Nominations are invited for the Skookum Jim Award, newly established to recognize aboriginal achievement in Canada’s mineral industry.

Selection criteria and nominating guidelines for the PDAC’s Skookum Jim Award

The Skookum Jim Award recognizes:

• Excellence/achievement by a Canadian aboriginal-run service business for the Canadian mining industry;
• Excellence/achievement by a Canadian aboriginal exploration or mining company;
• An individual Canadian aboriginal person who has contributed significantly to the mining industry either technically, through a business venture, or through a mineral discovery.

Selection criteria

An aboriginal service company must:
• serve more than one client, e.g., the company cannot have been set up by a mining company solely to serve itself;
• derive at least 50% of its revenue from serving the mining/exploration industry;
• provide good service and efficient operation in the view of clients.
• be majority aboriginal owned;
• be successful in the view of individuals endorsing the award.
(Size of the company will not be a prime criterion)

An aboriginal mining or exploration company must demonstrate, not exclusively, but, for example, that it:
• is very actively engaged in the mining industry;
• has made a significant contribution towards an advanced exploration project, new discovery or significant business development;
• is majority aboriginal owned;
• is successful in the view of individuals endorsing the award;
(Size of the company will not be a prime criterion)

An individual aboriginal person must demonstrate, not exclusively, but, for example, that he/she has:
• been involved as a prime mover for a new exploration development;
• made a significant new discovery as a prospector or geoscientist;
• created business opportunities or development in the mining industry;
(Nominations for individuals require three letters of endorsement)

Other
• A business or individual cannot win the award twice.
• The award will not be given in a particular year if no new candidate with merit can be identified.
• The term ‘aboriginal’ includes Métis.


Nominations for this award, containing the name, mail and email addresses, and telephone number of the nominee and evidence of the company’s/person’s achievements should be sent to the chair of the PDAC’s Awards Committee, Edward G. Thompson, c/o Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, 9th Floor, 34 King Street East, Toronto, Canada M5C 2X8; fax 416 362 0101;