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Dating back to 1977, the PDAC Awards recognize outstanding performers in the Canadian and international mineral exploration and mining industry for their achievements and overall excellence.
The 2026 recipients of the Bill Dennis Award, Skookum Jim Award, Sustainability Award, Thayer Lindsley Award and Viola R. MacMillan Award will be featured in the following pages.
They will be honoured at the Awards Celebration & Nite Cap on March 3, 2026, at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto during the PDAC 2026 Convention.
Full profiles of the PDAC Awards recipients are available at pdac.ca
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Bill Dennis Award
The Canadian Royalties Exploration team was selected for the 2026 Bill Dennis Award for the landmark discovery of the Inukshuk deposit, a magmatic Ni-Cu-PGE system within the Expo Intrusive Suite of the Cape Smith Belt, Nunavik, Que.
Identified in 2021 through ground-based electromagnetic surveys, 3D geological modelling and bold step-out drilling, it represents the most significant new deposit discovered in the belt in over 70 years. The name “Inukshuk,” chosen by an Inuit member of the exploration team, symbolizes abundance and guidance, reflecting the project’s future. With over 114 diamond drill holes totalling 53,700 metres completed to date, Inukshuk is now recognized as the largest undeveloped deposit in the Cape Smith Belt.
The Inukshuk discovery, both a geological and operational milestone, highlights the power of integrating modern geophysical tools with advanced modelling and a willingness to drill bold targets in challenging subarctic conditions. It also demonstrates the perseverance, technical expertise and innovation of the Canadian Royalties Exploration Team. With its scale, grade and potential for expansion, Inukshuk is poised to have a transformative impact on northern development and Canada’s role in supplying critical minerals to the world.
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Skookum Jim Award
The Des Nedhe Group (DNG) was selected for the 2026 Skookum Jim Award for advancing Indigenous entrepreneurship and community-led economic development across the mineral industry in Saskatchewan.
Founded in 1991 by English River First Nation (ERFN), DNG has grown from a grassroots community initiative into one of Canada’s most respected Indigenous-owned business enterprises, with a network of 21 companies active in mining services, construction, land development, infrastructure and professional services.
An early partnership with Cameco laid the foundation for establishing a collaborative model that continues to shape Indigenous–industry relationships across Canada. Since then, DNG’s partnerships across Saskatchewan’s uranium and critical minerals sectors have generated more than $343-million in benefits for ERFN communities, creating employment, training and procurement opportunities while funding land-based healing, cultural programs and education initiatives that strengthen identity and well-being. One example is DNG’s role in negotiating and implementing the Shared Prosperity Agreement for Denison’s Wheeler River Project.
Guided by ERFN’s vision and grounded in community values, DNG has strengthened Saskatchewan’s mining and exploration industries, created lasting prosperity for ERFN, and redefined how reconciliation and resource development can advance together, capturing the spirit of the Skookum Jim Award.
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Sustainability Award
Blue Lagoon Resources was selected for the 2026 Sustainability Award for its approach to responsible mine development and meaningful Indigenous engagement at the Dome Mountain Gold Project in British Columbia.
A defining milestone of the Dome Mountain Gold Project was the 2024 Mine Restart Agreement with the Lake Babine Nation, which culminated in a 2025 ceremonial reopening of the mine, attended by 18 hereditary chiefs and Guardians, along with more than 100 investors and stakeholders from around the world.
Environmental leadership has been a hallmark of the project. Blue Lagoon invested early in a two-stage water treatment system that combines a high-density sludge circuit with a moving bed biofilm reactor that biologically removes blasting-related ammonia and nitrates. The system was successfully commissioned in 2025 and stands as one of the most advanced facilities of its kind at a Canadian junior mining project.
Blue Lagoon’s emphasis on transparency, community hiring and contracting with Indigenous businesses demonstrates how junior companies can advance projects while fostering shared prosperity. With a high-grade gold deposit, a fully permitted operation and strong community relationships, Blue Lagoon Resources exemplifies how sustainability, culture and economic opportunity can be integrated from the outset of mine development.
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Thayer Lindsley Award
AngloGold Ashanti, Renaissance Gold and Callinan Royalties were selected for the 2026 Thayer Lindsley Award for the discovery of the Silicon and Merlin gold-silver deposits near Beatty, Nevada, U.S.
Beginning as a generative program in the southern Walker Lane in 2014, when the district was often considered mature, the work ultimately delineated Silicon and the later Merlin discovery, now collectively advanced by AngloGold Ashanti as the Arthur Gold Project. The discovery timeline showcases disciplined geoscience and calculated risk-taking: from initial target generation and reconnaissance mapping by Renaissance and Callinan to strategic land acquisitions to secure the ground for Silicon, followed by AngloGold Ashanti optioning into the project and commencing drilling and subsequent geophysical work.
These discoveries catalyzed substantial value creation, and the outcome is the product of cross-company collaboration. Renaissance’s generative team and executive leadership partnered with Callinan’s funding/royalty strategy to create the platform for success, while AngloGold Ashanti’s team identified the specific target, executed the drilling, and performed further targeting and delineation to convert the concept to discovery. Together, they delivered a model case of prospect generation and partnerships that transformed an overlooked landscape into a world-class gold district.
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Viola R. MacMillan Award
Equinox Gold was selected for the 2026 Viola R. MacMillan Award for its strategic vision and financial execution in acquiring, financing and developing the Greenstone Mine in Geraldton, Ontario.
Equinox Gold initially acquired a 50 per cent interest in the Greenstone project through its 2021 purchase of Premier Gold Mines Ltd. – and ultimately bought out the remaining interest from Orion in 2024, thereby establishing Greenstone as Equinox Gold’s flagship asset and cornerstone operation. The development of Greenstone required more than US$1.2-billion in upfront capital, a significant commitment relative to Equinox Gold’s size at the time.
Beyond financing and production, Equinox Gold has demonstrated a strong commitment to stakeholder engagement and responsible development, including long-term relationship agreements with several Indigenous nations on whose territories Greenstone is situated. Equinox Gold also raised more than $1.34-million for the Geraldton District Hospital, which provides health care for a 2,767-square-kilometre region in northern Ontario, in a cross-Canada cycling fundraiser.
By combining bold acquisition strategy, innovative financing, disciplined execution and meaningful community partnerships, Equinox Gold’s success at Greenstone exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, technical excellence and commitment to responsible mining celebrated by the Viola R. MacMillan Award.
Advertising feature produced by Randall Anthony Communications with the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.