PDAC recognizes top contributors to mineral discoveries and growth in 2026

The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) has announced the winners of the 2026 PDAC Awards, honouring individuals and collaborations that promote discovery, development, and sustainability within the mineral industry. The 94th annual PDAC Convention will take place in Toronto from March 1-4, 2026.

The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada is an advocacy organization for the mineral exploration and development community.

Karen Rees, PDAC president, said: “The 2026 recipients demonstrate how passion and teamwork can turn ideas into achievement. Their work reflects the determination, resourcefulness, and shared commitment that keep our industry moving forward.”

Since its inception in 1977, the PDAC Awards have recognized the dedication and ingenuity behind community-driven progress across Canada and globally.

The 2026 award winners will be celebrated during the PDAC 2026 Convention at the Awards Celebration and Nite Cap on March 3, 2026, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. This highly anticipated event features a cocktail reception, a three-course dinner, and the presentation of PDAC’s five distinguished awards, followed by the Nite Cap reception. It provides a special chance to honor achievement, network with industry leaders, and foster inspiration and collaboration.

The 2026 PDAC Awards recipients include the Canadian Royalties Exploration Team, recognized with the Bill Dennis Award for discovering the Inukshuk Deposit in Nunavik, Quebec; the Des Nedhe Group, awarded the Skookum Jim Award for advancing Indigenous entrepreneurship and community-led economic development in Saskatchewan; and Blue Lagoon Resources, which receives the Sustainability Award for its leadership in environmental protection and Indigenous partnership at the Dome Mountain Gold Project in British Columbia.

Internationally, AngloGold Ashanti, Renaissance Gold, and Callinan Royalties earn the Thayer Lindsley Award for discovering the Silicon and Merlin gold-silver deposits near Beatty, Nevada. The Viola R. MacMillan Award goes to Equinox Gold for its leadership in managing and financing the Greenstone Mine project in Geraldton, Ontario.

The PDAC Awards selection involves recommendations from the association’s awards committee, with the PDAC board of directors making the final decisions. To learn more or to nominate candidates for the 2027 awards, visit the PDAC website.

Tickets for the Awards Celebration and Nite Cap will go on sale in December through PDAC’s website. PDAC reminded those interested to sign up to receive notifications when tickets become available.

More information is posted on www.Pdac.ca.