EY Gold silver and copper

BC exploration sector hits 10-year expenditure high

Insights from the BC Mineral and Coal Exploration Survey 2022

Authored by: 
Iain Thompson, EY Canada Mining & Metals Consulting & West Leader
Kyle Wolhuter, Senior Manager, Consulting
Safwaan Hassan, Senior Consultant, Consulting

A palpable sense of optimism is emerging among mineral and coal miners in British Columbia.

Despite pricing volatility, macroeconomic upheaval and geopolitical unrest, exploration investments in British Columbia surged to $740 million in 2022. That 10-year high marks a clear return to grassroots discovery. Demand for critical minerals like copper needed to sustain wide-scale electrification is driving those investments. Even so, exploratory interest in gold hasn’t dwindled. In fact, most companies operating in British Columbia continue to cite gold as a primary commodity.

All of this bodes well for any organization that’s ready to take strategic steps and channel that momentum into lasting progress. Learn how with the seventh annual report, Insights from the British Columbia Mineral and Coal Exploration Survey 2022.

Drawing on survey responses, financial reports and press releases from 170 companies operating in British Columbia, the report outlines:

  • What BC’s mineral and coal exploration sector looks like today
  • Where the opportunities and risks lie on the road ahead
  • How operators can position themselves as leaders in the copper supply market and beyond

Summary

While uncertainty persists, that’s no reason for British Columbia’s mineral and coal mining industry to pump the brakes. The energy transition is happening. Critical minerals are in ever-growing demand. Potential abounds. And seizing this moment to move from exploration to activation can help operators here generate the kind of results that will define the sector for years to come.

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