From March 3-6, 2024, attendees from across the globe came to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) for best-in-class professional programming, exhibits, networking, events, and more at PDAC’s annual award-winning show.
Spread across both the North and South Buildings of the MTCC, as well as special events held in the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, PDAC 2024 featured an exceptional lineup of exhibitors, presenters, governments, executives, and leading experts from around the world.
Arriving from 138 countries, the 2024 convention welcomed a wide range of attendees from the industry, including investors, miners, geoscientists, community leaders, and students.
“It’s undeniable – this is the largest convention and gathering of mining and exploration companies in the world,” said Valerie Pascale, founder of Modern Core, a consultancy.
Raymond Goldie, PDAC president, added that the PDAC 2024 carried forward the convention’s 92-year legacy, serving as the premier venue for unveiling new trends, technological innovations, and industry discussions.
Highlights:
- Hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors, the convention continued to serve as the premier venue for unveiling new trends, technological innovations, and industry discussions.
- Extensive programming featuring topics that focused on capital markets, Indigenous relations, sustainability, industry trends and technical research, plus student and early career development.
- A new Investment Hub on the Investors Exchange floor was created to host the popular Corporate Presentation Forum for Investors and Investment Leaders Forum programs, giving attendees enhanced investment opportunities.
- Keynote presenters included Rio Tinto’s Jakob Stausholm, The World Bank’s Michael Stanley, Caterpillar Inc.’s Denise Johnson, and Wojtek Wodzicki from the Lundin Group Vicuña Exploration Team.
- The convention provided a venue for dialogue between industry and government. PDAC’s leadership seized the opportunity to underscore the important role public policy has in supporting the competitiveness of Canada’s mineral sector.
- Five of the industry’s top performers were honoured at the prestigious PDAC 2024 Awards Gala & Nite Cap, held at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
Key Stats:
- 26,926 attendees
- 138 countries represented
- 3 per cent international attendees
Outside of Canada, the largest number of attendees came from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, Mongolia, Germany, Turkey, and Kazakhstan.
- 693 presenters
- 10 short courses
- 167 sessions
- 1,105 total exhibitors
- 73 government exhibitors
- 366 accredited media
- 35 sponsors
- 1,115 student attendees
- 492 investors exchange booths
- 1,054 trade show booths
- 40 core shack exhibitors
- 20 prospector’s tent exhibitors
| The Leishman Experience 2: The second-annual Dr. Donald M. Leishman Convention experience
With the success of the inaugural experience in 2023, the Leishman family and PDAC were honoured to provide another five students all-expense paid trips to Toronto to attend the World’s Premier Mineral Exploration and Mining Convention.
The five students selected for this rare opportunity at PDAC 2024 were Christina Matchett, University of Victoria; Hayley Newell, Acadia University; Tatiana Pillajo, Laurentian University; Kaylee Tymo, University of Regina, and Sepideh Vafaei, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS).
All coming from geology, environmental geoscience, and earth sciences programs, the selected students had their flights, meals, and accommodations covered at a nearby downtown hotel. With just a short walk to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, this lucky quintet received complimentary All-Access passes to PDAC 2024, as well as exclusive access to programs and invitation-only events during the four-day convention.
“Attending the PDAC Convention 2024 was a unique and rewarding experience for me,” said Tatiana Pillajo, student from Laurentian University. “I gained important feedback about projects and how the mining industry is working to be innovative and sustainable.”
Their passes included events such as the President’s Reception, S-IMEW Alumni Reception, and the Awards Gala & Nite Cap, where they made new connections with industry leaders, government representatives, fellow students, and mentors.
“The convention was so much larger than I could have imagined, but this community is so incredible and I’m so glad to be a part of it,” said Hayley Newell, student at Acadian University. “The experience and connections I made at my first PDAC Convention are invaluable, and would not have been possible without the Leishman family.”
Echoing this sentiment, Christina Matchett said she was “thankful for the Leishman family’s generosity in providing me the opportunity to attend the 2024 PDAC Convention. Attending the technical sessions and seminars increased my awareness of recent developments and trends in the mineral exploration industry.”
The Leishman Experience also provided the students with access to PDAC’s board of directors, association professionals, and even government representatives, who offered advice and guidance for their future careers.
“The most beneficial part of this experience for me was attending the Awards Gala, where I met top company executives and learned about industry achievements and innovations,” Matchett added. “I will encourage other students to apply for next year’s Leishman’s Experience to expand their network and benefit from the Student and Early Career Program.”
Dr. Leishman was a family physician with a passion for geology and mining. As an enthusiastic participant at many PDAC Conventions, he made countless friends within the mineral exploration and development industry, and left a legacy of generosity as a mentor for students. In his honour, the Leishman family created this unique opportunity for students to experience the convention held each year in Toronto in order to make connections, expand their networks, and access other mentorship opportunities to help advance their careers in the industry.
To learn more about the experience and the application process for PDAC 2025, visit pdac.ca/dr-donald-m-leishman-convention-experience.
_____
Thank you to everyone who participated in PDAC 2024, including our volunteers, presenters, sponsors, exhibitors and attendees.
The annual PDAC 2025 Convention, the world’s premier mineral exploration & mining convention, will take place from March 2-5, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. The award-winning PDAC Convention is widely considered the “Super Bowl” of the mineral exploration and mining community and is the leading event for people, companies, and organizations connected to mineral exploration.
The convention brings together up to 30,000 attendees from over 135+ countries for its educational programming, networking events, business opportunities and fun.
Since it began in 1932, the convention has grown in size, stature, and influence. Today, it is the event of choice for the world’s mineral industry hosting more than 1,100 exhibitors and 700 presenters.
For more information, please visit www.pdac.ca/convention.
Portions of this story originally ran in the summer 2024 issue of CORE magazine.