Yukon Night was held on Monday January 23, 2012 in the Stanley Park Ballroom. This annual Roundup evening social event is coordinated by the Yukon Chamber. It is a clear favourite among Roundup attendees.

A treasure hunt stamp draw, chocolate fountain, and delicious roast beef were among some of the evening features. People were taking their time visiting each of the booths collecting stamps to enter to win the coveted price of the night. All while keeping their eye on the beer tables and indulge in chocolate fondue from the fountain overflowing with molten goodness.

Even with the wonderful food and drinks there is no question that main attraction is comradely  between people in the industry. After a long first day this social event is a great opportunity to relax and have some fun. For many this is their time to reconnect with old friends who have come back from projects all around the world. For others perhaps a night to network and possibly make illustrious business deals.

Industry and students come each year to connect with old and new friends in a relaxed environment, drinks are abundant and this year had a special twist.  Kaminak sponsored a unique type of beer cup - it becomes bright red or green when cold beer is poured inside.   These cups turned many heads throughout the night and ended up becoming an easy conversation starter.

This informal event was a huge success; jam packed with spillover into the hallways and adjacent booths from the packed hall.

By Cris Weiler

Spending time in the Core Shack and the Prospectors' Tent is a wonderful way to have a true travelogue of mining industry potentials without leaving the Bayshore site. As one old hand aptly phrased this, "It's all about what might be".

There are core samples from a number of South American countries, from Indonesia, from Spain, and the United States. Not only is the mineralization interesting, but some of the host rock is so beautiful I wonder what it would look like being used as home décor

Also this is the place to meet our B.C. Prospectors, where the cycle of discovery often begins. These folks are in the front lines of seeking the next big find – a purpose that has ultimately attracted so many to the AME Roundup. They truly know what it's like to be out in the elements, one could say!

Of course, none of this could take place without the multitude of service and supply industries, who travel here to attend the Trade Show. Everyone is networking, showcasing and advertising their products, adding to the excitement of the week.

There are many stories yet to be exchanged among all the participants for weeks to come. Thank you to everyone for their contributions to this educational and dynamic conference.

Wednesday morning I was fortunate to attend a lively morning technical session at Roundup. Even though it was a 8:30am session, there was still a strong attendance. But that’s not surprising, given the stimulating subject matter. In contrast to the more ‘technical’ sessions that focused on geosciences and site forecasting, this morning’s session concerned the of issues and approaches arising from Environmental Assessment (EA) and First Nations engagement and Consultation in the mining industry.

The session started off, appropriately, with the speakers recognizing the session’s location on the traditional territory of the Musquem and Squamish First Nations. This initial acknowledgement was part of the overall tone of the session, which focused on forward thinking and site-centric approaches with both local peoples and the environment. Above all, the speakers focused on the need to form a relationship with local peoples based on respect and even-handed response to concerns.

Presentations concerning Environmental Assessment were also given no small amount of time. Oscar Gustafson, a Senior Environment Assessment specialist from Knight Piésold Consulting, noted the importance of baseline studies, which can take up 50% of EA funding. Despite sometimes significant capital outlay, he explained that by getting a jump start on testing and integrating it as part of exploration, projects can make testing far less painful. Finally, Kathy Scott, from Dialectiv Research Services  made a presentation focused on the importance of building a relationship through Traditional Knowledge (TK) gathering, bringing the two topics together.

When the panel opened up for discussion with the audience, the tone of the session became even livelier. This was due in no small part to Jerry Asp, President of C3 Alliance Corp, practical and persuasive commentary on the necessity of factoring consultation and relationship building into the costs of doing business in Canada. Investor confidence in a project, it was argued, can be built or undermined according to the relationship companies build on the ground with local First Nations.

The session chair noted at the beginning that there was “no one formula” for approaching individual projects’ environmental assessment and consultation needs. This is certainly true, and this session showed how seriously the mining industry is taking the new realities of doing business in 21^st century British Columbia. Jerry, as a member of the Tahltan nation as well as president of C3 Alliance Corp, offered the best expression of this sentiment. He stated that while the history of First Nations relations have not always been equitable, he noted that a change in the tenor of their relationship to business. “I’m confident that over the next 10 years,” he finished, “my children won’t have to fight the same battles.”

It’s 7pm on Monday January 23 at Roundup 2012 so it’s time for Yukon Night. It’s time for me to head to the Stanley Park Ballroom at the Westin Bayshore and see what this event is all about. It’s all about fun! Fun with new and old friends, classmates, co-workers and professionals from the mining and other related industries. It’s a night of fun organized by the Yukon Chamber of Mines.

As I try to make my way through the jam packed room, I hear volunteers, student delegates, trade show staff, industry professionals and exhibitors having hearty conversations about work, family and friends. I also see some attendees trying to make business deals while others ask the servers for red wine and ice cold beer.

I am still trying to maneuver my way through the crowd when I stopped to observe a sculpture with a brown liquid substance oozing out of it. “What’s that?” I said to myself. I had to go closer to investigate. And there it was – I reached the land of Chocolate Utopia! You’ve probably heard of the fountain of youth well this brown substance was the fountain of chocolate! As a chocolate lover, I could barely contain my excitement. I had the choice to dip tasty pieces of cantaloupe and plain cake under the fountain of milk chocolate. Ah yes… Yukon night is turning out to be a fun filled and tasty night.

But wait – that’s not all! As the evening progresses, I see a lady dressed like a 1920s showgirl passing around with little sachets of Gold Mine Nugget bubble gum. “Wow” I thought. “I’ve never eaten that before and it sure tastes good!”

While I continue to wander around the room, I observe the facial expressions of some of the attendees – excitement, relaxation, nervousness, awkwardness – the Stanley Park Ballroom is definitely a sea filled with human emotions and movement – movement in the form of dancing as some of the attendees are ready to boogey down to the music – Yukon style!

As I exit the room, I look at my bubble gum sachet again and I realize that the words on the sachet match my thoughts about the evening. “Yukon Night, The Legend Lives On!”

Things are certainly extremely busy at the Roundup of 2012! The time is here for mineral exploration - the melding of science and industry

The international presence at the conference becomes more apparent as I get involved in discussions with various attendees. There is a large and animated population of students from locations near and far. I stopped by the booth of the Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) from the UBC Earths & Sciences department, where I met Moira, a Geology grad student, who is originally from England. She is keenly looking forward to following her passion for the outdoors, and hopes to be working in the Yukon this summer; a popular choice for a lot of people for many reasons!

Later I found myself on the upper level at the Greenland Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum information booth. A variety of mineral discoveries have been made in recent times in Greenland. With advancing technology, the increasing value of raw ore materials, and a retreating ice cap, this area of the world looks to have an optimistic future in resource extraction. I had a great discussion with Ole Fjordgaard Kjær, The Deputy Head of Department Minerals. Originally from Denmark, Ole has chosen to live in Greenland for the last 6 years, something most of us have surely have not thought of doing.

And so goes another eventful day; tomorrow's talks will extend that theme of the involvement of other parts of the globe in mineral resources.

Infamous AME BC Hats

By Catherine Biollo

BC Night opened Tuesday at 7pm with anticipation as participants waited outside the Stanley Park Ballroom for the doors to open.  The open hall featured tables full of sandwiches and beer, so no frowns could have made it past the door. The room filled up fast as delegates met their friends and colleagues chatting and awaiting the BC Night’s local live band.

AME BC started a new trend at BC Night this year. With distribution of their hats from tables and representatives walking around it seemed that within a period of ten minutes nearly a third of the people in the room were wearing them. The hats, I must add, are really nice this year - the soft grey material seemed to suit everyone.

It didn’t take long for people to get their moves on once the band, The Famous Players, came on. With the band playing hits from today, the 90s and beyond the dance floor was packed. Others who were not as into the dancing spirit could be found in the adjacent hallway, it was considerably quieter out there which was perfect for conversation without missing out on the great tunes from the band.

“What makes BC Night BC Night?” - Besides the Granville Island beer, the local band, BC corporate sponsorship for the night, and AME BC hats floating around everywhere - I’m not sure, but I’d love to come again to find out.

Prospectors' Tent - Roundup 2012

The prospector’s tent is located just outside the main entrance in the outdoor “Core Tent”.  Exhibitors there display current projects in hopes to excite the interest of the geological community and potential investors. The tables were adorned with a backdrop of maps and figures and gleaned with beautiful rock samples displaying the best these prospectors have to offer. Crowds gather around the tables for a glimpse at where the mining industry may be headed next.

One of these exhibits was presented by Mikkel Schau, PhD, P.Geo. Schau has been working in Northern Vancouver Island on his claims for a number of years and now is in the later stages of prospecting. He says he is hopeful that what he has found on the surface is “just the tip of the iceberg”. He has found disseminated and vein-hosted copper minerals including bornite and malachite. He had some beautiful green and iridescent rock samples on display.

A forward thinker, Keith W. Steeves of Atlantic Pacific Spaceline Enterprise Inc., is looking to take the exploration industry into space. He hopes to open the door to asteroid mining through interstellar sampling using solar sail technology to retrieve samples and bring them back to earth.  It will be interesting to watch the industry to see when interstellar mining operations take flight.

There is a unique sense of excitement and adventure in the prospector’s tent. These prospectors can easily been seen as modern day treasure hunters. Trekking through the wilderness, staking claims and searching for that elusive ore-bearing outcrop. Armed with maps and extensive geological background and experience, they man the decks at Roundup seeking out those willing to join in their adventure - and help dig for the gold.

Thompson Creek Metals Company’s Mt. Milligan copper-gold Project, located approximately 90 miles northwest of Prince George in central British Columbia, and has been in the works for many years…

I remember in the 80s, flying in to work on the property. It was a mosquito haven and wet weather was a common occurance. It occurred to me more than once as we staked the property, placed grid lines and finished our soil samples that I wasn’t sure there was anything here!

Currently Mt. Milligan is very close to being in production mode (estimates place it at the first quarter of 2013).  Thompson Creek’s Feasibility Study states that reserve estimates are 6.0 million oz of Gold and 2.1 billion lbs of copper.

At Roundup 2012 a 3D video was used to show the pit and surrounding structures. It was very effective way to show how the mine would be developed. The deepest pit will be 550 meters deep and it will use an area no larger than 3 km by 4 km.

One of the biggest issues they foresee is getting a secure amount of skilled workers. Engineers, metallurgists, geologists and other professionals are all needed. What they are finding is that the 30 – 30 rule is at work;

either you have a  worker that has 30 years of experience and are approaching retirement
or
30 years old with no experience

They are working with the local colleges to get trained workers. The mine is involving all the communities in the area and working hard at keeping them informed to what is going on.

I attended a number of the afternoon tech sessions. I was particularly fascinated to learn that the plate tectonics theory, standard knowledge today, was not fully accepted by the geology community until the 1960's!  Growing up on the B.C. Coast,we were always made aware of the slipping, grinding, and moving of our fractured terrestrial crust, leading to the possibility of earthquake at any time.

At the end of the day my realization is that just as our planet's surface is constantly changing, so are our methods of understanding, aided by the amazing advances in technology that benefit us all.

By Patrick Craib

This Monday afternoon, the Stanley Park Ballroom at the Westin Bayshore was packed for Roundup 2012’s technical session on ‘British Columbia’s First 100 Years of Global Discovery.’ Much in the spirit of the session was Mark Edwards, Environment Director for Teck, who gave the audience an in-depth history of the Sullivan mine. As it turned out, at least half the audience had personal experience with the mine at one point or another in their lives. Mark’s presentation focused on the life the Sullivan mine and its connection to the local community Kimberly. Sullivan’s ability to stay innovative allowed it to remain competitive while operating, and remain a force within the community after the mine had closed. Similarly, Jason Sangha, Senior Mine Engineer, Highland Valley Copper presented on the past and future developments atHighlandValley. He touched on many of the same points, such as resource development, community enrichment, and Aboriginal engagement.

Much of the session involved the technical development of geosciences within the Province. The presentations showcased how the history of mineral exploration in British Columbian created the opportunity for fascinating technical and scientific innovations, from geochemistry to terranology, through the 20th century and into present day.

Peter Holbeck, Vice President, Exploration, Copper Mountain Mining was particularly informative in his presentation on volcanogenic massive sulphide ore deposits. His presentation was interesting for someone who does not have a technical background. However, these presentations were much more appreciated by the many geologists in the audience.

A definite highlight of the session was George Cross, Resource Specialist for Haywood Securities, recalled of the role that the Vancouver Stock Exchange and how it influenced world-wide investment, financing . It also created an environment that fostered the development of the province’s groundbreaking mineral explorers. His various speaking points about the social dynamics of the mind-century industry entertained the room and showed that while the industry has come a long way since its early days, it has definitely not lost its colourful character.

While all the presenters spent time emphasizing the “critical role” thatBritish Columbiaplayed in the world mineral exploration and geosciences, as Teck’s John Thompson, Vice President of Technology and Development, put it this was no backward-looking session. What was clear after the presentations were finished was that mineral exploration and mining in this province is anything but dead history. This perspective was epitomized by the final presentation, where Tom Schroeter, President CEO and Director of Fjordland Exploration, Mike Burke, Chief Geologist, Golden Predator Corp, and Shawn Ryan, President, Ryanwood Exploration showed that while gold started the first mineral rush into the province, it is now returning to mark its character in the 21st century.