Ontario is still a good place for mineral exploration despite the slowdown in the industry over the past year, according to Garry Clark, executive director of the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA).
"We'll have speakers who will come and speak about their exploration success and highlight the fact that this has been going on consistently over 10 years," said Clark.
Even though exploration has dropped off, Clark said the companies who have money have continued their work, especially on projects that show promise.
"The projects that already had something in the ground didn't slow down very much at all."
In fact, there is an optimistic feeling that things are beginning to pick up.
Freewest, Brett, and Rainy River Resources are examples of some of the junior miners who will be sharing their companies' progress at the symposium.
Clark expects a turnout of between 350 to 400 people. Forty exhibitor booths and approximately 24 poster presentations will be on display.
Delegates are required to register for the event, but the doors will be open to the public on Tuesday, December 15 after 3 p.m.
A banquet December 15 will feature keynote speaker Michael Barnes, a retired educator and prolific author who writes extensively about Northern Ontario. The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the 2009 OPA Prospector of the Year Award.
www.ontarioprospectors.com
