Student Mining Projects Displayed at CIM - 2002

The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CIM) held it's annual general meeting at the BC Trade and Convention Center in Vancouver on April 28-30. The MABC Education Division arranged to showcase the projects of students in eight classes from four Lower Mainland schools (George Greenaway Elementary (Surrey), Inman Elementary (Burnaby), Aspenwood Elementary (Port Moody), St. Anthony's School (West Vancouver)

This was a tremendous opportunity for the students and a great contribution to the mining industry conference.

The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (CIMM) held it's annual general meeting at the BC Trade and Convention Center in Vancouver on April 28-30. Conference organizers contributed several booths at the convention TRADEX for classes to display their mining projects for all conferees to see. The MABC Education Division arranged to showcase the projects of students in eight classes from four Lower Mainland schools. They included:

• BC Mining Class of the Year: George Greenaway Elementary, Surrey (Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Kiloh)
• Inman Elementary, Burnaby (Ms. Eisler, Ms. Kirk and Mr. White)
• Aspenwood Elementary, Port Moody (Mrs. Ringwald, Ms. Stone, and Mr.Romero)
• St. Anthony's School, West Vancouver (Mr. Stephen Knight)

On April 30th the students, their teachers, and parent volunteers - a group of 270 people - attended the conference TRADEX (tradeshow exhibition). Over the course of the day, the students took turns attending their school's booth and speak with delegates about their work. They also explored the TRADEX displays and talked to the various industry exhibitors, and they ventured over to the BC and Yukon Chamber of Mines to pan for gold with Yukon Dan, or visited the Pacific Mineral Museum to see and learn about the exquisite mineral collection on display.

Students attending the TRADEX had unique and memorable opportunities to speak with and ask questions of people working in a wide range of minerals industry jobs - from haul truck tire suppliers, to explosives experts, to special steel manufacturers and mining software designers. They were also thrilled with the many free "goodies" that were handed out at the booths! In turn, the conference-goers and trade show exhibitors saw the creative ways that students learn about mining in BC and through their interactions learned how well-informed of the mining process and careers in mining the young people are.

The CIMM executive praised this shared experience and announced that in the future conference organizers will make every effort to encourage the inclusion of school groups at future AGMs in cities across Canada.