Mining, along with fishing and forestry, have been part of the economic life of Canada since the development of North America by the Europeans in the 17th Century. Canada’s strategic advantages are its second largest land mass in the world and land is where you find all minerals, and 90% of its population live within 200km from its border with the USA. The key challenges our mining industry faces and needs to be addressed are: The discovery rate of all minerals is falling at an alarming pace at the same time as mining costs are going up inexorably doubling if not tripling in the past 20 years. Universities such as Laurentian must help develop new exploration and mining technologies that will be game changers. Industry will need less students, but they will need to be better prepared and be the best and smartest if we want to stay at the forefront of this business.

Pierre Lassonde is also the recipient of an honorary PhD in Engineering from the University of Toronto, the University of Montreal and Ryerson University, as well as an honorary PhD in Business from the University of Utah.