Vancouver, B.C.  —  December 3, 2024 — The Association for Mineral Exploration (“AME”) is pleased to announce its 2024 award recipients. These individuals are recognized for their remarkable contributions, achievements, innovation and leadership in the mineral exploration and development industry in B.C. and Yukon. The recipients will be celebrated by their friends, families and colleagues at the prestigious AME Celebration of Excellence Awards Gala at the Vancouver Convention Centre West on Wednesday, January 22, 2025. Tickets are available through AME Roundup 2025 registration at https://roundup.amebc.ca/register/. Early Bird prices are in effect until December 6, 2024.

This year’s award recipients are as follows:

  • Scott Berdahl of Snowline Gold Corp. is the recipient of the 2024 AME H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for leading the advancement of the Valley deposit in the Selwyn Basin in the Yukon to a significant deposit.
  • The BHP Xplor Team (Charlee Johnson, Sonia Scarselli and Libby Sharman) are recognized with the 2024 AME Murray Pezim Award for their success through the BHP Xplor program for initiating an innovative way to finance and support mineral exploration.
  • Dr. Thomas Bissig is recognized as the 2024 AME Colin Spence Award, sponsored by Dentons Canada LLP, for leading the Faraday Copper team’s discovery of significant new near-surface copper (-silver) mineralization at the Copper Creek deposit in Arizona.
  • Tahltan Nation Development Corporation is the 2024 AME Robert R. Hedley Award recipient for Excellence in Social and Environmental Responsibility, sponsored by ERM, and is being recognized for its holistic approach to developing a three-year Heavy Equipment Operator program.
  • Mike Ravella of Veracio is recognized with the 2024 AME Innovation Award for leading the development of TruScan, a cloud-integrated in-field sample-scanning platform designed to provide immediate access to orebody data.
  • Maurice Colpron of the Yukon Geological Survey is acknowledged with an AME Special Tribute for his leadership in mapping the Rackla belt, and his valued contributions to the understanding of western Canadian and Alaskan Cordilleran tectonics and metallogeny. The mapping project initiated by Maurice in the Rackla belt of central Yukon highlighted parallels in the depositional and structural settings of Rackla belt and the Carlin Gold District in Nevada.
  • Archer, Cathro and Associates (1981) Limited, is recognized with the AME David Barr Award for its leadership in developing a culture of safety in exploration in the Yukon over the past 60 years.
  • Rob McLeod, Past Chair of AME is recognized with the AME Frank Woodside Gold Pan Award for his contributions to the mineral exploration and development community through service to AME. Throughout his two decades of service to AME, Rob has championed diversity and inclusiveness in the industry and shown his dedication to fostering reconciliation and building strong partnerships with First Nations and the communities where mineral explorers work.
  • Britannia Mine Museum and MineralsEd are each recipients of AME’s Outreach Education Fund to support the public’s appreciation and understanding of B.C.’s mineral exploration and development industry through the advancement of public education and community programs.
  • Major Drilling and Skeena Gold + Silver are being recognized by AME, together with the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada and the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association as recipients of the Safe Day Every Day Gold Award. This award recognizes two companies for their exemplary performance in safe exploration throughout Canada in 2023.

For more information about the award recipients, download the AME 2024 Award Citations.

C. Paul Jago, Vice-Chair of the AME Board of Directors and Chair of the AME Awards Committee, commented, “On behalf of the Board of Directors, we congratulate each of the deserving recipients receiving an AME Award. These individuals have shown exceptional leadership, unwavering perseverance, and deep passion for their projects, teams, and the industry. We look forward to celebrating their achievements at the Awards Gala at AME Roundup 2025.”

About AME

AME is the lead association for the mineral exploration and development industry based in British Columbia. Established in 1912, AME represents, advocates and promotes the interests of more than 5,000 members who are engaged in mineral exploration and development in B.C. and globally. AME encourages a safe, economically strong and environmentally responsible industry by providing clear initiatives, policies, events and tools to support its membership in delivering responsible projects that advance reconciliation and provide benefit to all British Columbians.

AME Contact:

Candice Appleby
Director, Communications & Strategic Projects
Association for Mineral Exploration
604.354.5877
[email protected]