125 years later, our community continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the mining and minerals resource sector. Learn more about CIM's journey, from its humble beginnings in 1887 to later becoming a leading association in Canada.
CIM120
1887
The Gold Miners Club of Nova Scotia is founded in Halifax as a somewhat informal club interested in gold mining.
1888
The Gold Miners Association of Nova Scotia is formed as a reorganization of the Gold Miners Club.
1891
The General Mining Association of the Province of Quebec is organized in Montreal.
1892
The Mining Society of Nova Scotia is formed as a reorganization of the Gold Miners Association of Nova Scotia.
1894
The Ontario Mining Institute is organized in Toronto.
1895
The British Columbia Association of Mining Engineers is organized.
1896
The Canadian Mining Institute is founded in Montreal in March at the second annual meeting of the Federated Canadian Mining Institute, which is dissolved. The Institute is incorporated in March 1898 by Act of Parliament to include all former provincial groups except The Mining Society of Nova Scotia, which remains a separate body.
1902
The Institute, comprising only three provincial groups – Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia – forms its first Branches in Sherbrooke, Quebec; Kingston, Ontario; and Nelson, British Columbia.
1918
The Mining Society of Nova Scotia is formally affiliated with the Canadian Mining Institute.
1920
The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy becomes the official name of the Institute by an Act of Parliament.
1934
The Institute forms the Industrial Minerals Section, its first specialized group.
1940
The Institute changes the name of the Industrial Minerals Section to Industrial Minerals Division.
1942
"CIM" becomes the Institute's official abbreviation.
1944
CIM forms the Coal Division.
1945
CIM forms the Metallurgy Division and the Geology Division.
1946
CIM formed the Metal Mining Division.
1949
CIM forms the Petroleum and Natural Gas Division.
1961
CIM forms the Mechanical-Electrical Division.
1965
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Division is renamed the Petroleum Society of CIM.
1967
The Metallurgy Division is renamed the Metallurgical Society of CIM.
1984
1990
The Geology Division is renamed the Geological Society of CIM.
1992
The Mineral Economics Committee becomes the Mineral Economics Society of CIM.
1998
CIM celebrates its centennial year.
1999
The Coal Division is renamed the Coal and Oil Sands Division.
2000
CIM holds its Annual General Meeting (now known as the CIM Conference & Exhibition) and Tradex (now known as the EXPO) in collaboration with the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), under the name "Mining Millennium 2000." It is the largest meeting held in recent years.
CIM Council approves the revised version of the CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves – Definitions and Guidelines, which are incorporated by reference into the new National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).
2001
CIM held its Annual General Meeting and Tradex in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency under the theme of "Mine Space 2001" Quebec.
CIM's Definition Standards is officially recognized as a reference by the Canadian Securities Administrators.
CIM forms the Environmental Society.
2003
CIM holds the "Mining in the Arctic" conference in Nunavut.
CIM welcomes a new Executive Director on the Board, Jean Vavrek, and reorganizes its staff and department heads.
CIM holds a conference in collaboration with the World Gold Council in Vancouver.
2005
CIM holds its first "Mining in Society" show in Toronto (now known as M4S).
2008
CIM forms the Oil Sands Society.
CIM celebrates its 110th anniversary and Tradex’s 25th anniversary.
2009
The CIM Petroleum Society merges with the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
The Institute holds it first small-scale “Mining in Society” conference in St John’s, Newfoundland.
The CIM Bylaw is revised.
The Institute forms the Centre for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility.
2010
The Institute expands and moves to a new head office in Montreal.
The Institute holds its first joint Conference, China Mining Finance & Capital Markets, with partners in Beijing.
2017
The CIM Bylaw is revised.
2018
CIM celebrates its 120th anniversary.
Angela Hamlyn is appointed Executive Director of CIM.
Based on a recommendation by the Governance Committee, CIM Council decides to change the title of CIM’s top position to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from Executive Director (ED). Angela Hamlyn is the first CEO of CIM.
The Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Committee launches a new website that provides quick and easy access to relevant content.
2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CIM Convention and Exhibition 2020, scheduled to take place from May 3 to 6 in Vancouver, is cancelled.
2021
Following the cancellation of its 2020 conference as a result of the pandemic, CIM reached out to industry partners for support under the Corporate Patron Initiative. By May 2021, 35 companies have stepped up to help ensure that CIM can continue to carry out its work of promoting healthy, safe and sustainable practices; fostering diversity and inclusion; improving mineral literacy; preparing the next generation of leaders; and celebrating the achievements of the industry and its members.
The CIM Convention takes place as a fully online event, with the theme "Resilient and Thriving – Together in a Changing World."
2022
The CIM Convention and Expo takes place as an in-person event at the Vancouver Convention Centre, with a record number of 1,600 delegates and over 5,500 industry professionals.
The CIM Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary.
