AME BC unveils its honour roll for 2011

The Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia (AME BC) has announced the 2011 recipients of its annual awards. The AME BC recognizes individuals or teams for significant contributions to the mineral exploration industry in B.C., Western Canada and beyond.

“We are pleased to honour the diverse achievements of this year’s recipients,” says Mona Forster, AME BC’s chairperson. “It is satisfying to see the traditions of discovery, development and dedication carried forward as we prepare to celebrate one hundred years as an industry association.”

This year’s awards ceremony and dinner will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, during the Roundup 2012 conference in Vancouver.

Award winners

Richfield Ventures founders Dirk Tempelman-Kluit and Peter Bernier are the recipients of the H.H. “Spud” Huestis Award for excellence in prospecting and mineral exploration. They are recognized for their skills and tenacity in identifying and assembling claims prospective for bulk-tonnage gold mineralization at the Blackwater property in B.C.’s Nechako region. Their subsequent drilling program confirmed a multi-million-ounce gold deposit and triggered a rush to find similar deposits in the area. Richfield was acquired by New Gold (NGD-T, NGD-X) in 2011.

President and CEO Clynton Nauman and environmental vice-president and chief operating officer Brad Thrall of Alexco Resource (AXR-T, AXU-X) are receiving the E.A. Scholz Award for excellence in mine development for re-opening the Bellekeno mine and reviving the Yukon’s Keno Hill silver district through an innovative strategy that includes managing environmental liabilities generated from more than 75 years of historic mining. Bellekeno achieved commercial production in early 2011 and is presently Canada’s primary silver mine.

The Murray Pezim Award for perseverance and success in financing mineral exploration is going to Mark O’Dea, who led his first junior explorer, Fronteer Gold, from inception to its final sale to Newmont Mining (NMC-T, NEM-N) for $2.3 billion. He also created Aurora Energy in 2006, and engineered the sale of its Labrador uranium assets to Paladin Energy (PDN-T) for $260 million in 2010. Mark has raised more than $370 million in equity over 10 years.

Jon Carlson is the recipient of the Hugo Dummett Award for excellence in diamond exploration and development. As project geologist for CF Mineral Research in 1992, he coordinated exploration drilling programs to define a cluster of kimberlites which were developed as the Ekati mine in the Northwest Territories. In 1994, Carlson transferred to Dia Met Minerals as chief geologist before joining the BHP Billiton (BHP-N) team in 1996. Along with applying advanced geophysical and geochemical techniques, he developed criteria for the interpretation of micro-diamond characteristics with respect to macro-diamond grades – all important to Ekati’s exploration success.

Jeff Pontius and the International Tower Hill Mines (ITH-T, THM-X) exploration team are sharing the 2011 Colin Spence Award for excellence in global mineral exploration. The award recognizes their work on the acquisition, discovery and advancement of the world-class Livengood gold property near Fairbanks, Alaska. Since 2005, they advanced Livengood from a geochemical anomaly into a major, multi-million-ounce, bulk-minable gold deposit in the prolific Tintina gold belt.

Michael Gunning, president and CEO of Hathor Exploration (HAT-T), is the recipient of the David Barr Award for leadership and innovation in mineral exploration health and safety. A commitment to health and safety has permeated his 25-year career in mineral exploration and geological research. He has captivated audiences through AME BC’s Introduction to Exploration Safety workshop for the past six years, and in 2009, Gunning also developed a safety workshop for Saskatchewan’s mining industry.

The Britannia Mine Museum is the 2011 recipient of the Robert R. Hedley Award for excellence in social and environmental responsibility. The museum exemplifies these values as the site of a former mine with a challenging operating legacy that has been transformed by a $14.7-million renovation and environmental mitigation program. In addition to being a popular tourist attraction, the museum is a venue for educating the public about the contributions of mining and minerals to society.

The Frank Woodside Past Presidents Distinguished Service Award is awarded to four individuals: Jim Allan, Glen Dickson, Grant Luck, and Christine Ogryzlo.

The AME BC also recognizes Ed Kimura with the Gold Pan Award for his service to the mineral exploration community through his work with the association.

In addition, the AME BC will honour two renowned geoscientists with special tributes: David Lefebure, former chief geologist with the British Columbia Geological Survey, and Michael Burke, former head of the Mineral Services Division of the Yukon Geological Survey.