Lead: PDAC 2026 (March 1–4) will be the biggest mining and critical-minerals meet-up of the year — roughly 27,000 delegates, 1,300+ exhibitors and a packed program of keynotes, panels and off‑program deal making. Documents and schedules we reviewed show the convention is where capital, policy and technology collide, and where choices about which sessions and people to prioritise will determine who walks away with funding, partners or pilot projects.
What this story shows (quick takeaways)
– Scale: Expect ~27,000 attendees from 125+ countries and more than 1,300 exhibitors — the exhibition floor will be a deal-making hub.
– Themes: Investors and industry will focus on critical minerals, high precious-metal prices, supply‑chain security, technology adoption (AI, remote sensing) and measurable ESG performance.
– Opportunity: Early-career investors and first-time attendees can gain traction by targeting institutional investors, corporate development teams and curated exhibitions — but only with a clear plan.
– Risk: Informal, unrecorded exchanges on the floor speed deals — and can create information asymmetries unless interactions are documented and followed up.
Why PDAC matters now
– Commodity backdrop: Elevated precious‑metal prices and policy emphasis on strategic minerals have moved exploration and supply‑chain security to the top of investor and government agendas.
– Market signalling: With so many players under one roof, session topics, keynote remarks and informal booth conversations will shape deal pipelines and policy debates for months after the event.
– Operational shift: Technology (satellite data, machine learning) and quantified ESG metrics are moving from pilots to procurement requirements — projects that can show measurable environmental and community outcomes have a clear advantage for institutional capital.
What the program looks like (structure we reconstructed)
– Mornings: Keynotes and policy framing. Expect high-level narratives that set risk and capital expectations.
– Afternoons: Technical seminars, case studies and investor briefings that dig into project feasibility, permitting and financing structures.
– Evenings: Receptions, side meetings and corridor conversations where many material deals and MOUs are first discussed.
Key themes and how they intersect
– Capital and policy: Panels will unpack how investors price sovereign and operational risk, and how governments can de‑risk supply chains through permitting, incentives and stockpiles. Organisers deliberately sequence framing → policy responses → implementation.
– Technology adoption: Presentations and demos will show remote sensing, expanded geological datasets and AI-guided targeting as standard tools for risk reduction and discovery prioritisation.
– Responsible development: Lifecycle carbon metrics, community benefit plans and third‑party verification are increasingly preconditions for due diligence and funding.
Headliners to watch
Keynotes collect executive, digital and exploration perspectives — and organisers use them to steer later discussions. Notable speakers listed in program materials include:
– Gustavo Pimenta (CEO, Vale) — strategy and investment acceleration
– Don Lindsay (BHP director; former Teck CEO) — finance and leadership pressures
– Mikko Tepponen (BHP digital officer) — data integration and AI in decisions
– Paul Bartos (former AngloGold Ashanti greenfields geologist) — discovery perspectives
The exhibition floor: why it’s critical
– Deal pipeline engine: Exhibitor maps and meeting schedules show clustered pavilions and dedicated meeting zones designed for high‑frequency interaction. Many consequential talks begin at booths and are formalised afterward.
– Typical sequence for a converted lead: pre‑event targeting → booth briefing or reception → short follow‑up meeting during the conference → scheduled deep‑dive (documents exchanged) → due diligence / term sheet / pilot.
– Actors who convert conversations into outcomes: corporate development teams, institutional investors, geological consultancies, permitting advisors and government delegations.
Practical implications for different players
– Junior explorers: Technical excellence isn’t enough — pair it with measurable ESG and clear permitting plans to attract institutional capital.
– Early‑career and smaller investors: Use exhibitor lists to pre-book meetings, prioritise depth over quantity, and insist on written follow-ups to reduce asymmetry.
– Policymakers: Clear, transparent signals on permitting and environmental expectations will attract higher‑quality proposals and shorten investment timelines.
What happens after PDAC
– Expect a flurry of follow-ups: investor calls, site visits, NDAs, pilot agreements and regulatory consultations. Organisers plan to publish session summaries and working papers that delegates and regulators may use to adjust disclosure and investment criteria.
– Measures of success: conversion of on-site discussion into funded pilots, signed MOUs, and coordinated policy responses that reduce uncertainty for investors.
How to get the most out of PDAC 2026 (practical checklist)
– Register officially: use PDAC’s portal and verified ticketing partners — organisers post first updates and schedule changes there.
– Build a three‑tier schedule: must-see keynotes/panels, targeted meetings (book in advance), and time for serendipity on the exhibition floor.
– Prepare a one‑page brief: technical highlights, risks, desired outcomes and next steps to hand to potential partners or investors.
– Track meetings: log contact details, agreed next actions and deadlines immediately after conversations.
– Prioritise partners who can deliver cross‑disciplinary buy‑in: technical credibility + financing + regulatory clarity.
– Demand verification: for ESG claims or performance metrics, look for third‑party verification or lifecycle assessments before escalating diligence.
What this story shows (quick takeaways)
– Scale: Expect ~27,000 attendees from 125+ countries and more than 1,300 exhibitors — the exhibition floor will be a deal-making hub.
– Themes: Investors and industry will focus on critical minerals, high precious-metal prices, supply‑chain security, technology adoption (AI, remote sensing) and measurable ESG performance.
– Opportunity: Early-career investors and first-time attendees can gain traction by targeting institutional investors, corporate development teams and curated exhibitions — but only with a clear plan.
– Risk: Informal, unrecorded exchanges on the floor speed deals — and can create information asymmetries unless interactions are documented and followed up.0
What this story shows (quick takeaways)
– Scale: Expect ~27,000 attendees from 125+ countries and more than 1,300 exhibitors — the exhibition floor will be a deal-making hub.
– Themes: Investors and industry will focus on critical minerals, high precious-metal prices, supply‑chain security, technology adoption (AI, remote sensing) and measurable ESG performance.
– Opportunity: Early-career investors and first-time attendees can gain traction by targeting institutional investors, corporate development teams and curated exhibitions — but only with a clear plan.
– Risk: Informal, unrecorded exchanges on the floor speed deals — and can create information asymmetries unless interactions are documented and followed up.1
