Reno symposium attracts global crowd

It was yet another sign that North America’s mining industry is growing in scope when 1,200 explorationists from around the world converged on this gambling centre to attend a geological symposium.

The 4-day event, titled “Geology and Ore Deposits of the American Cordillera,” was sponsored by the Geological Society of Nevada (GSN), the U.S. Geological Survey and the Geological Society of Chile. And while the majority of the delegates hailed from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, a total of 27 countries were represented, including such unlikely lands as Turkey, Japan, Bulgaria and Laos.

GSN had sponsored the symposium twice before (in 1987 and 1990), but this year’s meeting marks the first time that international sponsors were involved.

The atmosphere was positive and enthusiasm for the program was high, said Eric Struhsacker, GSN president. Talks on the first day centred around activity in Latin America; the following two days were highlighted by discussions of deposit types in the Great Basin of Nevada; and the last day included talks on the northwestern U.S., Canada, Alaska and (briefly) Eastern Russia.

A series of field trips proved to be of interest to geologists from South America, many of whom visited gold deposits in Nevada for the first time. Other trips carried delegates south, to Mexico’s Sonora state and even as far as Chile.

The Mexican trip took in Cominco’s (TSE) Maria copper mine, as well as two gold operations, Hecla’s (NYSE) La Choya and Eldorado’s (TSE) La Colorada. The Chilean trip was of a larger scale, lasting 10 days and taking in 15 different mines, including Chuquicamata and El Indio.

Aside from geology, the conference featured discussions on domestic issues, such as Mining Law reform, environmental regulations and public relations.

The symposium closed with an informal panel discussion on problems facing the mining industry. Some geologists expressed uncertainty over how they should be carrying out their work in light of environmental and political pressures.

James Cooney, director of international and public affairs for Placer Dome (TSE), provided an insightful look into “political risk management” with regard to the exploration sector. He said the exploration geologist should be the first representative of responsible mining practices and that mining companies must strive to collaborate with any affected parties.

Drawing on his own experiences with Placer Dome in Venezuela, Cooney cited aboriginal relations, environmental regulations, sustainable development and wealth distribution as “key issues affecting the sustainability of the new opening to foreign investment in mining in the Hispanic countries of the Cordillera.”

Alex Bissett of Pincock Allen & Holt gave a luncheon address on exploration in South America, and Douglas Silver of Balfour Howell spoke on exploration in the next millennium.