PDAC 2020: Here’s What You Need to Know

PDAC 2020 has been and gone! Click here for our recap of day one, here for our recap of day two and here for our recap of days two and three. See you next year!

2020 has been a mixed bag for the resource space so far, with gold and other precious metals faring well and base metals taking a hit on the back of global turmoil. 

As the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention approaches, those involved in and connected to the mining sector are preparing to descend on the Metro Toronto Convention Center to take the temperature of the industry.

Held every year in Toronto since 1932, this year’s convention will run from March 1 to 4 and is expected to attract over 1,100 exhibitors, 2,500 investors and 25,800 attendees from 132 countries.

Whether you’re a veteran or first-time PDAC attendee, earlier is better when it comes to planning your schedule. With just a couple of weeks left until the conference, we’ve assembled some highlights below — we encourage you to do your own research, but if you’re looking for somewhere to start, check out our overview.

What to do at PDAC

PDAC is a major networking opportunity, and the Investors Exchange is a key stop for those who want to engage with companies of all sizes. If you want to delve deeper into geology, you’ll want to check out the Core Shack and the Prospectors Tent, while the Trade Show and Trade Show North provide a look at the latest in mining services and technology.

Learning is another key part of PDAC, and attendees will have a full slate of programming to select from. Those looking to hear commentary on specific metals will want to carve out time on March 1 for the convention’s Technical Program — notably, gold will be covered at 3:30 p.m. EST, battery metals will be at 3:55 p.m. EST and uranium will be at 4:55 p.m. EST.

The afternoon of March 1 will also bring commentators like Mickey Fulp (12:50 p.m. EST), Adrian Day (1:40 p.m. EST) and Rick Rule (4:35 p.m. EST) to the stage for the Letter Writers Program. This year for the first time, the segment will be preceded by a seminar on how to start investing in commodities.

For his part, Felix Lee, president of PDAC, highlighted the Mineral Outlook Luncheon on March 2, which will feature Catherine Raw of Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD).

“She’ll be coming in to speak about the mergers and acquisitions that have been taking place in the mining sector,” he said, pointing out that Barrick itself was recently involved in a mega deal. “That’s something I think that definitely would be of interest to attendees coming to the convention.”

Lee has been involved with PDAC for nearly 14 years and began his two year term as its 37th president in 2019. A core issue for him has been renewing relationships with Canada’s provincial and territorial governments in order to foster advocacy for the industry.

“The reality is (that) the programming does reflect pretty much all of the issues that PDAC engages with the government on,” he explained to the Investing News Network.

Above all, he emphasized the diversity of programming at the convention, pointing to the Capital Markets Program, Sustainability Program and Indigenous Program.

Lee also mentioned the convention’s Student and Early Career Program, saying that student attendance has grown substantially since he became involved with PDAC, rising from several hundred to around 1,600. “That’s an area we’ve really grown, and it’s critical, it’s vital if our industry is to again tackle some of the manpower issues that we’re facing over the next 10 years.”

Finally, it would be remiss not to mention the networking events that take place at PDAC. While many companies will be hosting invite-only parties and events, there are also plenty promoted by PDAC itself. Take a look here for a taste of what’s going on.

Register for PDAC now

PDAC is widely regarded as a can’t-miss event for investors, executives and companies in the resource sector. As Lee put it, “(PDAC is) the mining event to attend. (If) there’s one event to go to it’s the PDAC convention … Anyone who’s of importance in the industry — you need to be at the PDAC convention.”

If you’d like to attend PDAC, click here for detailed information on how to register. You can also click here to sign up to receive the latest news and announcements from PDAC, or follow PDAC on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. We look forward to seeing you there!

Image courtesy of www.pdac.ca. 

Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time updates!

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article. 

Editorial Disclosure: The Investing News Network does not guarantee the accuracy or thoroughness of the information reported in the interviews it conducts. The opinions expressed in these interviews do not reflect the opinions of the Investing News Network and do not constitute investment advice. All readers are encouraged to perform their own due diligence.