For Immediate Release
May 1, 2018
Mining Association of B.C. Kicks-off BC Mining Month
VANCOUVER, BC –
The Mining Association of B.C. is pleased to celebrate the start of B.C.’s first ever Mining Month, which begins today. This month-long celebration recognizes the important role the mining industry plays in communities throughout the province. Beginning with awarding the 2017 Mining Person of the Year on May 1st, events are scheduled for communities ranging from the southeast to the northwest of the province, with a series of hallmark events taking place in downtown Vancouver, including with the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, in conjunction with the #BCTECH Summit, and the Teck Celebrity Pie Throw, raising funds for the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation.
“B.C. Mining Month provides an excellent opportunity for our industry to engage with British Columbians about the importance of this foundational industry, and to celebrate the tens of thousands of individuals in this province that work diligently every day to make our industry a world leader in responsible development,” stated Bryan Cox, President and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C.
As British Columbia continues to build toward a higher-tech and lower carbon future, B.C.’s mineral resources play an essential role. Copper is fundamental to building an electricity-based economy, from solar power to electric vehicles to housing. Steelmaking coal is critical for construction, public transit, wind turbines, and so much more. Gold, silver, zinc and lead—all have roles to play in our tech-reliant future. British Columbia is Canada’s largest producer of copper and steelmaking coal, the second largest producer of silver, and the only producer of molybdenum.
B.C. is a global mining jurisdiction with many advantages including reliable and secure infrastructure, a world-class highly skilled workforce, and ports that are strategically located for international markets. “British Columbia has a world-class mining industry”, continued Cox. “Our mining projects and operations are leaders in building agreements with Indigenous partners and are widely respected for our leading standards in safety and environmental stewardship”.
“British Columbia is well positioned as a global leader in the clean tech and high-tech sectors”, concluded Cox. “B.C. mining companies are early adopters in these sectors, in all areas of our operations, and many of B.C.’s tech companies are partnering with the mining industry on innovative solutions.”
“Mining has a long history in British Columbia and its significant role in our province’s past and future makes us all proud,” said Minister of Energy, Mining and Petroleum Resources Michelle Mungall. “From smartphones to electric cars and artificial intelligence, technology our ancestors never could have imagined, exists today because mining has helped fuel innovation that impacts all areas of peoples’ lives.”
For more information on B.C. Mining Month events and the mining industry in B.C., please visit www.mining.bc.ca
