CIM

Historical Highlights

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CIM Historical Highlights

Learn more about CIM's journey, from its humble beginnings in 1887 to later becoming a leading association in Canada. 125 years later, our community continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the mining and minerals resource sector.

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1887

The Gold Miners Club of Nova Scotia is founded in Halifax as a somewhat informal club interested in gold mining.

1888

The Gold Miners Association of Nova Scotia is formed as a reorganization of the Gold Miners Club.

1891

The General Mining Association of the Province of Quebec is organized in Montreal.

1892

The Mining Society of Nova Scotia is formed as a reorganization of the Gold Miners Association of Nova Scotia.

1894

The Ontario Mining Institute is organized in Toronto.

1895

The British Columbia Association of Mining Engineers is organized.

1896

The Canadian Mining Institute is founded in Montreal in March at the second annual meeting of the Federated Canadian Mining Institute, which is dissolved. The Institute is incorporated in March 1898 by Act of Parliament to include all former provincial groups except The Mining Society of Nova Scotia, which remains a separate body.

1902

The Institute, comprising only three provincial groups – Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia – forms its first Branches in Sherbrooke, Quebec; Kingston, Ontario; and Nelson, British Columbia.

1918

The Mining Society of Nova Scotia is formally affiliated with the Canadian Mining Institute.

1920

The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy becomes the official name of the Institute by an Act of Parliament.

1934

The Institute forms the Industrial Minerals Section, its first specialized group.

1940

The Institute changes the name of the Industrial Minerals Section to Industrial Minerals Division.

1942

"CIM" becomes the Institute's official abbreviation.

1944

CIM forms the Coal Division.

1945

CIM forms the Metallurgy Division and the Geology Division.

1946

CIM formed the Metal Mining Division.

1949

CIM forms the Petroleum and Natural Gas Division.

1961

CIM forms the Mechanical-Electrical Division.

1965

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Division is renamed the Petroleum Society of CIM.

1967

The Metallurgy Division is renamed the Metallurgical Society of CIM.

1984

The Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy becomes the official name of the Institute by an Act of Parliament.
The Mechanical Electrical Division is renamed the Maintenance/Engineer Division.

1990

The Geology Division is renamed the Geological Society of CIM.

1992

The Mineral Economics Committee becomes the Mineral Economics Society of CIM.

1998

CIM celebrates its centennial year.

1999

The Coal Division is renamed the Coal and Oil Sands Division.

2000

CIM holds its Annual General Meeting (now known as the CIM Conference & Exhibition) and Tradex (now known as the EXPO) in collaboration with the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), under the name "Mining Millennium 2000." It is the largest meeting held in recent years.

CIM Council approves the revised version of the CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves – Definitions and Guidelines, which are incorporated by reference into the new National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101).

2001

CIM held its Annual General Meeting and Tradex in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency under the theme of "Mine Space 2001" Quebec.

CIM's Definition Standards is officially recognized as a reference by the Canadian Securities Administrators.

CIM forms the Environmental Society.

2003

CIM holds the "Mining in the Arctic" conference in Nunavut.

CIM welcomes a new Executive Director on the Board, Jean Vavrek, and reorganizes its staff and department heads.

CIM holds a conference in collaboration with the World Gold Council in Vancouver.

2005

CIM holds its first "Mining in Society" show in Toronto (now known as M4S).

2008

CIM forms the Oil Sands Society.

CIM celebrates its 110th anniversary and Tradex’s 25th anniversary.

2009

The CIM Petroleum Society merges with the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

The Institute holds it first small-scale “Mining in Society” conference in St John’s, Newfoundland.

The CIM Bylaw is revised.

The Institute forms the Centre for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility.

2010

The Institute expands and moves to a new head office in Montreal.

The Institute holds its first joint Conference, China Mining Finance & Capital Markets, with partners in Beijing.

2017

The CIM Bylaw is revised.

2018

CIM celebrates its 120th anniversary.

Angela Hamlyn is appointed Executive Director of CIM.

Based on a recommendation by the Governance Committee, CIM Council decides to change the title of CIM’s top position to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from Executive Director (ED). Angela Hamlyn is the first CEO of CIM.

The Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Committee launches a new website that provides quick and easy access to relevant content.

2020

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the CIM Convention and Exhibition 2020, scheduled to take place from May 3 to 6 in Vancouver, is cancelled.

2021

Following the cancellation of its 2020 conference as a result of the pandemic, CIM reaches out to industry partners for support under the Corporate Patron Initiative. By May 2021, 35 companies have stepped up to help ensure that CIM can continue to carry out its work of promoting healthy, safe and sustainable practices; fostering diversity and inclusion; improving mineral literacy; preparing the next generation of leaders; and celebrating the achievements of the industry and its members.

The CIM Convention takes place as a fully online event, with the theme "Resilient and Thriving – Together in a Changing World."

2022

The CIM Convention and Expo takes place as an in-person event at the Vancouver Convention Centre, with a record number of 1,600 delegates and over 5,500 industry professionals. 

The CIM Foundation celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2023

CIM celebrates its 125th anniversary.

2024

CIM unveils a new visual identity.

Member Spotlight

Angela Hamyln

Chief Executive Officer
CIM

CIM is pretty unique in the sense that we’re a technical institute, and as such, for 125 years, our purpose is the promotion of best practices, the exchange of knowledge, and a connector of people. Those things do not go out of style.