Long live the Sault and District Prospectors Association By Delio Tortosa
T
Wawa Gold field trip, 2016. Overlooking Wawa Lake.
he Sault and District Prospectors Association (SDPA) has been around for over 50 years. It’s
voice to express concerns of mineral ex-
The SDPA also hosted the Northeast
plorers and lobby the government on be-
Ontario Mines and Minerals Symposium
half of the membership. Vivienne Burns
in 2007, 2010 and 2013, which brought
hard for me to recall the first time I at-
became the first president elected by the
prospectors and mineral explorers from
tended an SDPA meeting; it likely was
SDPA, who along with the vice-presi-
Northern Ontario to Sault Ste. Marie.
in the mid-1980s while working on con-
dent represented two directors on the
Sault Ste. Marie is an important gate-
tract for the Ontario Geological Survey
OPA board of directors. The OPA and
way to Northern Ontario, specifically to
based out of the Sault Ste. Marie resident
each local association represented a fed-
the Wawa, Chapleau, White River and
geologist’s office.
erated system of governance.
Marathon areas which provide access to
Prior to the year 2000, the Sault and
Throughout the last two decades the
high mineral potential areas (gold, iron
District Prospectors Association was
SDPA has been actively involved repre-
ore, platinum group elements). Our Dis-
loosely tied to the Prospectors and De-
senting local prospectors, geologists and
trict also extends to the east covering the
velopers Association of Canada (PDAC),
mineral exploration companies. This
Elliot Lake area, which was the hub for
but a significant change took place in the
has been done in part through the OPA
uranium exploration and mining since
early 2000s when the Ontario Prospec-
board of directors and various sub-com-
the 1950s.
tors Association (OPA) was formed and
mittees, Ontario government commit-
As part of the benefits that the SDPA
a vote in favour of joining the new OPA
tees, through close liaison with the Sault
provides its members, we regularly have
was approved by the SDPA membership.
Ste. Marie District Geology Office, Local
geological and mineral deposit field trips
The SDPA then became one of the
Citizens Committee (LCC), and by par-
that are well-attended. These field trips
six Ontario prospectors associations that
ticipating in various OPA symposia in
have included visits to the Eagle River
supported the establishment of a single
Northern Ontario.
Mine (Wesdome Gold Mines), the Island
10 Ontario Prospector summer 2020
