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Major mining conference returns for first time in two years

Northern Ontario Mining Showcase will highlight key mining supply and technical businesses from Sudbury and other Northern Ontario cities

TORONTO — Hundreds of mining exploration representatives from Sudbury and across Northern Ontario are taking part in the annual convention of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)..

They're joined by thousands of representatives of mining supply businesses, mining technology firms, mine safety companies, mining education and employment firms and actual mining production companies from around the world.

They're taking part in the annual event to share information on new mining properties, to share knowledge on new mining techniques, and to consider which mining prospects are worthy of investment.

In the past, the Toronto-based convention has attracted more than 22,000 delegates and participants from around the world. This is the first live convention since the onset of COVID-19, which was declared, incidentally, just days after the last convention was held in Toronto in March of 2020.

One of the key exhibits will be the Northern Ontario Mining Showcase, which is expected to be the largest single pavilion at the convention, as it has been in the past. It will feature scores of Northern Ontario businesses closely connected to mining exploration, mining supply and mining production.

The Northern showcase held an opening event later Monday morning, with mining executives and municipal leaders from across the North taking part.

Also taking part in the Northern Ontario showcase is MineConnect, the Sudbury-based mining supply organization, which will be hosting a couple of key events.

On Tuesday, MineConnect will partner with MNP, a professional services firm, to hold a two-hour panel discussion entitled Labour Solutions in an Evolving Mining Market.

Organizers said the discussion will look at the past two years of the turbulence in the labour market and consider how mining is one of the Canadian industrial sectors that is seen to be thriving in terms of technological advances, operational improvements and opportunities for growth.

But with continually evolving mining practices, the agenda for that event said there is a need to build teams equipped to pivot with technology.

Also happening at the Northern Ontario showcase will be an event titled "Opportunities in the Canadian Mining Landscape”. It will feature a panel of Northern Ontario mining supply leaders who will discuss the opportunities and challenges within the sector in their respective jurisdictions.

The City of Greater Sudbury is one of several Northern Ontario municipalities that will have an exhibit at the convention. Sudbury will also host a networking reception to bring mining executives together with mining supply firms.

Sudbury is positioning itself to promote the city as a centre of expertise for mining the critical minerals connected to the development of battery electric vehicles. 

Sudbury.com is covering the convention and will provide stories on Northern Ontario firms at the event.

Len Gillis covers mining and health care for Sudbury.com. From June 13-17, he will be reporting from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference in Toronto.