Giving Back
Minerals North Gives Back to the Community
Minerals North provides an important connection between the minerals industry in northern BC and communities, First Nations and businesses. Every year the various groups meet, mingle and develop relationships that contribute to a sustainable economy for northern BC. Since 2004, a booming minerals industry has meant excellent sponsorship support for Minerals North, resulting in financial surpluses from recent conferences.
Conference organizers have taken the opportunity to re-invest those funds in ways that will contribute to the sustainability of the host communities, the region and the minerals sector in northern British Columbia. Since 2004, over $200,000 of conference surplus has been distributed to the following organizations.
- NWCC School of Exploration and Mining: $30,000 toward the endowment fund, bursaries and equipment purchases.
- University of Northern British Columbia: $25,000 to establish the UNBC Northern Mining Research Award and a further $4,500 for the purchase of petrocscopes.
- College of New Caledonia: $25,000 toward the development of mining-related currriculum.
- Geoscience Projects in the Terrace Area: $15,000 as a major contribution to the cost to re-analyze rock samples collected in the Terrace area (National Topographic Service Mapsheet 103I) in the late 1970s.
- Mineral Resources Education Program of BC: $11,500 towards this program of the Mining Association of BC that provides schools with instructional modules that explain the minerals industry to primary and high school students.
- BC Children’s Hospital Foundation: $10,000 to the Mining Industry’s Mining for Miracles campaign to support the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, the industry’s “charity of choice”.
- Smithers Exploration Group: $5,000 to enhance the work SEG does in sponsoring Bulkley Valley student field trips to Huckleberry Mine, Barkerville, and other mining-related sites.
- Association of Mineral Exploration BC: $5,000 towards the Association’s First Nations travel bursary fund.
- $73,500 to various organizations that serve the host communities.
