Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/783264
F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 1 7 www.resourceworld.com 7 Editor's Comments Ellsworth Dickson Ellsworth Dickson, Editor-in-Chief Email: editor@resourceworld.com T: 604 484 3800 | 1 877 484 3800 THE BENEFITS OF CREATIVITY and innovation are not limited to the perform- ing arts – industry can benefit as well. To that end, Goldcorp and Integra Gold are hosting #DisruptMining innovation expo a 'Shark-Tank' style live event on Sunday, March 5, at the PDAC 2017 conference in Toronto. The contestants will pitch their disruptive technologies and business ideas to a panel of senior mining executives and a live audience of mining industry influ - encers and decision makers. All proceeds from the #DisruptMining finale event will be donated to chari- ties and will create scholarships designed to spur innovation in mining. The #DisruptMining innovation prize is up to $1 million in investment for a proof of concept at one of Goldcorp's mines or investment in a winning technology. Link to #DisruptMining video: https://vimeo. com/195817154 "The mining industry is overdue for radical, disruptive innovation that drives value, enhances safe production and performance across every aspect of our business, from exploration through to rec - lamation and closure," said Todd White, Senior Vice President, Technical Services and Business Excellence at Goldcorp and board member of the Canadian Mining Innovation Council. "As an industry, we must collaborate to spur investment and accelerate the pace of innovation in order to stay competitive and deliver greater value to shareholders. Efficient, socially and environmentally responsible opera - tions that deliver value for all of our stakeholders are simply good business and this event is designed as a catalyst to make that happen faster." So how is the mining industry doing? PwC Canada recently published a report: Junior mine 2016 – Signs of life. The report notes that mining companies make up over 50% of the total market capitalization on the TSX Venture Exchange, up from 36% on June 30, 2015. For the past 12 months between June 2015 and June 2016, cash flows from financing activities increased significantly and cash flows from debt and equity financing increased to 45% and 48% respectively. According to the report, investors saw a rise in the market capitalization of top junior miners on the Venture Exchange by more than 100% compared to 2015. The report mentions that the political and economic uncertainty around the globe provided some relief to juniors by inflating the gold price by as much as 22%. Gold is a key asset for each of the top five juniors, with the exception of the top company which focuses on uranium exploration. "While the outlook is positive, it's too early to call it a recovery," said Liam Fitzgerald, National Mining Leader, PwC Canada. "For the past few years, executives have had to look at different and creative ways to allocate resources and capital. As investors renewed their interest in junior assets, we're now seeing market valuations close to what they were in 2012 which is encouraging." While highlighting the state of the industry and its successes in 2016, Signs of Life, also warns mining companies not to be complacent. "The mining sector is moving in the right direction but execu - tives must continue to remain cautious. By managing risk in this volatile market, they can focus on new project pipelines and investigate new opportunities for min- ing in locations like Nova Scotia," adds Fitzgerald. n You can read the report at pwc.com/ca Goldcorp and Integra Gold to host #DisruptMining at PDAC