Mining industry’s charity hockey tournament to raise funds for educating aboriginal youth

TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – March 1, 2012) – The mining industry’s 5^th Annual PDAC-CARACLE Cup Hockey Tournament will raise funds for Mining Matters, a charity that educates students, teachers and the public about geosciences and the importance of mineral resources.

Mining Matters has a strong Aboriginal outreach program that builds awareness of employment opportunities in the mineral exploration, mining, and environmental sectors. The program consists of professional development workshops for educators, in-class workshops for students, and community-based summer camps.

“The tournament is an industry favourite for networking and friendly competition, and has become an important annual fundraising event to support Mining Matters’ education efforts,” says PDAC President Scott Jobin-Bevans. “By raising awareness about employment opportunities, especially in northern communities, Mining Matters plays an important role in the mineral sector and in the lives of individuals in the communities.”

The hockey tournament, to be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012, at Canlan Ice Sports in North York, is an event of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) Convention. The convention is held annually in Toronto and drew nearly 28,000 people in 2011 and contributed $72 million to the local economy.

This year’s hockey tournament has 16 teams with 256 players from across Canada, and 35 industry sponsors. The tournament begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends with an awards ceremony at 4:30 p.m.