CIM

CIM Rock Mechanics Award

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CIM Rock Mechanics Award

For significant and lasting contributions to research or applications in rock mechanics for the benefit of the Canadian mining industry

IMPORTANT CHANGES
Please note that this award will not be presented on stage at the CIM Gala; however, the award winner will be recognized on screen.

Award criteria

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The Rock Mechanics Award is given to deserving candidates, members of CIM, who have made significant and lasting contributions to research or applications in rock mechanics for the benefit of the Canadian mining industry. The award recipient is selected by the CIM Rock Engineering Society.

CIM Rock Mechanics Award criteria and other information:

  1. The award shall be made from time to time as circumstances warrant in recognition of significant and lasting contributions to the advancement of rock mechanics in Canada.
  2. The award shall consist of an appropriate plaque and other testimonial as determined by the Board of Directors of the Rock Engineering Society.
  3. No more than one award may be given for any one calendar year.
  4. The recipient shall be an active CIM National member, and have also been a CIM National member for a minimum of two previous years.
  5.  The recipient shall be a Canadian citizen.
  6.  Current members of the Rock Engineering Society’s Special Committee for the Rock Mechanics Award are not eligible for the award.
  7.   Past recipients are not eligible for the award.

Nominations

  1. Members of the Rock Engineering Society (i.e. CIM members who have identified the Rock Engineering Society as a technical interest group on their membership application form) shall nominate candidates for the award.
  2. A nomination shall be accompanied by:
    i. A letter providing a description of the nominee’s specific contributions to rock mechanics in the Canadian mining industry, and other unique qualifications for the award.
    ii. Other relevant information (e.g. letters of support, curriculum vitae of nominee).
  3. Completed nominations shall be forwarded to the Chair of the Society for Rock Engineering no later than October 1 of each year.
  4. A nomination stands for three (3) years.

Recipients

There is only one recipient of this award every year. This award is solely for individual nominations (no teams).

Winners

2025

Ming Cai

Ming Cai, a leading expert in rock mechanics, is a full professor at Laurentian University’s School of Engineering and Computer Science. With over 30 years of experience spanning academia, research, and industry, he has significantly advanced the understanding of brittle rock failure, rock support design in burst-prone ground, and rock stability in deep mining. He holds degrees from Tsinghua University and a PhD from the University of Tokyo. His work has influenced mining and geotechnical engineering worldwide, with over 260 publications shaping industry best practices. Prior to academia, he held key roles at MIRARCO, Mansour Group Inc., Tokyo Electric Power Services Ltd., and Tsinghua University. Recognized for his ground-breaking contributions, he received the Canadian Geotechnical Society’s John A. Franklin Award in 2017. His research continues to drive innovation in rock engineering and deep mining.

2024

Veronique Falmagne

Véronique Falmagne is a mining engineer with over 30 years’ experience in geomechanics and mine design. She has held various roles in mining operations, consulting, technology implementation and academia. Highlights of her career prior to joining Agnico Eagle include principal at Golder Associates; team leader, mining technologies at Noranda Technology Centre; assistant professor at Laurentian University and chief engineer at Ansil Mine.

In her current role as senior mining advisor, she provides technical support and review to Agnico Eagle’s management and business units and strategic geotechnical guidance on the development of new projects. Falmagne and her team contribute to the preparation of conceptual and feasibility studies and project construction. Her work involves de-risking of operating mine plans through the collection and analysis of geotechnical data from site investigations, numerical modelling of mining sequences and the trial and implementation of innovative monitoring technologies.