The following are comments provided by Artisanal Gold Council (AGC) attendees to PDAC 2024.
Roger Tissot, Executive Director
PDAC 2024 served as an opportunity for the AGC to spotlight one of the most underrepresented, yet largest, groups of humans in mining that are artisanal and small-scale mining (ASGM) communities. AGC’s booth contrasted to other PDAC delegates as the charitable organization was successful in providing a stage, not for themselves, but rather for marginalized groups of individuals involved in the complex global development issue that is artisanal gold mining to showcase their predicament.
It is evident that the conference was investment-focused, however, many conference discussion topics centred around the importance of ESG goals and the need to create responsible legacies post-mining operation. AGC, through an international development lens, was able to raise awareness and showcase its ability to assist mining companies in augmenting their CSR programs with its 15+ years of experience in the sector.
Cheers to another successful PDAC!
Scott Gryba, International Finance Specialist
The sentiment at PDAC for gold investment was muted despite the record high gold price and the conference did not seem as upbeat as the past few iterations. That said, it is likely that the investment environment will rapidly change if gold remains elevated.
Early-stage gold mining investment is currently at a decade low and it will not take much buying/investment to push up market valuations and build momentum.
In terms of artisanal gold, the engage to improve philosophy appears to be gaining traction within the impact investment community. Several investors sought out the planetGOLD/Artisanal Gold Council booth to inquire about how they can participate in the artisanal space at a reasonable scale while effecting meaningful benefits for the miners, their communities and the environment. The centralized processing plant business model was a common topic of discussion among impact investors interested in artisanal gold.
Karina Canevaro, Senior Administative Assistant
My first experience at the PDAC Convention was incredibly exciting and eye-opening.
I was amazed by the various number of industry professionals from around the world gathered in one place. The opportunity to meet and connect with people from diverse backgrounds was invaluable.
I’m grateful to AGC and the team for providing me with this unforgettable experience, which has deepened my understanding of the mining and exploration industry and opened doors for future collaboration and growth.
Gracias!
Ryan Painter, Development and Communications Manager
My second year at PDAC was fascinating since we launched our new corporate engagement strategy.
We approached medium and large scale gold miners to discuss the opportunities to build a cohabitation framework for their involvement in gold mining prospects with ASGM miners. Many understood the import and the impact on the sector and while some were understandably cautious to the approach, there was no shortage of optimism.
There was also near unanimous belief that Canada, as an international leader in gold mining, can and should be helping to lead the way towards the formalization and professionalization of the ASGM sector.