Explorers ‘cautiously optimistic’ at Kamloops confab

KAMLOOPS, B.C. — With technical talks and trade show displays hosted alongside magicians and saxophone players, it’s fair to say that this year’s Kamloops Exploration Group (KEG) conference held in Kamloops, B.C., once again delivered a unique and uplifting experience for explorers.

Over 400 delegates participated in the 29th annual two-day event, including the Minister of Energy & Mines Bill Bennett, who is often referred to as “Kootenay Bill” for his former Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) riding in the Kootenay East region.

“The juniors and prospectors here are the optimists and the backbone of the exploration industry,” KEG president Colin Russell told The Northern Miner on the conference sidelines. “There are some people in it for a quick buck, but the people you see walking around these events don’t care about that. They believe in our business and the community it creates, and we want to thank them for making KEG what it is.”

Russell explained that KEG grew its roots in 1975 from a handful of friends — Ab Ablett, Peter Fox, Tom Lewis, Nels Vollo and Ronald Wells — who would meet every month to “talk shop, look at maps and drink beer.”

After a short hiatus, the friends regrouped in 1987 and kicked off the first annual meeting, which lured in a second generation of founding members such as Fred Daley, Rick Meyer, Jamie Hutton and Rob Pease.

Over the years, the non-profit society also engaged with community outreach programs, including geology tours and a public lecture series, along with grants and scholarships, to name a few.

Russell said the conference has grown in popularity ever since.

“We’re at 420 delegates now — which is a handful of people above last year — so that’s good news, because we thought the numbers might be down,” he said. “The prospectors here are telling me they’re getting more interest, and that really is key. If people are looking at grassroots again, that’s a pretty good sign things are getting better. So I’m cautiously optimistic.”

A hot topic of conversation amongst delegates was the new regulations imposed under B.C.’s Water Sustainability Act, which requires explorers to attain a water permit to conduct work on their claims (see story here).

The permit has a 140-day approval turnover, which means that a lot of B.C. explorers could lose their field season.

Bennett said during an interview that “no one needs to worry this year,” as the Ministry will provide some “temporary reprieve” for explorers, which “gives us a year to finalize what the new regulatory policy will be.”

The reprieve was announced on April 15, and exempts any holder of a Mines Act permit to require a water permit for 2016.

Bennett also voiced his support for the industry during a speech at the banquet ceremonies, saying his biggest concern is not on the operating mines in the region.

“You get down to the grassroots explorers, and that’s really where we should focus over the next few years,” he said. “I also want to work with the prospectors to determine what the government can do for them, because that’s the part of the industry I’m most worried about.”

“We’re going to have a competitiveness review in the Ministry that could identify some of the things that can help — and I promise you that it will be led by somebody who is a mining person, and not a bureaucrat,” he continued. “We have a government that supports you, and I’m here to celebrate what you bring to this province … if we lost you, then we’re screwed.”