From March 2 to 5, 2025, the PDAC 2025 Convention took place in Toronto. This was the 93rd edition of this major mining event, bringing together thousands of geologists and miners involved in the exploration and extraction of mineral resources worldwide. The employees of the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (PIG–PIB) were also present.

Polish Representation at PDAC 2025 (from left): Remus Weekes and Joanna Roszkowska-Remin from the PIG-PIB Department of Raw Materials Policy, and Michał Nowosielski from the Ministry of Climate and Environment

Joanna Roszkowska-Remin and Remus Weekes from the Department of Raw Materials Policy proudly represented the Institute and the Geological Survey at the European Union booth, as well as during accompanying events. Together with Michał Nowosielski from the Ministry of Climate and Environment, they actively promoted Poland’s raw materials potential and the country and raw materials policy of Poland.

The PDAC Convention is one of the world’s largest industry events. Every year, thousands of representatives from industry, service companies, academia, geological surveys, and government delegations from every continent gather in Toronto.

This year, over 27,000 participants spent four days across three exhibition halls discussing mineral resources and making business deals. A total of 1,100 exhibitors showcased their offerings, including government representatives, corporate leaders, and technical experts from around the world.

One of the three Exhibition Halls at PDAC 2025

The exhibition featured both major players in the mining industry, such as BHP, Vale, and Zijin Mining, as well as hundreds of junior companies striving to make their mark and showcase their discoveries. Countries also presented their mineral resource potential, including Canada, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, various African nations, and European states. Representatives of PIG-PIB, together with the Ministry of Climate and Environment, actively participated at the European Union booth, promoting Poland’s mineral resource potential and the activities of the Polish Geological Survey.

The European Union booth in the heart of the exhibition hall

Polish Delegation at the European Union booth

Promotional materials attracted great interest from booth visitors and were quickly taken, like „hotcakes”

As part of the promotional activities, a presentation titled „Raw Materials in Poland – Key Priorities and Offer from the Polish Geological Survey” was held. Michał Nowosielski (Ministry of Climate and Environment) presented the government’s priorities in the first part, while Remus Weekes covered the offerings of the Polish Geological Survey in the second part.

During the presentation, discussions with visitors, and the distribution of promotional materials, key information about Poland’s mineral resources and potential opportunities for cooperation in geology and mining were shared

Michał Nowosielski (Ministry of Climate and Environment) and Remus Weekes (PIG-PIB) presented „Raw Materials in Poland – Key Priorities and Offer from the Polish Geological Survey”

We were also present at the „EU Day at PDAC”, where, during the panel „Exploration and Extraction Potential in Europe”, focused on mineral exploration in the European Union, Joanna Roszkowska-Remin participated in a discussion about exploration potential within the EU. She also spoke about Poland’s preparations for the National Program for the Exploration of Critical Raw Materials and the challenges facing the geological survey in encouraging investors to engage in activities across European countries.

Joanna Roszkowska-Remin during the „Exploration and Extraction Potential in Europe" Panel

Participation in the trade fair was also a fantastic opportunity to learn about new research methods, advanced technologies, and the expertise of scientists and practitioners in the field of raw materials exploration. There were numerous discussions and exchanges of experiences with geological surveys from around the world.

We also took part in the „Mongolia Day”, „India Day”, a meeting with mining leaders from Uzbekistan, and a discussion with representatives of business and government from the Dominican Republic.

During the fair, the latest technological innovations were showcased, such as autonomous robots designed to explore hard-to-reach mining corridors. These devices are used for mapping terrain, and some are even capable of collecting samples.

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PDAC is the best source of knowledge about the direction modern mining is heading and the most current global raw material trends. However, this year, as expected, the fair was dominated by copper and gold mining.

Four days spent visiting all the booths and discussing all the interesting topics felt like a brief moment, leaving a sense of wanting more and the eagerness to return next year for another edition of the fair to continue gaining knowledge and experience, as well as to promote the Institute's achievements in the field of geological research and discoveries.

Text: Joanna Roszkowska-Remin, Remus Weekes
Photos: Remus Weekes, Joanna Roszkowska-Remin, Morgan Hotston