By Cheryl Jahn

Mining Exploration Seeing An Uptick

Jan 18, 2018 | 2:28 PM

During Premier John Horgan’s address to the Natural Resource Forum, he spoke of a recent report he received, specific to mining in BC.
“Someone handed me a piece of paper that read: The World Risk Report has British Columbia ranked #1 in the world for mining investment.”

And those in the industry tend to agree.

“From our exploration perspective, we’re seeing junior [exploration companies] come in again because they’re able to attract investment,” explains Glen Wonders, the VP of Technical and Government Affairs. “That, simply, was much more difficult for them for the last few years. So we starting to see an uptick in exploration.”

And without exploration, there would be no final investment decisions on mines. For Premier Horgan, that’s a vindication.
 
“I think that’s a stark contrast to the notion that a change in government, that will potentially bring in new regulations or new regimes to operate, will somehow destabilize what is a profoundly positive market.”

But public policy does play a role in the success of, particularly, exploration.

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“Localized regulatory environments are extraordinarily important,” says Wonders. “The overall investor confidence in what’s going on, as far as metals and minerals, is a huge driver as well.”

A clearer picture of the state of mining will be revealed during Round-Up 2018 next week.