Another historic PDAC 2023 mining conference comes to a close, welcomes 23,819 attendees in Toronto

One of the largest mining gathering in the world, the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada convention, just ended, attracting tens of thousands of geologists, engineers and investors to downtown Toronto.

After several years of interruptions related to the pandemic in 2020, an outbreak at the conference cast a shadow; in 2021, the conference went virtual; last year, it was moved from March to June this year’s event took place in its traditional early March time slot and felt like a return to normalcy.

The convention welcome pre-pandemic levels of attendance back to its annual convention, drawing 23,819 attendees to Toronto for the best business, investment and networking opportunities in the mineral exploration and mining industry. 

In addition to the more than 1,100 exhibitors covering over 600,000 square feet of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, governments, companies and leading experts from around the world made this one of the largest events in the association’s 91 years.

“There’s never been a more critical time for our industry to gather, share and learn as we drive progress, tackle global challenges and seize opportunities for a better future,” said Alex Christopher, PDAC President. “And the energy and optimism witnessed during PDAC 2023 was palpable—it is clear the mineral exploration and mining industry has entered a period of great transformation and growth.”

“For almost a century, the PDAC Convention has been recognized as the leading choice for the world’s mineral exploration and mining industry, bringing the latest trends, technologies and conversations to one central location, and 2023 is no exception,” says Lisa McDonald, PDAC Executive Director. “Yet again, we have proudly delivered capital markets, Indigenous affairs, student and early career, sustainability and technical programs, and short courses that offer the latest in professional development opportunities.”

Key speakers included Ken Hoffman, McKinsey & Company; Sinead Kaufman, Rio Tinto; and Alex Dorsch & Kevin Frost, Chalice Mining.

Governments continue to use the event as an important platform for announcements, including Canadian Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson who announced an investment of $344 million to help advance “the development of a dynamic and competitive critical minerals sector”. 

The final day of the PDAC Convention also marks the transition of presidents. We thank Alex Christopher for his remarkable contributions to the industry and association during his two-year term, and welcome Raymond Goldie to the role.