The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) named the five major award recipients at next year’s prominent mining convention in Toronto, Ontario last Thursday.
The 46th annual event will be held on March 3-6. The recipients will be honoured for their contributions to the field of mineral exploration and development at the convention’s Awards Gala in the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
“Their successes are an inspiration and demonstrate the expertise, ingenuity and determination needed to find the minerals that are essential to modern life,” said the association’s President Raymond Goldie.
Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX: OSK) will receive the Bill Dennis award for discovering and expanding the Lynx gold zone within the Windfall deposit in Quebec’s James Bay region. The association says the discovery is one of the most significant gold findings in Quebec, Canada and the entire world.
The Wabun Tribal Council, a non-profit group representing the Beaverhouse, Brunswick House, Chapleau Ojibwe, Flying Post, Matachewan and Mattagami First Nations, will be presented with the Skookum Jim award. The council is receiving the award for its development of the Wabun engagement model for Indigenous groups interacting with mining companies.
“This distinctive method offers robust and systematic support to First Nations communities during their negotiations and partnerships with exploration and mining companies,” says the PDAC. The award is named after the Indigenous leader who discovered Yukon’s Klondike goldfields in the 19th century.
Read more: Calibre Mining reports record year-to-date earnings in Q3 financials
The world’s premier mining event
O3 Mining Inc. (TSX-V: OIII) (OTCQX: OIIIF) will be given the Sustainability award for its exceptional environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices. The association says the company has continually improved its ESG practices since 2019 and that O3 invested $2.3 million last year alone to implement best practices that exceed regulatory mandates.
The Lundin Group and its Vicuña exploration team are getting the Thayer Lindsley award at next year’s event for the discovery of a new copper-gold-silver mining district on the Chile-Argentina border.
“This success, a first in the Central Andean copper province for several decades, is attributed to a science-driven approach, technical excellence, entrepreneurial spirit and perseverance,” says the association.
We are pleased to announce the Lundin Group Vicuña Exploration Team is to be recognized for their groundbreaking discoveries that have built an emerging giant copper-gold-silver district. See PDAC award news here: https://t.co/hD1gr76LZy$FIL.TO #FILyourboots $NGEX.V pic.twitter.com/wkoPzVkPOW
— Lundin Group (@LundinGroup) November 9, 2023
Last but not least, Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX: VGCX) has earned next year’s Viola R. MacMillan award for its ongoing work at the Eagle gold mine. The award is named after the association’s longest-serving president and recognizes individuals or organizations that have demonstrated leadership in the financing, management, exploration and development of mineral resources.
“Despite facing skepticism from some shareholders about the project’s feasibility and the team’s capabilities, McConnell and Victoria Gold managed to secure over $500 million for its construction and development,” said the PDAC.
“They achieved this by creating royalties, collaborating with private equity firms, and accessing the equity markets, attracting investors who were aware of the project’s critics.”
The annual PDAC convention attracts up to 30,000 attendees every year from all over the globe. Last year’s event had a particular focus on copper and battery metals. It also regularly attracts protestors voicing environmental concerns.
rowan@mugglehead.com
