Mining's Future Takes Centre Stage at the AME Roundup
Canada's mining sector launches Minerals for Tomorrow campaign at AME Roundup, positioning mineral exploration as key to economic security and sovereignty.
Minerals for Tomorrow
By Elke Porter | WBN News Vancouver | January 28, 2026
Subscription to WBN and being a Writer is FREE!
Vancouver – As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, Canada's mineral exploration sector is making its case directly to the public with a new national campaign launched at one of the industry's marquee events.
The Association for Mineral Exploration unveiled "Minerals for Tomorrow" at the opening of the AME Roundup conference in Vancouver this week, framing mineral exploration as essential to Canada's economic security, defence capabilities, and clean energy transition.
The timing is pointed. Canada, like resource-rich nations worldwide, faces a dilemma: surging demand for minerals needed in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles, set against mounting regulatory hurdles and competition for land use.
"Canada is at a crossroads," said AME President and CEO Todd Stone. "Without exploration, there are no future mines. And without future mines, Canada becomes more dependent, more expensive, and more vulnerable."
A Global Race for Resources
Canada isn't alone in grappling with these pressures. Australia, Chile, and South Africa are among nations racing to expand their mineral production to meet demand from the global energy transition and technology sectors. Each faces similar tensions between development and environmental protection, between economic opportunity and community concerns.
British Columbia hosts 19 of Canada's 34 designated critical minerals and serves as a hub for exploration technology. Yet the sector warns that declining investment and regulatory uncertainty threaten the pipeline of future discoveries.
The campaign arrives as Prime Minister Mark Carney has elevated critical minerals to a matter of national sovereignty in recent speeches, echoing strategies adopted by the United States, European Union, and China to secure domestic mineral supplies. According to AME, Premier David Eby also announced record $750.9 million in mineral exploration expenditures.
Inside the Conference
Walking the AME Roundup floor offered a hands-on education in what modern mineral exploration actually involves. I tried my hand at panning for gold, posed for free headshots, and took an express course from a Finning instructor on operating a simulator to dig and dump sand into a truck—a performance that drew an increasingly amused crowd of onlookers.
The exhibitor halls showcased the infrastructure that makes remote exploration possible: boring equipment of every description, aviation companies serving fly-in sites, firms specializing in remote camp setup, and portable fueling systems designed for locations far from any road.
Among the attendees, I met Scott McInnes from Kimberley, a member of the official opposition caucus and the Conservative Party—the only politician I encountered, though I heard others were on site. The atmosphere was educational and surprisingly engaging for an industry often perceived as inaccessible to the public. Other interesting booths were when I ran into the BC Lions who were there to meet investors/sponsors and encourage people to watch the BC Lions in action.
One conversation veered into unexpected territory. One exhibitor shared his conviction that data centres will soon consume so much of Earth's surface that we'll be forced to launch them into orbit, with our digital data literally flying around the earth in orbit. Whether prophecy or speculation, it underscored how resource demands—whether for minerals or data infrastructure—are reshaping discussions about our technological future.
The Junior Exploration Challenge
At the heart of the campaign is the less-visible world of junior exploration companies that fund risky, early-stage searches for mineral deposits years before any mine exists.
"Junior mining companies assume the earliest and highest-risk stages of mineral exploration," said Malcolm Dorsey, president of Vancouver-based Torr Metals. "When early-stage exploration slows, future mine development is inevitably delayed."
B.C. Mining and Critical Minerals Minister Jagrup Brar endorsed the campaign's focus on exploration as "where B.C.'s resource economy begins."
The campaign calls for faster permitting, protected land access, stronger Indigenous partnerships, and recognition of exploration as a strategic priority. Whether it can shift public sentiment remains to be seen, but the AME Roundup made clear that the industry is ready to make its case—one gold pan and drilling simulator at a time.
For more information, visit mineralsfortomorrow.ca
Elke Porter at:
Westcoast German Media
LinkedIn: Elke Porter or
WhatsApp: +1 604 828 8788.
Public Relations. Communications. Education
Let’s bring your story to life — contact me for books, articles, blogs, and bold public relations ideas that make an impact.
TAGS: #Minerals For Tomorrow #Critical Minerals #Mining Canada #AME Roundup #Resource Sector #Economic Security #WBN News Vancouver #WBN News Global #Elke Porter
Members Discussion