This past week the MICROMINE team travelled to Spokane, WA for the annual American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA) conference. The northwestern United States is host to several mining districts, including the famous “Silver Valley” of Idaho. It was a cold week in Spokane, leaving attendees happy to be inside and enjoying the conference.
AEMA is one of the major gatherings of those in the US mining industry each year. It was exciting to be part of an event that brings together all parts of the mining industry, from drilling companies to mining companies, all parts of the sector are represented. As such, it is a unique opportunity to connect with current and prospective clients, but also get a better sense of the status of the industry.
The conference includes a large exhibition hall showcasing a wide variety of vendors and mining companies. The Micromine booth provided a great opportunity to show off Micromine and Geobank. Our Denver staff and Mark Gabbitus, the Micromine product strategy manager, from HQ enjoyed discussing the advantages of our 3D modelling software and geologic database solutions. Micromine and Geobank are used by clients in the area and it was fun to hear what they are working on.
Many of the mining companies in the exhibition hall had displays of core from significant intercepts on display. The geologists at MICROMINE were happy to have the opportunity to get their hands on some rocks! We may work on the software side now, but all of us started working getting out hands dirty in the field. The underlying geologic principles are always important to keep in mind when using a modelling software like Micromine. We love being part of the exploration process and never getting too far away from where it all starts. It was exciting to think about how core samples at the show translate into geologic models.
In addition to the exhibition hall, technical sessions and keynote speeches are always an exciting part of the conference. This year we were lucky enough to be part of the first session about digital technological advances in mining and exploration ever convened at AEMA. The session focused on disruptive technologies being introduced into a traditional exploration and mining environment, how they are implemented, and how they are affecting the mining industry. We are on the cutting edge of technology in mining and it was fun to hear about what others are working on, particularly how they apply technology in the field. Mark Gabbitus, the Micromine product manager, gave a talk about geologic data collection to close off the session. Other sessions included talks about critical minerals, exploration in old mining districts, permitting, and hydrology.
It was a great week and we look forward to being back next year.
