Perspectives from the world’s largest mining trade show
As both a member and exhibitor, attending the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) March 2023 annual conference is both a responsibility and a pleasure.
Springtime is a welcome time of renewal, rebirth and excitement. It’s a point when people begin to see the potential of the new year after months of home-bound isolation (regardless of how much fun it is to snowboard in the beautiful Rocky Mountains). Despite March being a busy time preparing for our main construction period, spring brings one of Summit Steel Buildings favourite events, what we consider a highlights of the season.
PDAC 2023 is one of the world’s premier mineral and mining conventions, welcoming tens of thousands of geologists, engineers and investors to downtown Toronto. Over four days of networking and showcasing our pre-engineering steel buildings, exhibitors like us look to connect with industry leaders, strike a few deals and learn more about the infrastructure and logistical needs of the world’s top mining organizations.
Before our team gets too involved on-site with this year’s building projects, we wanted to take a few moments to share what we experienced at this most recent trade show. With a diverse team spread throughout Canada (and some working very remotely), this is a time when we’re all together and can reflect back on the people we met and the friendships and partnerships we formed at the show.
Highlights from the world’s premier mineral exploration & mining convention
This annual convention in Toronto is known for attracting up to 30,000 attendees from over 130+ countries for its educational programming, networking events, outstanding business opportunities and fun. Since it began in 1932, the PDAC Convention has grown in size, stature and influence. Today, it is the world’s largest mineral industry gathering, hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 2,500 investors. The event is a massive enterprise, and the Toronto Metro Convention Centre can barely contain it all (the show moved from being in one building to taking up two this year).
The Summit Steel Buildings team exhibited in-person for the first time after joining PDAC two years ago. Frank Melo and A. Paul Mitchell represented our company at the live show in 2022 and the rest of leadership team took part in exhibiting at the conference’s virtual online show the same year.
It’s an incredible spectacle to witness. And exhausting. Days are long with plenty of walking and standing. The breaks to grab a coffee with a stranger or to attend a seminar or investment presentation are welcomed. However, meeting so many of the best and brightest from around the world is exciting and led to many fascinating and engaging conversations. And allowed us to meet new business partners and friends from countries as distant as Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka and Trinidad.
FRANK MELO’S FAVOURITE MEMORIES
- “I really enjoyed meeting a contingent of guys from Peru who were representing a steel manufacturing firm. (They had the coolest promo keychain ever!) They were looking to develop a connection with us with their factories for any South American projects. The delegation has since visited Summit Steel Buildings in Vancouver to expand discussions and explore working partnerships. Our team enjoyed hosting our new Peruvian friends at Vancouver’s Terminal City Club and sharing other incredible attractions the city has to offer.”
- “The conference provided me with the opportunity to connect with other engineers from other disciplines and to “talk shop” about technical details in building construction and mining practices.”
DARREN SPERLING'S FAVOURITE MOMENTS
- “Large live events allow me to demonstrate our proprietary virtual reality (VR) engineering system. Prospective clients are always impressed with the immersive ability to walk around and discover a future building based only on blueprints. I enjoy watching their joyful reaction to the technology.”
- “I was amazing by the extent of Canadian mining around the world and the need to suitable infrastructure to support it. I explored the various companies and had engaging conversations with engineers about the current tools they’re using to come up with solutions to problems you may never know existed.”
Mining industry is evolving and critical minerals are key
As reported by the Financial Post, minerals, such as copper, aluminum, manganese, indium, rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, graphite and potash, are the building blocks of a green and digital economy. They’re essential for electronic devices, batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). Canada is fortunate to have an abundant supply of these resources, both known and mined and being prospected. It places Canada at the forefront of future trade and will be a significant contributor to the country’s economy. As such, seminars and guest speakers addressed both the potential and concerns of all this new activity, including how the public and private sectors can better work together to reach our potential. Two of the major themes included:
- Critical mineral supply chain opportunities: “The mining sector is expecting a huge influx of investment thanks to the United States Inflation Reduction Act, which depending on who you ask may unlock anywhere from US$1 trillion to US$1.7 trillion of public and private funding for upstream and downstream critical mineral projects, such as exploration, mines, refiners, recycling plants and electric vehicle battery plants.”
- Quicker times to develop mines: Mining industry is changing. Between the idea that smaller mining opportunities might prove to be more profitable, introduction of new technologies and tools and welcoming more women and diversity to the industry and the growing importance of Northern Ontario’s “Ring of Fire” region are keys to future success... And gold mining might not be the darling it once was (compared to interest in critical minerals) despite the volume of revenue and share of production around the world. Copper remains a strong commodity for the mining community too.
Looking forward to PDAC 2024
Summit Steel Buildings values being a member of
Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada and proud
of the connections we’ve built within the mining industry and the projects we’ve completed. We also enjoy the opportunity to connect with other association members at live trade show events like this one and others with
Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum and the
Mining Association of Canada. We’re one
of the resource sector’s premier pre-engineered metal structure companies and work hard to maintain and enhance our reputation for excellent.
If your mining operation is looking for processing, housing or storage facilities, do not hesitate to reach out to Darren Sperling to discuss how we can design your ideal steel building solution. We’ll provide you with a free quote and preliminary drawings to assist with all your planning needs. Our professionals will transform your vision into a reality.
Contact us now online, by email at
info@summitsteelbuildings.com or at
877-417-8335 and we'll provide you with a free consultation and quote.
Further reading
- Read about how mining success relies on a foundation of steel.
- Read how steel buildings deliver strength to the mining industry.
