Have you ever thought about the impact drilling has in our everyday life? Sure, when we get a glass of water or fill up our vehicle with fuel, those of us in the drilling industry give a little nod to drilling. But when was the last time you looked beyond water, oil and gas? A large part of drilling around the world is dedicated to the exploration of precious metals and minerals. The essential components that make up a cell phone will include gold, silver, palladium, platinum, aluminum and copper — before you even add the battery. The battery will consist of lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel. These materials are mined all around the world and brought together to make our smart technologies.
In my career, mineral exploration has taken me to some exotic places like Winnemucca, Nev., the Atacama Desert, the Andes mountains, Val-d’Or, Quebec and Toronto. In March, I headed north to the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto. The PDAC is one of the biggest mining conventions in the world; the attendance totaled 25,606 people from 130 countries. The annual event hosts people, companies and organizations in, or connected to, mineral exploration. The convention was very busy with short courses and technical sessions about mining practices, environmental impact, safety and investing. The trade show included two exhibitor floors and an investors’ exchange.