23 December 2025

A Year of Learning, Leadership and Collaboration

Conferences are at the heart of CIM’s mission, serving as essential gathering places where our community comes together to connect, learn, and lead. They create a shared space for professionals, students, researchers, and leaders to exchange ideas, showcase innovation, and challenge conventional thinking across every stage of the mining lifecycle. By bringing diverse perspectives into one forum, CIM events strengthen technical excellence, spark collaboration, and accelerate the adoption of new technologies and best practices. Most importantly, they reinforce the sense of community that defines CIM, ensuring that knowledge is shared, voices are heard, and our industry continues to evolve together with purpose and confidence. Let’s take a look at CIM events throughout 2025.

57th Canadian Mineral Processors Conference (CMP) – January 21–23, 2025

The Canadian Mineral Processors Conference once again affirmed its role as the cornerstone technical conference for mineral processing professionals in Canada. The week began with seven well-attended short courses covering everything from bulk solids handling and sensor-based sorting to flotation fundamentals, metallurgical accounting systems, battery metals, and policy-driven optimization. A notable addition this year was the Laplante-Laskowski Symposium on Mineral Processing Fundamentals, which brought academic researchers, industry professionals, and graduate students together to share cutting-edge research.

Canadian Mining Games (CMG) – March 7–9, 2025

The Canadian Mining Games showcased the energy, skill, and determination of the next generation of mining professionals. The opening banquet set the tone with thoughtful perspectives on mid- to long-term planning in the mining industry. Over three action-packed days, students competed in technically demanding events such as Mineral Economics, Jackleg, Tailings and Closure, and Equipment Selection, hosted by leading industry partners. Despite challenging weather and surprise mystery competitons, team spirit remained high throughout. The University of British Columbia claimed gold, followed by Université Laval and Queen’s University. Beyond competition, CMG 2025 reinforced the importance of teamwork, resilience, and practical problem-solving, while strengthening ties between students, industry mentors, and sponsors.

CIM CONNECT – May 4–8, 2025

CIM CONNECT 2025 was a landmark event, drawing more than 7,600 participants and highlighting the full breadth of the mining lifecycle. The inaugural Leadership Summit engaged CIM leadership and volunteers in shaping the organization’s future, while keynote speakers set an ambitious tone for responsible, technology-driven mining.

Rohitesh Dhawan’s opening address on ethics, innovation, and safety framed many of the week’s discussions, followed by panels exploring technology adoption, AI, energy transition, and financial strategy. New features such as the Canadian Mining Education Forum and the Innovation Exchange Series broadened perspectives on workforce development and applied innovation. From energy transition debates to financial resilience and communication-focused leadership, CIM CONNECT underscored the sector’s adaptability and collective commitment to sustainable growth, concluding with strong participation from students, young leaders, and industry partners alike.

8th Mines and Environment – June 8–11, 2025

Mines and Environment provided a deeply technical and practical forum focused on environmental stewardship in mining. Presentations addressed acid mine drainage, metal leaching uncertainties, selenium treatment technologies, climate change impacts, and innovative tailings management strategies. Case studies from Nouveau Monde Graphite and Agnico Eagle illustrated real-world applications of filtered tailings and acid-generating residue mitigation. International perspectives, including Brazilian approaches to compacted filtered tailings, enriched the program, while advanced modeling techniques challenged conservative assumptions in tailings design.

64th Conference of Metallurgists (COM) – July 7–10, 2025

COM 2025 highlighted the evolving role of metallurgy in innovation, sustainability, and advanced manufacturing. Keynotes explored scaling novel aluminum alloys, circularity in critical metal supply through recycling, and the future of in-situ characterization in additive manufacturing. Technical sessions and posters showcased cutting-edge research, while student-focused programming emphasized the importance of human skills alongside automation. Industry speakers demonstrated how metallurgical advances underpin everyday technologies and future-facing applications, from aerospace to electronics. COM reinforced the value of metallurgical science as both a technical discipline and a driver of broader societal and industrial transformation.

Uranium, Potash, and Lithium Conference (UPLift) – September 8–11, 2025

UPLift positioned Saskatchewan at the centre of conversations about critical minerals and the energy transition. Fireside chats traced the past, present, and future of uranium and potash production, highlighting collaboration, Indigenous partnerships, and shared learning across companies. New panels addressed workforce development, education, and global collaboration, while technical sessions delivered detailed insights into uranium, potash, and lithium projects. Keynotes on each mineral underscored Canada’s strategic advantage, innovation capacity, and global relevance. UPLift demonstrated how cooperation, knowledge sharing, and long-term thinking are essential to sustaining leadership in critical mineral industries.

Maintenance, Engineering & Reliability / Mine Operators (MEMO) Conference – October 1–3, 2025

MEMO focused squarely on operational excellence in a rapidly transforming industry. Opening keynotes emphasized innovation through partnership, predictive maintenance, automation, and Indigenous collaboration. Technical sessions spanned the full mine lifecycle, from design and execution to AI-enabled maintenance and safety practices. Keynote presentations reinforced Canada as a global leader in responsible critical minerals development. Throughout the conference, discussions highlighted that reliability, sustainability, and people-centered approaches are inseparable from technical performance and long-term competitiveness.

Capital Projects Symposium (CPS) – November 4–6, 2025

The Capital Projects Symposium closed the CIM event calendar with a rigorous examination of how mining projects succeed—or fail. Short courses and keynotes emphasized estimation discipline, purpose-driven leadership, realistic planning, and execution excellence. Panels explored financing challenges, collaboration under uncertainty, workforce capacity constraints, and the importance of trust between owners, contractors, and financiers. Speakers consistently reinforced that strong governance, transparent communication, and disciplined execution are essential to delivering projects on time and on budget. CPS 2025 captured the collective wisdom of experienced practitioners and underscored the power of community in navigating uncertainty and building resilient projects.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Across conferences, competitions, and symposia, CIM events in 2025 reflected an industry committed to learning, innovation, and collaboration. From students to senior leaders, the CIM community came together to share knowledge, challenge assumptions, and shape a responsible, resilient future for mining in Canada and beyond.

Explore the 2026 calendar now.