Minerals North 2016 Thanks everyone

Minerals North 2016 in Smithers and Telkwa is officially a success.  The conference attracted well over 400 delegates and was a wonderful blend of community and industry interactions, with field trips, panel discussions, a sold-out trade show, NWCC golf tournament, social gatherings and fabulous entertainment.  Who knew that miners could dance salsa to Alex Cuba. Serious congratulations to both towns, organizing committee, volunteers, sponsors and conference facilitator Sue Clark.  

Smithers Exploration Group is especially proud of our Minerals Rock show at the curling rink which attracted more than 400 students and members of the public. They participated in a scavenger hunt that reflected all the way exploration and mining make our day to day lives possible from cell phones to houses to gardens.  They conducted an aerial mag survey over a playdough deposit embedded with magnets (thanks Steph for making 60 pounds of the stuff)  and then drilled it with bubble tea straws – pretty ingenious.  All participants took home a sample bag with several samples. Bethany and Allie packed 500 bags for the give-aways.

Hats off to a full complement of SEG members for their help over the three days and to Lorie Farrell and Judi L’Orsa who spent the past year assembling the two complete floors of displays and activities. Some of the people who deserve a special nod for their help during the week – Allie Glavina,  Ted Vanderwart, Rob Boyce, Richard Beck, Erin Brose, and me Chris Ogryzlo, plus the usual work crew of Peter Ogryzlo and Tony L’Orsa.  

And we have to thank the Association for Mineral Exploration (AME)  for their help with the costs of the curling rink and the displays through their Outreach program. Thanks also to Imperial Metals and Thompson Creek Metals for contributing their mine photos for that display.

Rocks ‘n Rambling Friday June 3

Back to the regular sked with  Rocks ‘n Rambling slated for this for Friday June 3.  Our thanks to Rugged Edge for offering its location on 19th Avenue in Smithers, so please join us for the usual relaxed end to the work week and conversations about rocks.

Date: Friday June 3
Time:  4:30 to 6:30 pm
Place:  3405 19th Avenue

As usual RnR is a chance to get together to look over some rocks and exchange war stories.

Annual SEG golf tournament September 16

Final details are being put in place for SEG’s annual golf tournament and banquet in Smithers on Friday September 16 at the Smithers Golf and Country Club. Registration will be on Thursday evening September 15. Details on the golf tournament and field trip will be included in the July newsletter and on the website as soon as everything is in place. 

Bulkley Valley Museum Exhibit Mining the Northwest

Mining history runs deep in the Bulkley Valley and the team at the Bulkley Valley Museum have put together an exhibition that demonstrates that. Check it out this summer.

 In the early 1900s, placer miners came by sternwheeler and pack horse, seeking gold and other resources like those found in the Cariboo and the Yukon. The influx of Euro-Canadian miners brought both opportunity and conflict to the First Nations peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. 

 The building of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad through the Bulkley Valley in 1913 provided an improved means to transport people, equipment, and ore. Hardworking mining men and women helped form the fabric of communities like Smithers. Though independent and self-reliant, these miners also worked together for common causes, forming groups like the Smithers Miners and Prospector’s Association to promote their interests in the broader political landscape of the province.

 Mining has been a part of the Bulkley Valley’s cultural fabric for over 100 years. This exhibit focuses on the early twentieth  century: a time when fortunes were won and lost.