange or the Toronto Venture Exchange.”

Few countries are generating national resource projects on the scale or pace of Canada, Oliver disclosed proudly. Over the next ten years as many as 600 major projects worth more than $650 billion will be on the way or planned, creating a once in a generation opportunity for Canadians, the minister reported.

The federal government’s goal is to ensure that Canada remains the best place in the world in which to do business. “We’ve listened to industry stakeholders and through measures such as the Foreign Affiliate Dumping Rules introduced in Canada’s economic action plan 2012, we are working to ensure that Canada’s system of international taxation achieves an appropriate balance while protecting the tax base and maintaining Canada’s position as a leading jurisdiction for exploration and mining companies,” Oliver stated.

Now in its 81st year, the Convention is more diverse. A number of events including the CSR Event Series, Aboriginal Program and Investors Exchange garnered overwhelming support. More elected officials attended the convention than in previous years.

March 9, 2013