Mineral Exploration Stories

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Takeaways from Resourcing Tomorrow

Earlier this month, Keerit Jutla, President and CEO of AME attended the Resourcing Tomorrow mining conference in London, UK. This global gathering brought together leaders fro… Read More
2023 AME Photo Contest

2023 AME Photo Contest

Help us share mineral exploration with the world! AME is pleased to announce the return of the highly anticipated AME Photo Contest for 2023, now exclusively on social media. We in… Read More
Critical Minerals for the Future

Critical Minerals for the Future

Simply put, there is no energy transition without critical minerals, and this is why critical mineral supply chain resilience is an increasing priority for advanced economies.… Read More
AME Photo Contest 2022

AME Photo Contest 2022

For the past 20 years, our members have taken out their cameras and captured the essence of what a day in the life of a mineral explorer looks like. Once again, we would like to see your… Read More
Weaving Two Worlds

Weaving Two Worlds

Less than a month ago, the Province of British Columbia published its Declaration Act Action Plan, a proposal to meet the objectives of the United Nations Declaration on the Right… Read More
Putting Safety First

Putting Safety First

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2020 Edition of the Mineral Exploration Magazine. The AME Health & Safety Committee celebrate 42 productive and impactful ye… Read More
A Foot in the Door

A Foot in the Door

courtesy Danielle Mountjoy The power of networking to launch and sustain careers, especially in a cyclical industry such as mining, is personified by geologist Danielle Mountj… Read More
AME Photo Contest 2021

AME Photo Contest 2021

For the past 19 years, AME has sought the best photographs of mineral explorers in action – in B.C. and around the world. Once again, we would like you to send your prized photos from t… Read More
AME Remote Roundup 2021

AME Remote Roundup 2021

‘Leading Through Change’ was the theme for AME Roundup 2021, the association’s 38th Mineral Exploration Roundup and the first entirely virtual conference. Safety is the indust… Read More
Leading Through Change

Leading Through Change

When it comes to raising capital for mineral exploration, David Elliott, Vice President and Director, Haywood Securities, has seen it all. As a preeminent resource financier, E… Read More
Leading Through Change

Leading Through Change

As we near the end of this disrupted year, we asked University of British Columbia Associate Professor and past Director of Mineral Deposit Research Unit, Craig Hart, how the mine… Read More
Explorer to the Core

Explorer to the Core

Exploration geologist Donald Kennedy Mustard P.Eng. landed in Vancouver on June 6, 1965, with his wife, three young children and “the clothes we stood up in.” But he had a job, and w… Read More
AME Remote Roundup 2021

AME Remote Roundup 2021

Remote Roundup 2021 is the virtual debut of the annual AME Roundup conference. Leading through the change caused by the global pandemic, we are going virtual to safely facilitate… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

Rob Mcleod When Bob Dylan penned “The Times They Are A-Changin’” in 1964, he was documenting an era of remarkable transformation in western society. Over 56 years later, this anth… Read More
Historic Stories |  Second Rush

Historic Stories | Second Rush

This article was originally published in the 2008 AME Winter Magazine The early prospectors in the Atlin gold-fields were opportunists who took the easy way to their dreams of for… Read More
Disruption is Normal

Disruption is Normal

This week signals the beginning of Phase Two in British Columbia: a careful restart of certain businesses, organizations, and institutions after two long months of restriction… Read More
An Analytical Mindset

An Analytical Mindset

Michael Gray recalls one of his first site visits as a mining analyst. It was mid-2005 and Virginia Gold was pulling high-grade gold over significant widths from the Éléonore proj… Read More
Combining Our Forces

Combining Our Forces

Paul Leach AME’s Taxation, Securities & Investment (TSI) Committee comprises about a dozen members with professional expertise across the broad disciplines of taxation,… Read More
Investors Needed

Investors Needed

James Maxwell A deeper and more diverse pool of investors will bring much needed new capital into the minerals industry in Canada. In recent years, investment in the minerals indu… Read More
Field Gear

Field Gear

“Be prepared to spend the night out.” This has been a key piece of advice for preparing a backpack delivered at AME’s annual Introduction to Exploration Safety Workshop, which ret… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

Rob McLeod As the reappointed chair of AME’s Board of Directors, I want to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Board, the Association and the members in 2020. I wou… Read More
The Thrill of the Hunt

The Thrill of the Hunt

Modern-day prospectors Krisztina Pandur and Connor Malek captured the imaginations of the audience at the April 2019 AME MinEx Talks discussing the potential rewards and impor… Read More
AME Roundup Perspective

AME Roundup Perspective

Sarah Conolly is a Senior Project Geologist at Seequent, a Geoscience Technology company and this year will be her second time attending AME Roundup. Seequent will be exhibiting… Read More
Safety First

Safety First

The best part about being a mine inspector is the variety, from working with the RCMP on investigations to helicoptering into remote exploration sites, says Doug Flynn, senior in… Read More
Discovering the Spences Bridge Gold Belt

Discovering the Spences Bridge Gold Belt

For the last 20 years, while “everybody else was largely focused on the Golden Triangle,” prospector Edward Balon was uncovering a rich new epithermal gold district just a few hou… Read More
Newmont Goldcorp, Newcrest Sign B.C. Deals

Newmont Goldcorp, Newcrest Sign B.C. Deals

Many multinationals are looking at B.C. as a place to invest,” says AME chair McLeod Mineral exploration and development in B.C. is starting to show a definite spring in its step, w… Read More
AME Roundup Preview

AME Roundup Preview

An Invitation from the Roundup Committee Chair Dale Mah | Endeavour Silver Corporation Chair, Roundup 2020 Organizing Committee We geoscientists are born explorers – venturin… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

Rob McLeod | Chair of the Board of Directors Exploring the rugged and isolated sections of the Cordillera with dreams of discovery of metals and minerals is a wonderful and challen… Read More
Backing a Winner

Backing a Winner

Behind the bright lights and ceremony of AME’s annual Awards Gala: Celebration of Excellence, each January is the hard work of the Awards Committee, AME staff, and the members who… Read More
A Fond Farwell to Jim Gray

A Fond Farwell to Jim Gray

Jim Gray From 2004 through 2019, the mineral exploration industry saw what seemed like constant change – as mergers changed the corporate world and commodity price volatility wa… Read More
Exploration on the Edge

Exploration on the Edge

Geologist Andy Randell standing on the rim of Lost Valley at the edge of the Cambria Icefield, near Stewart, B.C. | Andy Randell British Columbia is beautiful. Spectacular mounta… Read More
The Opportunity in Innovation

The Opportunity in Innovation

Tell our readers a little bit about yourself and your career. I’m currently the VP Corporate Development for Endeavour Silver, a mid-tier silver and gold mining company. My main r… Read More
Lens on Discovery

Lens on Discovery

AME Roundup takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre East “under the sails” in Vancouver. | AME/Velour Productions With the theme Lens on Discovery and an eye on the newest t… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

We are approaching the time of year when explorers from all over our province (and all over the planet!) gather in the global mineral exploration and mining hub of Vancouver. Round… Read More
Sharing Our Stories

Sharing Our Stories

Few people outside the mining and mineral exploration industry know the processes, the people, the history or the complexity of finding and extracting the minerals and metals th… Read More
#AMEINTHEFIELD 2019

#AMEINTHEFIELD 2019

Photo Contest Submission Deadline: September 30 For the past 17 years, AME has sought the best photographs of mineral explorers in action – in B.C. and around the world. Once again… Read More
Campfire Tales Series

Campfire Tales Series

Nothing beats sitting around the campfire, sharing a laugh and a story with friends old and new. To harness this feeling – minus the smoke in your eyes! – we are launching a new… Read More
Help is on the Way

Help is on the Way

As part of AME’s ongoing efforts to streamline the process for obtaining a provincial Notice of Work (NoW) exploration permit, AME, together with the Ministry of Energy, Mines an… Read More
What to do About the Caribou?

What to do About the Caribou?

As ubiquitously Canadian as the polar bear and the beaver, the caribou—the iconic face of the Canadian quarter—is under threat in British Columbia. More than half of BC’s caribou… Read More
Back to the Bush

Back to the Bush

Field work is a vital part of mineral exploration. For some, it is the best part of being an explorer, an opportunity to travel to new places with spectacular scenery, make new frien… Read More
New Director Offers Nisga’a Know-how

New Director Offers Nisga’a Know-how

Corinne McKay, the newly appointed director of the AME, brings with her a wealth of experience managing finances for the Nisga’a Nation in the Nass River Valley of northwestern Br… Read More
2018 AME Award Winners

2018 AME Award Winners

(Below left) AME Board of Directors 2019: Wendell Zerb, Stephen de Jong, Rob McLeod, Justin Himmelright, Jill Pardoe, Don Bragg, Paul Jago, Steve Robertson, ‘Lyn Anglin, Colin R… Read More
The Importance of Mentorship

The Importance of Mentorship

There has been tremendous growth in the coaching industry and a lot of discussion about the importance of mentoring in the mining and exploration industry.  So, what is the d… Read More
The Whose Who of the Sell-Side

The Whose Who of the Sell-Side

After getting a few years of operational experience under my belt, I made the move to the finance side of the business. At the time, I knew I wanted to be involved in the process of help… Read More
In the Interest of Copper

In the Interest of Copper

Copper, the base metal we all know and love. Or maybe we don’t know it that well? Whatever your copper knowledge, this high-demand base metal should be on your list of interests for #… Read More
Bridging Academia and Industry

Bridging Academia and Industry

When explorer Craig Hart saw the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) director position advertised over a decade ago, he realised that he “couldn’t design a better situation.” A… Read More
AME Roundup Preview

AME Roundup Preview

David Gale SSR Mining Inc. Chair, Roundup 2019 Organizing Committee We invite you to join us at one of the world’s premier technical mineral exploration conferences. AME’s Miner… Read More

Getting There First

A boom is coming on four wheels for B.C.’s mining and mineral exploration industry. AME members throughout the province are actively engaged in exploring, discovering and devel… Read More

AME 2018/2019 Work Plan

Directed by the 2018-2019 Strategic Plan & Objectives AME is the lead association for the mineral exploration and development industry based in British Columbia. Establis… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

‘LYN ANGLIN | Chair of the Board of Directors At AME’s Roundup 2018 conference, we welcomed a renewed sense of optimism in B.C.’s mineral exploration and development industry, su… Read More

Ready, Set, Network!

How to make the most of your time at Roundup Networking is the fundamental reason to attend AME Mineral Exploration Roundup, said members surveyed by the NRG Research Group at Roun… Read More
The Power of Networking

The Power of Networking

Networking is by far the most important reason to attend AME Mineral Exploration Roundup, said AME members surveyed on-site by the NRG Research Group at Roundup 2018. According t… Read More
Reasons to Attend Roundup

Reasons to Attend Roundup

Register Now If you’re in the mineral exploration industry in BC, you may have heard of it already. AME Mineral Exploration Roundup is the place where, year after year, mineral exp… Read More
Q&A: 2018 Gold Pan winner Royanna Wild on Outreach

Q&A: 2018 Gold Pan winner Royanna Wild on Outreach

In just over a decade, geologist, draftsperson and volunteer, Royanna Wild, has connected with thousands of people as an ambassador for our industry. Her outreach efforts and “e… Read More
An Alliance to Increase Investor Confidence in B.C.

An Alliance to Increase Investor Confidence in B.C.

Sharing the story of our province’s competitive advantage with a national and international investment audience is vital to ensure the health and growth of the mineral explorat… Read More

A Volunteer’s Gift

From prospecting to committees to education to government, the volunteers who build British Columbia’s mineral exploration industry represent every part of the community. Ea… Read More

Technically Speaking

What to expect from the Technical Sessions at Roundup 2019 The Technical Sessions are one of the main reasons that people attend Roundup and we pride ourselves on the high-calibre… Read More

Chair’s Message

‘LYN ANGLIN | Chair of the Board of Directors The 2018 summer field season is in full swing, and the rebound from a five-year drought in financing for mineral exploration appears to… Read More
A Silver Lining

A Silver Lining

Gateway to Dolly Varden: The former boom town of Alice Arm | TOM SCHROETER Following a very rich silver discovery made in 1910, the remote Alice Arm area at the northeast end of Obser… Read More
Exploration in Action

Exploration in Action

Anatole Tuzlak For the past 15 years, AME has sought the best photographs of mineral explorers in action, in B.C. and around the world. We would like you to send your best photos from… Read More
Elements for Discovery

Elements for Discovery

Tourism Vancouver We look forward to welcoming everyone as we go back to the East Building – Under the Sails! All sessions and displays will be on the Main Level at the Vancouver Conv… Read More
#AMEintheField

#AMEintheField

July 1 – September 30, 2018 Our members work in some of the most spectacularly scenic places in the world and often have the photography skills to do the landscapes justice. We want t… Read More
AME Members Make Good Neighbours

AME Members Make Good Neighbours

When disaster strikes, the most immediate help will come from those around you – your neighbours. Connecting and building relationships with them today will mean a better… Read More
Then & Now

Then & Now

Published in the Summer 2018 Edition of the Mineral Exploration Magazine. The Association for Mineral Exploration (AME) has grown over the years to almost 5,000 members. Of that… Read More
Exploring Stories

Exploring Stories

Accepting the David Barr Award at the AME Roundup 2018 awards gala in January, project leadership coach Janice Fingler said, “Small gestures from leaders are like ripples that qu… Read More
What’s in your project’s eDNA?

What’s in your project’s eDNA?

Hemmera used eDNA methods to identify new tiger salamander breeding occurrences in the Okanagan Scientists from environmental consultant Hemmera are filtering environmenta… Read More
By the Book

By the Book

Sun Dogs and Yellowcake: Gunnar Mines – A Canadian StorySandberg Surrey: Crackingstone Press We experience the isolation of life on the Crackingstone Peninsula, the fre… Read More
Then & Now

Then & Now

Golden years: Consolidated Cinola Mines Ltd.’s Specogna gold deposit on Haida Gwaii graces the]() cover of the 16th annual directory. The Association for Mineral Exploration (… Read More
Chair’s Message

Chair’s Message

‘LYN ANGLIN | Chair of the Board of Directors In my first message as chair of AME’s Board of Directors, I want to take this opportunity to thank AME’s volunteers. In my first three mon… Read More
Public Outreach with AME

Public Outreach with AME

AME understands the value of positive public perception to our industry and we have heard our members in their call for more public action. Over the past few years, the Association… Read More
The Buzz Behind the Beard

The Buzz Behind the Beard

Walking home along an Edinburgh street one dark, snowy November evening in 2006, geologist Andy Randell received a life-altering phone call. A colleague at a Vancouver-based ex… Read More
And the Winner is…

And the Winner is…

AME saluted its leaders at the AME Awards Celebration of Excellence gala on January 24 during the AME Roundup 2018 conference. H.H. “Spud” Heustis Award Ron Burk, Ke… Read More

Get Certified

The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources (EMPR) completed a review of the Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia (the Code). As a result of… Read More
A Guide to a Good Roundup

A Guide to a Good Roundup

Each January in Vancouver, AME’s Roundup conference welcomes thousands of people from around British Columbia, across Canada, and the world. For some, it’s a tradition, a chanc… Read More
Mike vs. Goliath

Mike vs. Goliath

Mike Cathro literally grew up in mining camps. Both his parents worked in mining – his mom as a nurse and his dad, Bob, was a well-known exploration geologist and mining industry lea… Read More
Granite Creek Gold Rush

Granite Creek Gold Rush

Granite Creek circa 1886. The cabin of Frenchy, a Chinese immigrant and well-known placer miner, is in the foreground. Placer gold was supposedly first discovered in the Similka… Read More
AME Roundup Preview

AME Roundup Preview

David Gale SSR Mining Inc. Chair, Roundup 2018 Organizing Committee We invite you to join us at one of the world’s premier technical mineral exploration conferences. AME’s Miner… Read More
Old Camps, New Tricks

Old Camps, New Tricks

Landing on a flagship roperty: Snip and its airstrip.Drilling in the historic Cariboo Gold Belt.Environmental work for Barkerville Gold Mines. Recent exploration projects in… Read More

Data Mining

In November 2016, Parlane Resources announced the discovery of native copper on its Big Bear project located to the north of New Gold Inc.’s Blackwater deposit and east of New Gold… Read More

Positioning Your Company

Junior mineral exploration companies exist to responsibly create value for their shareholders – this was the consensus following a lively panel discussion at the AME Speaker Se… Read More

King Copper

Necessity is making strange bedfellows: organizations that champion sustainability and a greener future are supporting mining as a key factor in that new, low-carbon economy.… Read More
AME Speaker Series Summary

AME Speaker Series Summary

Junior mineral exploration companies exist to responsibly create value for their shareholders – this was the consensus following a lively panel discussion at the AME Speaker Se… Read More
BC Wildfire Update

BC Wildfire Update

Notice to Free Miners from Mark Messmer, Chief Gold Commissioner, Mineral Titles Branch If you are unable to perform exploration and development on your title as a consequence of… Read More
On Mental Health

On Mental Health

For the month of September, AME will be addressing mental health in our own way. This important topic is prevalent in all industries and aspects of life and we want to talk about it. W… Read More

Lived Experiences

Mental illness directly or indirectly affects all Canadians at one point in time or another. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, it is estimated that in any give… Read More
New Generation of Discovery

New Generation of Discovery

Join AME for our 35th annual Mineral Exploration Roundup conference. Roundup is where leaders in mineral exploration connect, and is a driving force for mineral exploration in W… Read More
Staying Connected

Staying Connected

Ryan Weston, VP exploration for Noront Resources, in the field. | COURTESY RYAN WESTON “If I could find something up here, I could sleep, I could forget about her. If I can only find a… Read More
Are You Bushed?

Are You Bushed?

Have you ever taken off your Carhartts after a long day in the field, fallen exhausted into your bunk in a tent in the middle of nowhere, only to find your field pants standing up by the… Read More
A Conversation Worth Having

A Conversation Worth Having

Thanks in part to some high profile media campaigns, there is growing support in Canada for loosening up a little bit and starting a conversation in the workplace about a subject th… Read More

Mental Health

In recent years, I have had multiple conversations with my peers regarding challenges associated with working in the minerals industry, and in particular the importance of ment… Read More
A Leader Through Turbulent Times

A Leader Through Turbulent Times

“As the new president and CEO of AME BC, my role is to help the industry navigate the challenges of turbulent times,” wrote Gavin Dirom in his first column in this magazine in spring o… Read More
Honouring Our Own

Honouring Our Own

AME honoured its 2016 award recipients on January 25 during the AME Roundup 2017 conference. This marks the 40th year that AME has celebrated the important achievements made by le… Read More
Local Opinion

Local Opinion

In a province that is as large and diverse as British Columbia, it’s natural that opinions on most topics – including mineral exploration and development – will be diverse too. Wha… Read More
Bill Threlkeld

Bill Threlkeld

If finding a gold deposit is like finding a needle in a haystack, then starting the search at an old gold mine is like removing the hay from the equation. “A lot of mines have been found… Read More

Did You Know?

Thirty million artisanal and small-scale miners worldwide use rudimentary tools to extract gold, tin, tantalum, tungsten, coal, diamonds, coloured gemstones and more than 20… Read More
Artisanal Mining Explored

Artisanal Mining Explored

El Alacran gold mine is nestled in the jungle-covered hills of northern Colombia. The name means “the scorpion” in Spanish, and is a cluster of over 140 informal mining sites, inte… Read More
Getting to “Yes” in British Columbia

Getting to “Yes” in British Columbia

The British Columbia election will take place two short months from now – May 9 – and political opinion in the province is as polarized as ever. What a surprise. The source of much of t… Read More

Their Leaders Speak

British Columbia voters are going to the polls for the 41st time on May 9, 2017, with three parties contesting the election: today’s BC Liberals, who are the incumbents; the BC New D… Read More

Grievance Mechanisms in Action

Located near Chapleau, Ontario, Goldcorp’s Borden project is home to many different communities and stakeholder groups, including the owners of cottages on nearby Borden Lake… Read More
Finding Treasure in Moose Pastures

Finding Treasure in Moose Pastures

Rosie Moore was the first person from Diamond Fields Resources to look at the core samples from the Voisey’s Bay property. It was 1994 and she was in a garage in St. John’s, Newfoundl… Read More

AMEs Gathering Place

It all started in the shelter of a tent back in 2013 when the Aboriginal Relations Committee of AME wanted to create a place for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants to gathe… Read More
AME Roundup 2017

AME Roundup 2017

Kendra JohnstonIndependence Gold Corp.Roundup 2017 OrganizingCommittee Chair Welcome to AME Mineral Exploration Roundup 2017! This year’s conference will bring together g… Read More
Field Trip to B.C.

Field Trip to B.C.

Looking southerly over Highland Valley Copper mine (Valley pit to right, Lornex pit to upper left). Front row: Tom Schroeter (coleader), Brock Riedell (mentor), Luca Paolillo,… Read More
The Green and the Brown

The Green and the Brown

Site view of Pretium Resources Inc.’s Brucejack project The British Columbia mineral exploration and development industry appears to be emerging from its long, silent h… Read More

The New Market

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme” – or so said Mark Twain (perhaps). Those in the mining markets are all too familiar with this concept. Mining’s cyclicality is ver… Read More
The Big Picture

The Big Picture

JoAnne Nelson KSM, Valley of the Kings, Red Chris, North ROK, KSP, Granduc – play “connect the dots” with these northwestern B.C. mines and projects, add a little tectonic history… Read More
Gearing Up for Discovery

Gearing Up for Discovery

Velour Productions | AME Get ready for Roundup 2017, where leaders in mineral exploration connect. AME’s flagship conference returns under the Canada Place sails at the Vancouv… Read More

Wrangellia Terrane

Small-scale mining in coastal British Columbia goes back beyond written records: native copper, for example, was used before European settlement. Industrial-scale mining, h… Read More
Great Mineral Belts Of B.C.

Great Mineral Belts Of B.C.

There is no question that British Columbia is home to the greatest concentration of mineral exploration professionals in the world. This is not an accident, but rather the result… Read More
APEGBC

APEGBC

Safety Reminder: Watch your footing. Be aware of slipping hazards. Join the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. (APEGBC) October 20 to 22, 2016, in V… Read More

Spotlight on H2O

Water is indispensable for mineral exploration, from use in drilling to uses in camps. However, water use is not constant – either in terms of duration or geography – as it is genera… Read More
Stikine Terrane

Stikine Terrane

The exceptional mineral endowment of northwestern British Columbia has lured prospectors and exploration companies for more than a century, despite rugged topography and the… Read More
Southeastern B.C.

Southeastern B.C.

The unique geology of southeastern British Columbia has long been of interest for the mineral resources it contains. Not only does the region host good mineral potential, but the… Read More
Quesnel Terrane

Quesnel Terrane

A geological map of British Columbia looks a little like the end of a rainbow: bold swaths of colour run up and down the province, representing thick belts of rock pressed together b… Read More
Taxation with Representation

Taxation with Representation

The challenges that face a junior exploration company in developing a mineral resource are difficult enough. It’s made even more complex by regulatory burdens such as complianc… Read More
Lights, Camera, Action!

Lights, Camera, Action!

2016 Winner: Matt Fraser Over the past 13 years, AME’s photo contest has resulted in some stunning photographs – and we want to see more. Whether you are exploring in B.C. or around t… Read More
A New Way of Doing Business

A New Way of Doing Business

The Natural Resource Permitting Project (NRPP) is a modern, citizen centred approach to improving the way business is done in the natural resource sector in British Columbia. Th… Read More
Riding the Wave

Riding the Wave

Velour Productions/AME Members of AME’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee presented a CSR Short Course in a sold-out pre-conference session. The 25 registrant… Read More
Reaching Out

Reaching Out

The Chamber of Mines of Eastern BC display at Kaslo May Days | Chamber of Mines of Eastern BC AME’s outreach grants have been a boon to our regional exploration group members around B… Read More
Calling All Gold Bugs

Calling All Gold Bugs

Enthuiastic mini-miners participating in the 2015 Fraser River Gold Panning Championships | Yukon Dan Yukon Dan is hosting the 2016 Fraser River Gold Panning Championships, Au… Read More
Right Place, Right Time

Right Place, Right Time

To catch a wave, timing is everything. Paddle too early or too late and you’ll miss it. You can get lucky occasionally but not consistently. Geophysicist and geologist Garth Kirkh… Read More
A Tale of Two Mines

A Tale of Two Mines

Drill rig on the move, Copper Island, summer 1929. As early as 1898, pioneer prospectors trudged across the Bulkley Valley in west-central British Columbia. This group included… Read More
The Mining Men

The Mining Men

It was a man’s world in 1960 when a group of men from British Columbia’s mineral exploration and mining community gathered in Vancouver to form an investment club named The Mining M… Read More
Mark Your Calendar

Mark Your Calendar

It is unquestionable that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is as valuable to developing a successful deposit as a drill hole. CSR enables good corporate governance and est… Read More
Field Trip

Field Trip

When 108 elementary students converged at Vancouver’s Canada Place for their first-ever convention experience, the first thing one noticed was the excitement on their faces. C… Read More
And the award goes to…

And the award goes to…

AME BC honoured its 2015 award recipients on January 27 at Mineral Exploration Roundup 2016. Every January, the Association celebrates the important achievements made by leade… Read More

Explorations in 3D

There are very few industries in which three-dimensional printing won’t impact the way we do business. Already, it is affecting the way we produce goods – everything from clothin… Read More
B.C.’s Best

B.C.’s Best

Top-10 lists are frequently contentious to compile, and this holds true for this assessment of the 10 greatest mineral deposit discoveries in British Columbia in the 35 years of M… Read More
Class of ’81

Class of ’81

In 1981, Vancouver was home to a vibrant minerals industry and venture capital market, and the outlook for geologists graduating from the University of British Columbia that yea… Read More
Days of Reflection

Days of Reflection

On September 18 and 19, 2015, I was fortunate to be part of a small group of senior mining industry executives and non-governmental organization (NGO) representatives who travel… Read More
Thank you for your support

Thank you for your support

AME BC’s Mineral Exploration Roundup 2016 conference was a great success thanks in large part to the support of our generous sponsors. AME BC in particular thanks Teck Resources L… Read More
Into the Valley of the Kings

Into the Valley of the Kings

A small valley in the northern B.C. Coast Mountains may be a world away from Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. But take away the snow and add a treasure trove of riches, and it’s easy to see w… Read More
Natural Resource Road Act

Natural Resource Road Act

In British Columbia, resource roads are currently administered under several different pieces of legislation by several different government organizations, including the M… Read More
2016 Roundup Preview

2016 Roundup Preview

AME BC’s Mineral Exploration Roundup 2016 is coming up soon: January 25 to 28, at Canada Place in Vancouver, B.C. Once again, we will bring you an impressive lineup of speakers, rep… Read More
Lifelong Learning

Lifelong Learning

The mineral exploration industry is expecting a shortage of workers as the current generation of workers enters retirement. Because the industry is changing so quickly, anyone… Read More
Starting with the Basics

Starting with the Basics

Graduates of the Tse Keh Dene prospecting class The mineral exploration industry is relatively small: specially trained personnel, little to no production and grassroots proj… Read More
How to Make the Most of Roundup

How to Make the Most of Roundup

A conference like Mineral Exploration Roundup (January 25 to 28, 2016) is one place to land a job in mineral exploration and mining. But with preevents, workshops and forums, and 6… Read More
Erin Bros and Patrick McAndless

Erin Bros and Patrick McAndless

“A field geologist with a broken leg is a bit of a conundrum,” admits Erin Bros. She broke her leg skiing, right in the middle of job hunting for the summer. The recent Dalhousie Unive… Read More
Raising the Bar

Raising the Bar

Practising corporate social responsibility brings rewards: Local communities near Goldcorp’s Marlin mine in Guatemala support continued exploration now that they see the be… Read More
Where Are They Now?

Where Are They Now?

MDRU graduates Leif Bailey, Dave Cox and Tim Wrighton, with researchers Murray Allan and Jim Mortensen, take a break at the Golden Saddle Saloon on Kinross’s White Gold property i… Read More
School’s In

School’s In

Innovative collaboration is the future of British Columbia’s mineral exploration and mining industry, and a recent training venture between the Nisga’a Nation and the Northwe… Read More
Planning for the Future

Planning for the Future

The cyclical nature of our industry is something we have long since come to terms with, but the extreme double-dip over the past seven years has been a harsh reminder of how quickly t… Read More
Tales in an Exploration Vein

Tales in an Exploration Vein

The Nisselinka Claims The Nisselinka Claims, Robert Longe’s novel set in British Columbia, was released in spring 2015. Available from friesenpress.com. Robert LongeVictori… Read More
Peter Bradshaw

Peter Bradshaw

Peter Bradshaw was inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame in 2015 as an accomplished mine-finder and developer, company builder, advocate of collaborative research and… Read More
ESTMA Explained

ESTMA Explained

Joe Ringwald The Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act (ESTMA) is now law in Canada, having received Royal Assent on December 16, 2014. Part of omnibus Bill C-34 (Economic… Read More
Powering Progress

Powering Progress

Tower touchdown: 1,000 of these lattice towers were installed along the right-of-way for the Northwest Transmission Line. If you could chart 10 years’ worth of emotions stirred… Read More

Road to Success

Some mines, such as the Bingham Canyon Mine (also known as the Kennecott Copper Mine), are located conveniently close to all the infrastructure that is needed to make them economi… Read More
The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle

Gold at the end of the rainbow: Seabridge Gold Inc.’s KSM project. Northwestern British Columbia is a large, diverse area with a large, diverse mineralogy. Sometimes referred to… Read More

First Nations Forward

Smiley Caban conducting aquatic sampling with TNDC partner Rescan Tahltan Environmental Consultants, 2007. The 1980s were heady times for Vancouver-based junior companies,… Read More
Aboriginal Engagement

Aboriginal Engagement

Michael Peeman of the Ulkatcho First Nation working at the Blackwater project core shack. Realizing they can benefit from partnering with First Nations, many mineral explorati… Read More
2014 AME BC Awards

2014 AME BC Awards

Every January, AME BC celebrates the important achievements made by leaders in the mineral exploration industry here in B.C., throughout Canada and around the world. The Associ… Read More
Lana Eagle

Lana Eagle

Courtesy Lana Eagle Rarely does a person effortlessly straddle the divide between First Nations and industry like Lana Eagle – especially when it comes to mineral exploration an… Read More
In Memoriam: Bob Cathro

In Memoriam: Bob Cathro

Robert John Cathro, an AME BC life member and past president of AME BC, was born in Dauphin, Manitoba, on April 30, 1935, and died at home in Chemainus, British Columbia, on August 26… Read More
No Poor Man’s Country

No Poor Man’s Country

What a view: Atholl Sutherland Brown overlooking the Seven Sisters and Skeena River from near the Victoria mine, Hazelton. When the Collins Overland Telegraph crews came throug… Read More
Co-operation Brings Success

Co-operation Brings Success

Blessing on board the Rt. Hon. Paul E. Martin. Party includes the senior Kwakiutl hereditary chief, the hereditary and elected chief of the ‘Namgis, respected elders from each ba… Read More
2015 Roundup Preview

2015 Roundup Preview

KENDRA JOHNSTON, CHAIR Roundup Organizing Committee Welcome to Mineral Exploration Roundup 2015! This year’s conference marks an important milestone for Roundup as we move in… Read More
Magnify Your Data

Magnify Your Data

Community field trip to Pan American Silver Corp.’s Navidad project Collecting and analyzing environmental baseline data takes a significant investment of time and resources… Read More
Red Mountain

Red Mountain

Vancouver-based IDM Mining Ltd. recently announced surface sampling results from its Red Mountain underground gold project in northwestern British Columbia. IDM began surfa… Read More
In Recognition of Reclamation

In Recognition of Reclamation

Presentations at the 2014 Mine Reclamation Symposium attracted a diverse audience ranging from scientists to high school and university students to First Nation land and resou… Read More
The Reality of the Tsilhqot’in Decision

The Reality of the Tsilhqot’in Decision

In June 2014, the media in B.C. and the rest of Canada was full of the news that the Supreme Court of Canada had granted Aboriginal title to more than 1,700 square kilometres of land in… Read More
Alaska Miners Celebrate 75 Years

Alaska Miners Celebrate 75 Years

(left to right) AMA first vice- president Lorna Shaw, AMA second vice-president Mike Satre, AMA executive director Deantha Crockett, AMA president Jason Brune, MABC president… Read More
John Thompson

John Thompson

To John Thompson, Rio Tinto’s Pilbara operations represent a glimpse into the near future. At the iron mines in Western Australia, the ore is hauled by autonomous trucks controll… Read More
Breaking New Ground

Breaking New Ground

Danae Voormeij investigating artisanal mining pits in the West African jungle, Liberia. Although scientific research is necessary for successful mineral exploration, littl… Read More

The Wireline System

One of the major application breakthroughs in the diamond drilling industry was the development of the wireline system in 1958 by E.J. Longyear Company (now Boart Longyear Ltd.)… Read More

Beyond Hollywood’s Imagination

In the 1998 film Armageddon, a group of rugged drillers led by Bruce Willis’ character is recruited to save the world by drilling into an Earth-bound asteroid to lower a nuclear dev… Read More
Exploring in 3D

Exploring in 3D

The world of printing has finally caught up with the real world – and if the displays at the PDAC convention in Toronto this year were anything to go by, 3D printing is finding its way i… Read More
Where’s my Flying Drill?

Where’s my Flying Drill?

September 23, 2034 – Vancouver, B.C. Honestly, Pops, if the words “back in my day” come out of your mouth one more time, I’m going to disconnect you from this flight. All I said was thi… Read More
Analytics on the Go

Analytics on the Go

The technological world around us is becoming more advanced and compact every day, with the processing power of a desktop computer from a decade ago now fitting into your smartpho… Read More
Innovation retrospective

Innovation retrospective

One of my favourite movies of all time is Stanley Kubrick’s epic Full Metal Jacket. Among his numerous memorable quotes, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman states that, “the world’s most d… Read More
David McLelland

David McLelland

AME BC chair David McLelland has clarity about the activities that are important in his life, but his true strength lies in his approach: “I believe most people have principles, bu… Read More
Hope Air

Hope Air

Hope Air arranges thousands of free flights each year for patients like 10-year-old Kalena Samaai and her mother, Kathy, who require specialized medical treatment far from home… Read More
Uranium City

Uranium City

Before Uranium City, the Eldorado town site served the Beaverlodge staking rush and the early years of the uranium boom. Uranium became a strategically important commodity in 19… Read More

Safety Guidelines

Always wear safety glasses when hammering rock! The fifth edition of AME BC’s popular Safety Guidelines for Mineral Exploration in Western Canada was released at Mineral Explor… Read More
Mining 4 Everyone

Mining 4 Everyone

“Mining 4 Everyone” is the theme that will drive topics of discussion at the upcoming CIM 2014 Convention taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre from May 10 to 13. The conv… Read More
Nunavut the Next Saskatchewan

Nunavut the Next Saskatchewan

Summer at Kivalliq Energy Corporation’s Nutaaq camp at the Angilak property. Nunavut and Saskatchewan have more in common than exceptional and diverse mineral potential. They… Read More
Rich Saskatchewan Soil

Rich Saskatchewan Soil

Expanding horizons: Mineral exploration spending in Saskatchewan is well above historic levels – over $2.7 billion has been spent on exploration and evaluation programs in the… Read More
Back to School

Back to School

Tomorrow’s explorers: Patrick McAndless, VP exploration for Imperial Metals, with students, staff and elders at Camp Ganokwa, Smithers, at the August 2013 graduation ceremon… Read More

In Memoriam

Craig Finnigan, chief geologist of Kaminak Gold Corporation for eight years, passed away suddenly shortly after receiving the H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award with his colleagues. AM… Read More
B.C.’s Best Ski Roots

B.C.’s Best Ski Roots

Skiing at Silver Star – a resort that comes by its name honestly. My first job as a geologist straight out of university in 1993 was near my hometown of Stewart, B.C., at an adva… Read More
Genomics

Genomics

UBC researchers taking samples that will be used in bioremediation testing. As B.C.’s mineral resource sector continues to flourish, and as more mineral deposits and gas reserv… Read More
The Art of Exploration

The Art of Exploration

Exploring the Bunster Plateau, British Columbia by Ian Semple When it comes to the fine arts, the myth persists that scientists are too rational to make that leap, despite obvious… Read More
Tech Savvy

Tech Savvy

Terrain covered by one of Geoscience BC’s QUEST airborne surveys Over the years, a large and varied network of support industries that provide a range of products and services to B… Read More
Right Under Our Nose

Right Under Our Nose

One of the first things visitors to the Britannia Mine Museum see is a room dedicated to mining’s contribution to daily life. A spiralling installation rises above the display flo… Read More
2014 BC Mining HR Diversity Award

2014 BC Mining HR Diversity Award

Diversity in action: The UBC Geology team at the university’s inaugural alumni longboat race The second annual BC Mining HR Diversity Award will launch during the BC Mineral Expl… Read More
Gold Rush at Rock Creek

Gold Rush at Rock Creek

Gold panning on Rock Creek, home to a gold rush in 1860 The first gold discovery in British Columbia was made in 1854 along the Pend d’Oreille River and its tributaries in an area sout… Read More
Adam Travis

Adam Travis

Adam Travis, president and CEO of Colorado Resources Ltd., and his technical team are putting the finishing touches on a geological discovery presentation he’ll deliver to pote… Read More

Aboriginal Engagement Handbook

AME BC’s Aboriginal Engagement Guidebook, which has been in development for more than a year, will make its long-awaited appearance in 2014. According to Sheriden Barnett, seni… Read More
2014 Roundup Preview

2014 Roundup Preview

Invitation from the Chairs Victoria Yehl, Chair Kendra Johnston, Vice-Chair Mineral Exploration Roundup 2014 Join us in celebrating the 30th anniversary of AME BC’s Mineral Ex… Read More

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