Detour Gold Corporation and geological engineer Frank Tagliamonte are the recipients of the 2010 Ontario Prospectors Association Awards.
The two were honoured in Sudbury on Dec. 7 as part of the association's annual two-day Ontario Exploration and Geoscience Symposium.
Detour Gold was recognized for the commitment and work of its technical team in the historical Detour Lake mining camp to develop one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in North America, said Garry Clark, executive director of the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA).
“They put together a high-quality, professional technical team,” Clark added.
The junior miner has aggressively explored and proven up a mineral reserve of 11.4 million ounces within the short span of three years. Preparations for an open-pit mine are underway.
“As a corporation, we strive to make this deposit as good as it gets,” said Pat Donovan, vice-president of corporate development at Detour Gold. “If we get rewarded by our peers, it is very meaningful.”
North Bay resident Tagliamonte was recognized for his lifetime of involvement and support of prospecting and exploration.
As a high school student in the mid-40s, Tagliamonte worked as a miner in the Kirkland Lake district during his summer months. Grateful for the work opportunities, he continued to explore the field and eventually became a geological engineer. He has prospected throughout northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec. He has participated on the Ontario Living Legacy committees and has been an OPA director since 2000.
Described as a northerner “through and through,” Tagliamonte was humble and modest about receiving the award.
