THUNDER BAY – Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF) have announced their first annual 2011 Mining Ready Summit in Timmins Ontario, on October 25 & October 26, 2011. The Summit will bring together Aboriginal businesses, community leaders, industry, government, contractors and mining related service providers, to help Aboriginal communities prepare for mining related business opportunities. “As the situation stands today, there is clearly a missing link between Aboriginal businesses and industry. NADF wants to encourage new relationships to bridge these gaps. This can only be achieved by coming together to learn about each others respective goals and needs. The Mining Ready summit will ensure that both sides bring new knowledge, evidence, lessons learned and best practice into mining development talks,” says NADF Special Initiatives Advisor, Brian Davey.
The two day Summit will feature an open forum, workshops and presentations that include real case study examples of successful business collaborations between First Nations and the mining industry. Other important business readiness topics include legal, finance and how to successfully prepare bids for mineral exploration or mining related contracts. The 2011 Mining Ready Summit is being held at the Days Inn Conference Centre in Timmins. The city is a growing hub for the mining and exploration sector, with more than 50 mining operations opened in the area. Timmins is also a regional service centre for many regional First Nations.
Davey adds, “Unlike other Summits that have been held in Ontario, NADF wanted to bring delegates directly into the heart of the activity. This Summit will bring all of the right stakeholders together at ground zero to start preparing for real economic opportunities. Both Aboriginal and industry participants attending this Summit will learn what it takes to become mining ready.”
The Summit will conclude with a site tour of the Porcupine Dome Mine. The operation has produced more than 64-million ounces of gold since production began in 1910, and is one of North America’s longest operating gold mines. For further information on the Mining Ready Summit, including the Summit agenda, please visit the event website at: www.miningready.com