Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated that PDAC 2025 had record attendance. 27,353 people attended, with organizers describing it as "another landmark gathering."
(Kitco News) - Investment in the mining sector continues to heat up as the world’s largest mining conference once again sees robust attendance.
More than 27,000 people attended this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) annual convention this past weekend.
“Year after year, the PDAC Convention is the place to be for unveiling the latest market insights, advances in technology, and for fostering essential partnerships,” said PDAC President Raymond Goldie. “In 2025, we continued that legacy by bringing together not only a wide array of educational programming focused on crucial areas such as capital markets, Indigenous engagement, career development, and sustainability, but also a dynamic trade show and company presentations to investors, offering exhibitors and attendees invaluable opportunities for business growth and collaboration.”
Analysts and mining executives have said that the mining sector is starting to attract more investor attention as equities have been significantly undervalued compared to rising commodity prices. During the fourth-quarter earnings season, senior gold and silver producers announced robust production and record free cash flow.
Analysts expect margins to continue to improve as gold prices have rallied to nearly $3,000 an ounce early in the new year. While gold production remains a significant force in the mining sector, demand for new technology is driving new interest in critical minerals and metals.
This year, organizers of PDAC 2025 said that the conference provided a vital platform for dialogue between industry stakeholders and government officials.
“Minerals are the backbone of modern technology and are indispensable to our daily lives, highlighting the essential role of mineral exploration and mining in Canada’s economic strength and resilience,” Goldie noted. “This week, PDAC was encouraged by the federal government’s commitment to extend the Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) for two years. Our priority now is to ensure that this commitment becomes law, and we’ll continue pushing for it to have a permanent place in Canada’s fiscal framework.”
