Mineral Exploration

S P R I N G 2 0 1 6 39 implementation and coming up with best practices guidelines for these regu- lations," says Lindsay Bottomer, a geolo- gist formerly with Entrée Gold Inc. "He helped the industry come up with more credibility than it had previously." K i r k h a m g o t i n v o l v e d w it h the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum ( CIM) and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia (APEGBC), working on implementing NI 43-101. APEGBC, in particular, takes wrongdoers to task with fines and disci- plinary actions. The goal was to protect the public, but it also helped the mining industry. "It really cleaned up the industry and improved public trust," says Kirkham. "I think it stopped things from happening. It's a pretty extreme deterrent." But he also admits rules and regula- tions stifle the industry. "A lot of major deposits started with a guy with a big mouth who said 'Invest and I'll show you it's huge,'" says Kirkham. "Under NI 43-101, you sometimes have to spend more money drilling it than digging it." But a chance encounter squashed any doubts Kirkham ever held about NI 43-101 advantages. When he told a univer- sity acquaintance what he was doing, he dismissed its importance, saying, "It's not like anyone's died." To which she replied: "Actually, my husband did die." He'd invested a lot of money in an overhyped play, lost it all and committed suicide. "I take the regulations seriously and I think most of my colleagues do too," Kirkham says. "Most professionals want to do the right thing." It's that kind of attitude that keeps Kirkham busy in the present downturn. A full roster of clients hire him to do resource estimates. Plus, he's the presi- dent of CIM, is the Geoscientists Canada director for A PEGBC, and has held several positions with the Geological Association of Canada. He also travels to universities across the country lecturing on NI 43-101. Taken together, it was no surprise when he won the 2015 C J Westerman Memorial Award from APEGBC. "It was a big highlight," Kirkham says. "My speech was even funny. It's the biggest award I could win. But how do I follow this up?" With an even bigger wave, of course. No doubt he's already positioning him- self for the next ride. ■ Aramark Remote Workplace Services is a full-service camp and hospitality company specializing in camps for the resource extraction sectors. From start to finish, you can rely on us to provide the safest and most comfortable camps, as well as the best food anywhere. We design and build—from concept to completion—a custom solution for any remote camp facility, which includes permitting, site cleaning, construction, and the operation and management of the facility. Aramark enjoys an integrated Aboriginal Partnership Program in the Canadian camp and catering industry and is Silver certified member of the Canadian Council of Aboriginal business. 9647 – 45 Avenue NW Edmonton, AB T6E 5Z8 Email: harold-kristian@aramark.ca / schonauer-ryan@aramark.ca www.aramarkremote.ca Aramark.indd 1 15-11-18 9:42 AM Eagle Mapping.indd 1 16-02-11 12:43 PM

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