AME BC applauds the intention of the British Columbia government to extend the BC Mining Flow‐Through Share Tax Credit for another three years to 2013. Premier Gordon Campbell announced the extension at AME BC’s 27th Annual Awards Dinner at Mineral Exploration Roundup.

“Flow‐through share funding has been critical to the success of mineral exploration in British Columbia,” said Gavin C. Dirom, President and CEO of AME BC. “The Premier’s announcement increases certainty that British Columbia will retain its competitive edge as a destination for mineral exploration investment.”

The provincial government introduced the Mining Flow‐Through Share Tax Credit in 2001 to provide a 20 per cent tax credit for grassroots mineral exploration. Flow‐through shares allow exploration companies to pass eligible Canadian exploration expenses to investors. When combined with federal flow‐through share credits, the flow‐through tax credit helps to reduce the cost of a $1,000 investment to approximately $380. Previously, the credit was renewed on annual basis.

Today, the modern B.C. mineral exploration and mining sector employs over 85,000 people and represents $8 billion in annual economic activity including over $500 million in revenue to government. AME BC has identified continued flow‐through tax credits as an important element of a sustainable mineral exploration sector.

Roundup 2010 attracted over 5,800 people and featured a record 270 trade show booths, in addition to very well attended technical sessions, sold out special events and the ever-popular Core Shack, Prospectors’ Tent and Map Tent.

Our excellent slate of keynote speakers included The Right Honourable Jean Chretien; Charles Jeannes, President and CEO, Goldcorp Inc.; Peter Barnes, CEO, Silver Wheaton Corp.; and Robert Friedland, Executive Chairman, Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.  We thank our sponsors for their support and the volunteers of the Roundup Organizing Committee for their great efforts.

Mineral Exploration Roundup 2011 will be taking place from January 24 to 27, 2011, at The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver. To book a room at The Westin Bayshore now for Roundup 2011 at the Mineral Exploration Roundup rate, reserve by emailing bayshorereservations@westin.com or phone 604.682.3377.

At the AME BC luncheon on January 19 during Roundup 2010, President & CEO of AME BC, Gavin C. Dirom, announced that Roundup would be helping to raise funds for Haiti relief efforts through the Red Cross.

Gavin started the collections off with a personal donation, challenging the rest of the distinguished head table to match it. As a large bowl was passed around the room it was filled to the brim by the generosity of those in attendance. Keynote speaker, Charles Jeannes, President and CEO of Goldcorp. Inc. started his address by proudly matching all cash donations raised at the luncheon.

And the generosity didn’t stop there. Announcements were made at the beginning of the other events taking place at Roundup and donations continued to pour in. Over the course of the conference, over $8,152 was raised.

Earlier this month, the minerals and mining industry rose over $900,000 for Haiti relief at the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame Induction Dinner.

AME BC has launched our official blog – The CORE.

The CORE is another one of the many ways that AME BC is striving to keep our members informed and engaged. The interactive nature of the blog will allow you to follow AME BC and industry progress on initiatives and participate in our online community.

Visit http://blog.amebc.ca and discuss the issues that matter to you with us!

AME BC and the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) welcomed the decision by the Supreme Court of Canada on January 21 that allows the Red Chris project in northern British Columbia to proceed to permitting and construction. The associations also welcome the Court’s recognition that the respective environmental assessment processes of the federal and provincial governments can and should operate so as to minimize duplication.

“We are pleased that the Supreme Court has indicated that the ruling will not impact Red Chris, which means this important B.C. mining project can proceed to permitting and construction, creating jobs and opportunities in northern B.C. at a time when they are most needed,” stated Pierre Gratton, President and CEO of MABC. “The project was subject to a robust environmental assessment with full public participation, facts that were not questioned by the Court. At the same time, the Supreme Court has emphasized that that federal and provincial governments should avoid duplication and can act in a cooperative and coordinated fashion.”

“The impact of today’s ruling emphasizes that governments must act to ensure that environmental assessments advance the principles of avoiding duplication and therefore wasting resources,” stated Gavin Dirom, President and CEO of AME BC. “Canada faces many environmental challenges; we must meet those with efficiency at every turn.”

Specifically, the Court stated that the federal government “…can and should minimize duplication by using coordination mechanisms...”

MABC and AME BC were joint interveners in this case. The associations argued that sustainable development and effective environmental review requires governments to maximize resources through better coordination and harmonization, as was done in the case of Red Chris. The case, which was concerned specifically with the ability of the federal government to exercise discretion in the scoping of project reviews, did not contest the quality and substance of the environmental review of this project. Red Chris was subject to a full environmental assessment by the province of British Columbia and a screening‐level review by the federal government. The latter review was completed over three years ago.

In 2008 the Mineral Titles Branch of the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines & Petroleum Resources (MEMPR) initiated a public consultation process to look at the current state of fees and regulations related to mineral titles and the use of Mineral Titles Online (MTO), the government’s online staking system.

MTO was implemented in 2005 and it was believed that after three years of operation, it was time to address some of the unresolved matters not dealt with in 2005 as well as any unintended consequences that arose from the change from physical to online staking.

Specifically the consultation included discussion on the following topics:

• Fees
• Claim maintenance (exploration work and work obligations)
• Streamlining items such as claim size, subdivision and amalgamation of claims, assessment reports
• Placer titles
• Other incidental issues

In the spring of 2008 Mineral Titles Branch Director Rick Conte conducted a number of regional consultations intended to review the entire mineral title process, including new claim registration fees, claim exploration levels, work reporting processes, use of cash payment and other related issues.  These consultations were provided as “an opportunity for those interested in mineral titles, to learn more on this topic. The discussion, concerns, and feedback on a number of points will be incorporated into a summary document that could form the basis of changes to the Mineral Tenure Act Regulation.”

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A Commemorative Book Task Group has been planning a history of AME BC for release during the association’s centennial year in 2012. The book is being written by Chuck Davis, a well-known Vancouver writer who is also working on The History of Metropolitan Vancouver.
 
If you have any stories from your career that you would like to share with Chuck, email him: chuckdavis@shaw.ca. Better yet, visit him at his desk in the Charles S. Ney Library at the AME BC office at Suite 800, 889 West Pender Street, Vancouver, on Fridays.
 
You can also contact Jonathan Buchanan at AME BC regarding the project at 604.630.3923 or jbuchanan@amebc.ca.
 
Would you like a free copy and a chance at fame? Then submit a possible book title that best summarizes AME BC’s nearly 100 years of service to the mineral exploration community, and the members who have helped AME BC succeed. The person with the best suggestion will receive a copy of the book at its release at Mineral Exploration Roundup 2012. Choice of the title is at the discretion of AME BC. Thank you to Tom Cochran, Dan Parvaz, and Daniel Ferderber for their suggestions; we hope to receive more!

Fill Out Our "Name the Book" Ballot Now!

Registration for the Virtual Mining Career Fair is open and over 550 career seekers have already registered.

What can exhibitors and delegates expect?  Virtual booths are multimedia rich including pictures, videos and downloadable materials customised in line with employer brand. Exhibitors and delegates can communicate directly through written, audio and video messaging throughout the one day event.

Registration for exhibitors is now closed but career seekers can register now until January 26 at www.virtualminingcareerfair.ca. 

Career seekers and employers can also email info@mihr.ca for more information on the event.

Please forward this email to mining careers seekers and employers, it's free to attend and a great opportunity to connect!

Highland Helicopters most sincerely thanks the 2010 Roundup attendees for their generous donations to their popcorn fundraiser for Haiti relief. By taking donations in exchange for popcorn, they raised $584.10 for "Doctors Without Borders" working in Haiti.

"Doctors Without Borders" has been active in Haiti since 2006 and sadly, lost staff members during the January 12 earthquake. The money raised will aid "Doctors Without Borders in treating individuals injured in the quake with surgery and post-operative care.

To learn more about  "Doctors Without Borders" and the work they are doing in Haiti and elsewhere around the world, visit http://www.msf.ca.

by J.M. Logan, P. Schiarizza, L.C. Struik, C. Barnett, J.L. Nelson, P. Kowalczyk, F. Ferri, M.G. Mihalynuk, M.D. Thomas, P. Gammon, R. Lett, W. Jackaman and T. Ferbey

Geoscience BC, the British Columbia Geological Survey and Natural Resources Canada - Geological Survey of Canada have collaborated to update the BCGeologyMap (the Province's digital geology map) in central BC. The update area corresponds to Geoscience BC's QUEST Project geophysical survey footprint, which extends from Williams Lake to Mackenzie (an area larger than Vancouver Island).

The revised geology for this region has been generated by geological, geophysical and geochemical experts from the three organizations. The project incorporates geophysical and geochemical data from Geoscience BC's QUEST Project, geophysical data from Natural Resources Canada and recent bedrock mapping by the British Columbia Geological Survey. The BCGeologyMap QUEST Area update focuses on the volcanic and intrusive rocks of the Quesnel Terrane in central British Columbia, which are prospective for copper and gold deposits but covered by glacial deposits in the center of the update area. New interpretations are expected to benefit to the mineral exploration community working in the region.

In addition to the new map for the area, the update is also being seamlessly incorporated into the digital bedrock geology for BC. A preliminary version of the digital file is also available in shape or manifold files as part of this release. A second update will be released and incorporated into MapPlace when the final digital data is available (www.mapplace.ca).

The hardcopy map and associated GIS files can be downloaded here:

• Geoscience BC website
• British Columbia Geological Survey Geoscience Map 2010-01
• GeoSCAN website

Additionally, a draft copy of the digital BCGeologyMap, updated to include new information from the Bedrock Geology of the QUEST area map, is available for download. This draft of the digital BCGeologyMap is the starting point to streamline integration of past and future geological mapping results into the provincial database. A future release will include enhanced metadata, cleanup of line work due to projections issues and the integration process methodology.

www.empr.gov.bc.ca/Mining/Geoscience/BedrockMapping/Pages/BCGeoMap.aspx

Ron MacArthur, a past member of AME BC, passed away on December 20, 2009. Ron was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, on December 12, 1950, and attended Dalhousie University where he graduated with a degree in geology in 1972. Geology was his passion, and he worked as an exploration geologist with Noranda Exploration for 26 years. After leaving Noranda he worked independently up until his death. His work took him to many parts of B.C., Canada and the world. Ron was a kind, gentle and caring man who was well respected by family, friends and colleagues. He was predeceased by his mother Jean MacArthur, and his brother Jim MacArthur. He is survived by his loving wife Marcia Nodwell, 5 siblings and many other relatives. Ron will always be alive in the happy memories of his family and friends, but will be sorely missed. Donations may be made in memory of Ron to the BC Cancer Foundation or the charity of your choice.

AME BC Member and Chief Geologist for Underworld and Full Metal Minerals, Dr. Ricardo Presnell, has passed away. He was an integral member of the Underworld and Full Metal Minerals exploration team, and contributed significantly to the exploration success and geological understanding of the White Gold Property.

In the 1990's while with Kennecott Exploration, Ricardo helped instruct prospector Shawn Ryan in the science, exploration techniques and big-picture strategy that Shawn has utilized, leading to the discovery of mineralization in the White Gold trend.

Dr. Ricardo D. Presnell was a world-renowned Economic Geologist with over twenty-five years of experience in Exploration. In 1981 he received a B.A. in Geology from Middlebury College in Vermont with a Senior Thesis on The Metamorphic Petrology of Marble, Anorthosite and Amphibolite Association near Gore Mtn., New York. From there he spent six months with Sohio Petroleum in Denver before attending the University of Michigan. In 1983 he received a M.S. in Structural Geology from the University of Michigan with a thesis on 'A Structural Model for the Sevier Desert and Environs, Utah'. He then worked for Sohio Petroleum from 1983-1986 as a structural geologist in the Overthrust Belt of the western United States.

In 1986 he joined Kennecott Exploration as an Exploration Geologist responsible for "drilling out" the Barneys Canyon Gold deposit near the world-class Bingham porphyry Cu-Mo-Au deposit. Kennecott subsequently funded his PhD. on the deposit, which he completed in 1992. From 1992 to 1994 he searched for Cu-Mo porphyries in the Southwest US and Northern Mexico before working on porphyry and Au exploration in Central America. In 1996 he became responsible for Au and Cu deposit area selection in Alaska and the Yukon while based in Anchorage, Alaska. From 1999 to 2006 he was a Principal geologist in Kennecott's New Opportunities Group based in Salt Lake City with a focus on area selection for Cu and U. From 2006 to 2008 he was a Principal Geologist with Rio Tinto's Project Generation Group responsible for world-wide area selection for Copper.

In 2009, Ricardo joined Full Metal Minerals and Underworld Resources as Chief Geologist. With Underworld, he was part of the team that discovered the million ounce Golden Saddle deposit at the White Gold Project. During his career, Ricardo worked throughout the globe in the search for world-class base and precious metal deposits.

He was a Councilor for the Society of Economic Geologist (SEG), and the Society of Applied Geologists (SGA), and an Associate Editor for Geosphere. He published a variety of papers and abstracts on Carlin-type gold deposits, the structural control of porphyries, and on the tectonics and metallogeny of North America.

The Board of Directors and employees of Underworld Resources and Full Metal Minerals, together with Ricardo's wife, are establishing a scholarship fund in Ricardo's memory at the University of Utah for Minorities who are studying Sciences. In lieu of flowers to the family, friends of Ricardo can send donations to: 'The Dr. Ricardo Davis Presnell Memorial Scholarship Fund' at Suite 1500 -- 409 Granville Street, Vancouver B.C. Canada, V6C 1T2.

 
A Story of a Canadian Mining Man

Robin Porter was born in Strongfield, Saskatchewan on February 10, 1915, the second child of a family of four children, in a house built by his father, Philip Porter who started the homestead in 1905. In 1924 the family moved to Victoria, B.C., principally to seek the better educational opportunities that the city afforded. The family continued farming but this time fruit and berries at the Gordon Head area in a residence known as Kelvin Lodge.

Robin attended St. Michael’s School in Victoria and later gained entry to the Mining Engineering program at UBC in 1933 and graduated in 1937. He was proud to be an “old boy” of the UBC Rugby Team. Immediately upon graduation Robin took an assignment with Consolidated Mining and Smelting (CM&S) at Atlin Lake doing geological investigation in the area for 18 months straight without a reprieve. It seems the EIT Programs in the early days were designed to toughen them up right out of the gate! This was the start of his 43 year long career with CM&S, which became Cominco Ltd in 1960.

In 1939, as World War II was breaking out, Robin was assigned as a Mine Engineer to the Pinchi Lake Mine, northeast of Prince George, producing mercury metal for the war effort. Robin regretted being prevented from joining the armed forces, but his work was deemed vital to the war effort. He especially disliked walking in downtown Vancouver or Victoria because of the curious looks a young man of military age would receive by not being in uniform.

After the Pinchi Lake mine assignment, in 1944 Robin and his wife Pat, together with young children Doug and Karen, moved to Kimberly, B.C. where Robin was assigned as a Mine Engineer in the Sullivan Mine. This was the beginning of a long relationship between Robin and the Sullivan Mine and the integrated Kimberly Operations which was the crown jewel in CM&S lead and zinc mine portfolio, ensuring a steady supply of lead and zinc concentrate to the company smelter in Trail, B.C. for several decades. Robin rose up the ranks to the position of Operating Superintendent in 1950 and held that position until 1953 when Robin was dispatched to Trial for 18 months and then to the northern BC Mine at Tulsequah. In 1955 the family again returned to Kimberley and Robin was appointed Mine Superintendent in 1958 until 1964 at which time he was appointed the General Superintendent of the Kimberley Operations, a position he held until 1968.

In 1968, tragedy struck the Porter family when the youngest son, Philip, age 16, was apparently kidnapped and was never seen again. The parents and the community devoted countless hours searching for Philip, and Robin and Pat continued searching for several years after the event. Many retirees still living in Kimberly vividly recall this event which affected the whole community.

In spite of this tragic event, Robin was assigned by Cominco and Canadian Pacific to be the founding President of Fording Coal, a project to which he devoted his considerable energy. Canada’s leading coal producer, the Fording Trust, the town of Elkford and the Roberts Bank terminal all had their start under Robin’s initiatives and direction.

In 1974 Robin was appointed as Vice President of Cominco Australian Operations where he oversaw the operations of the Cominco Aberfoyle Mine and led the development of the Que River Zinc Mine in Tasmania.

In 1978, as his career was drawing to a close, Robin and Pat returned to Vancouver where Robin was assigned as a special Assistant to the President of Cominco, Norm Anderson. Few mining men understood the economics of running successful mining operations as well as Robin and he was dispatched to visit mining operations around the world and to report back on the viability of each. Robin completed this assignment prior to his retirement from Cominco in 1980 after a career spanning 43 years.

Not one to sit idly by, Robin then embarked on a second career in the junior gold mining sector, helping several firms such as Treminco and the Slate Placer Mine as well as the Solomon Mine get listed on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. He and Pat took an active hand in some of these and returned to northern BC in the summers of 1980/1981  and he conducted test work trying to prove out the Slate Placer gold operation while Pat cooked for the crews. He and his partners netted 8 ounces of gold including a ¾ oz nugget which robin won by virtue of a draw.

Robin’s hobby was investing and he always went through the basics of whatever firm he was investing in to correctly value properties. He was very successful as an investor and derived much pleasure in his later years maintaining portfolios of investments, right up until the time of his passing.

In all, Robin and his family were active players in the Canadian Mining scene for more than 70 years. Whether as a Mine Engineer, Mine Superintendent, Vice President, President, Board Director and in later years as an Investor, Robin Porter’s impact on the Canadian and International Mining scene was one that has few equals.

Donald Mousseau, P. Eng.
January 8, 2010
Calgary, AB

Want to Post an Ad on the AME BC Job Board?

If you are an employer and would like to post a job, use the post a job function here. The cost for each posting is $200, which will remain active for 45 days. AME BC corporate members receive one free posting with a yearly membership or renewal, with all subsequent postings at a 50% member discounted rate.

To use your free posting, please email the complete job posting information to mhughes@amebc.ca. To use your subsequent 50% discount, simply make sure you are logged in and let the payment calculator do the rest.

AME BC’s tradition of education for the mineral exploration sector dates back to 1918, when it held its first prospecting seminar. Since then, thousands of students have received training in prospecting, mineral exploration, health and safety, and aboriginal engagement through AME BC. Click here to view AME BC’s Education and Professional Development section.

Other Professional Development Opportunities

Several of AME BC’s Corporate Members have professional development programs geared toward our diverse membership. Current offerings are available here.