Rock Talk 2017, February 15 – 17, Smithers Curling Club, Smithers

SEG’s annual conference Rock Talk 2017 will repeat the very successful format used last year with two deposit profile sessions where rock suites and a paper will facilitate geological discussion of the deposits on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. That will be followed with a half day of project updates and be capped with the Core Shack at Hudson Bay Mountain and a ski day. For more details and registration costs please check the brochure.

Remember that registration Wednesday February 15 in the evening will be combined with SEG’s annual general meeting. 

2017 Rock Talk Program at a glance:

Wednesday Feb 15.

• Doors open at noon for registration
• 1 pm – 4 pm Red Mountain (IDM Mining) deposit profile
• 6-7 pm Smithers Exploration Group AGM
• 7-9 pm  Rock Talk Registration

Thursday Feb 16.

• 8 am doors open for registration, coffee is on
• 9- noon, KSM (Seabridge Gold) deposit profile
• Noon-1 pm Lunch
• 1-430 pm Northern BC Project updates
• 430-6 pm reception  (ERM)

Friday Feb 17.

• 8am – noon, Hudson Bay Mountain breakfast (Geotech) and core shack (P&R Exploration)
• Noon-430 pm chairlift meetings

Thanks again to all the sponsors who help make Rock Talk a success each year. ERM will host appies after the Thursday session. Geotech Drilling is sponsoring the Friday Ski Day breakfast.  P&R Exploration will sponsor ski passes for registered delegates, and Highland Helicopters will donate a transfer from the hangar to the top of the ski hill on the ski day.  

Saturday –Sunday  Feb 18-19 optional cat-skiing

For those who are interested in more comprehensive discussions during Feb 18-19, packages are being offered again at Skeena Cat Skiing. Please contact  Lynn Schwartz( lynn@skeenacatskiing.ca ) for Rock Talk specific details.

Roundup Review

SEG took part in a wide range of activities at AME Exploration Roundup 2017 in the Vancouver Convention Centre East January 23-26, 2017. We distributed all the directories we took down which seems to indicate lots of interest in mineral exploration and the services provided in northern BC. The atmosphere at Roundup was definitely positive with a bigger attendance than last year. AME reports that “This year’s Roundup was attended by 5,834 participants representing 43 countries, an eight percent increase from 2016 and a strong indicator of renewed industry optimism and investor confidence.”

Of particular note to the north, GeoScience BC (GBC) released the results from its Search Phase II Project – the largest geophysical survey conducted in Canada in 2016. These results indicate the potential for new copper, silver, and molybdenum deposits in the west-central region of British Columbia.  GBC is sending the results on data sticks to SEG and we will have them at our booth at Rock Talk in two weeks.

 Besides maintaining a presence on the trade show floor, SEG reps attended many of the presentations and wrapped up with a meeting of all the regional exploration groups in the province.  Our thanks to the Association for Mineral Exploration for its usual excellent conference. 

SEG Directories at Rock Talk, KEG and Minerals North

SEG’s annual directory is the most complete listing for the mineral exploration industry in northern BC.  If you didn’t get a directory at Roundup, we’re making it easy to get one at the various events coming up in BC – Rock Talk in Smithers, KEG in Kamloops and Minerals North in Prince George.

Help needed! We may need a hand in getting directories to KEG, so if you are planning on driving to Kamloops and can take some directories in your vehicle, please drop a line to smithersexplorationgroup@gmail.com  and we’ll arrange to get them to you. 

KEG, Kamloops, April 4 and 5

Congratulations to Kamloops Exploration Group on 30 years as one of the province’s key exploration events – KEG.  This year’s conference is April 4 and 5 in Kamloops. Check out the KEG website for details http://www.keg.bc.ca/conference/default.htm

Minerals North 2017, April 25-27, Prince George

Minerals North 2017 returns to Prince George this year on April 25-27 after being there in 2010.  For all the information on accommodation and program details check out their website at

http://mineralsnorth.ca/conference

BC Election, May 9

Several industry organizations in the province are launching a conversation about the minerals industry as we head into a provincial election on May 9. We encourage you to talk with the candidates for all parties in your riding to ask about positions on the mineral exploration and mining industries. Vote Mining has set up a website at http://www.votemining.ca/  where you will find information on the industry and its importance to the province.

Mining Week Luncheon, SEG and Smithers Chamber of Commerce, May 12, Prestige Hudson Bay Lodge Smithers BC

On Friday May 12 Smithers Exploration Group and the Smithers Chamber of Commerce will kick off BC Mining Week 2017 with a luncheon to highlight the minerals industry and its importance to the local economy. It's all part Mining Week 2017 which is the following week May 15 - 19. If your company is interested in sponsoring the annual Smithers Mining Week luncheon, please contact me Christine Ogryzlo at smithersexplorationgroup@gmail.com . Details on the agenda and tickets will be available in March. 

Notice of Work process preview, Online, February 14-27

The Natural Resource Permitting Project is looking for experienced industry professionals to participate in an industry preview of the Notice of Work (NoW) application process on the new Natural Resource Sector (NRS) Online Services website.

In fall 2016, the Explore functions of NRS Online Services were launched, providing application assistance to help clients understand what is needed to complete a land-based authorization application.

The industry preview is an opportunity for you and your members to explore additional features being made available in summer 2017 before anyone else.  Participants familiar with completing NoW applications can review the new online service from Feb. 14th through to Feb. 27th and will be asked to complete a survey at the end.

Participants of the industry preview will be able to:

• log into NRS Online Services;
• navigate the client portal;
• view and edit existing mock NoW applications;
• create a new mock NoW application; and
• provide comments on the website’s usability.

If you and/or your organization’s members are interested in participating, please contact us at nrpp@gov.bc.ca or call Nicole Gagnon, Client Relations Coordinator at 778-698-3118.  Once we have confirmed your participation, you will receive a package of information to aid you through the process.