Second-year CivMin students had a meet-and-greet with the robot Spot and a presentation on the present and the future of robotics in the construction setting during the Management of Construction class.
Karimi delivered an impactful presentation and demonstrated a real robot named Spot. During the class students had the opportunity to interact with and operate Spot, gaining insights into autonomous mobile robots and their successful applications in construction. This robot can autonomously navigate construction environments, automating capturing by 3D scanning of the site and surveying.
“We are dedicated to advancing collaborative research focused on autonomous mobile construction robots. Starting with a baseline platform, we aim to develop key visual artificial intelligences (visual AIs) in partnership with Pomerleau to enhance the usability of such robotic solutions, ” says Kim.
Pomerleau, a leading force in the Canadian construction industry, is dedicated to innovative and sustainable construction techniques. Currently, the company manages two construction projects at U of T’s St. George Campus. As part of the collaborative research between Pomerleau and the CivMin department, Karimi will also lead educational sessions for Professor Kim’s PhD students on robot operations and the complexities of the Robot Operating System (ROS). “The outcome of our research will be demonstrated and tested on real sites, validating its future potential,” added Kim.
Jadesola Babalola-Lucas participated in Blueprint in summer 2023 and continued with its yearlong engagement program, Prepare. (Photo: Submitted)
Jadesola Babalola-Lucas, 16, has felt an affinity for math and science since she was in elementary school, but it was not until the summer of 2020 that she discovered her passion for engineering.
“I was stuck at home because of COVID-19 and watching a lot of TV, especially the Smithsonian Channel,” says Babalola-Lucas, who is now in Grade 11.“And I kid you not,I had an epiphany watching Planes That Changed the World.”
She was struck by aeronautical feats involved in the design of aircrafts such as the SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest air-breathing crewed aircraft, and the way the engineers overcame their challenges with creativity.
“Ibegan to understand how interdisciplinary engineering really is, and it was at that moment that I realized engineers really do make the world go round,” says Babalola-Lucas. “Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something that big?”
A few years later, Babalola-Lucas stumbled upon a posting for Blueprint, U of T Engineering’s summer academic enrichment program for highly motivated Black high school students who are passionate about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). She could not pass up the opportunity to apply and step closer to her goal of studying either materials science or mechanical engineering, and then pursuing graduate studies in aerospace engineering.
The four-week Engineering Outreach program introduces students who have just finished Grades 10 and 11 to the engineering design process. Through course offerings, hands-on activities and collaborative projects, participants apply what they have learned to create innovative solutions for global issues.
Students are also connected with mentors, who are current undergraduate engineering students — some of whom have even gone through the Blueprint program. The mentors help participants understand the day-to-day experience of studying STEM in university.
Blueprint students continue their engagement with U of T Engineering over the next school year through two programs — Prepare for Grade 11 students and My Academic Planning Sessions (MAPS) for Grade 12 students. Through October to March, weekly virtual sessions guide the prospective university students through the obstacles they may face during their high-school-to-university transition.
Additionally, Blueprint participants who are accepted into a U of T Engineering undergraduate program are eligible to receive one of five fully funded entrance scholarships that is renewable for four years.
“Blueprint allows Black students to meet successful individuals with similar racial and academic backgrounds. We do this by inviting Black STEM professionals and current engineering students as guest speakers over the summer and yearlong engagement,” says Cassandra Abraham, a coordinator at Engineering Outreach and Blueprint director.
“This representation can be empowering, instilling a sense of belonging and motivating students to pursue STEM careers.”
The program is also structured in a variety of ways to facilitate connection among peers. At the start of the summer, students are divided into groups based on their hobbies and interests — information that is collected during the onboarding process. This encourages students to communicate and form friendships, says Abraham.
When Shenile Ellis, 17, first applied to Blueprint, the then-Grade 11 student thought it would be a great opportunity to learn more about different engineering disciplines.
She knew she was interested in mechanical engineering since she enjoyed the design process of 3D modelling and seeing projects come to life. She also wanted to meet other Black students her age who were interested in STEM and get a glimpse of what it is like to learn on a university campus.
“I wasn’t sure I would get in, but when I did, I realized I should never count myself out,” she says. “One of the Blueprint leaders always told us that we were there for a reason and that we are all capable.”
Students had opportunities to code robots in the Mechatronics and Automation course. (Photo: Shenile Ellis)
For Christine Martins-Ezeifeaku, 17, some of the most memorable moments from the summer were the hands-on activities that were a part of the two courses: Engineering and Human Health, and Mechatronics and Automation.
“In the biomedical engineering lab, we got to do many things we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do in a typical high school experience,” she says. “We got to diagnose sickle cell anemia and create E. coli bacteria.
“Getting to code the robots in the mechatronics lab and seeing them move after we finished was also an amazing experience.”
While Martins-Ezeifeaku has always gravitated towards working with computers and sees herself studying computer engineering or computer science at university in the fall, she knows first-hand the importance of seeing people like herself in the technology field.
“In Grade 10, I took a computer science course that was taught by a teacher who is a Black woman, and I was surprised at first because I wasn’t expecting her,” she says. “I loved that class; it really sparked my interest.
“Everyone who has helped me work towards the technology field has been really encouraging.”
As part of a month-long engineering design challenge, Blueprint participants were placed in groups and tasked with designing a solution to a client’s problem. This culminated with a presentation in front of judges, U of T Engineering Dean Chris Yip, graduate students and family members at the Myhal Centre for Engineering Innovation & Entrepreneurship.
“I really enjoyed the project because it allowed me to work on my presentation and teamwork skills,” says Ellis. “The experience also gave us experience that we could use in a first-year engineering design course.”
Babalola-Lucas was part of a team tasked to create a product that reduced locusts on a farm in Jamaica. Together, they designed and built an ultrasonic 40 kHz speaker with a high-enough frequency to disrupt the locust, but too high for humans to hear, so it didn’t affect human quality of life or wildlife.
“It was really innovative for us, and we ended up winning the competition, which was an extraordinary moment for me,” she says. “The entire experience was also an important lesson because I learned that no engineer works alone. You need to know how to work with anyone and everyone. You need to know how to collaborate. Blueprint taught me that from day one.
“I think any Black student who knows they love STEM should join Blueprint.You’re not only going to be exposed to the different disciplines within engineering, but you’re also going to experience a taste of campus life and learn how to study like a university student. You won’t regret it.”
Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou leads research collaboration to optimize investments in transportation infrastructure for social, environmental and economic outcomes
CivMin Chair, Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, is leading The Road to Net Zero, a new collaboration that will engage with communities to help quantify how investments in transportation infrastructure can lower emissions, improve public health and enhance equity. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
New funding from the Government of Canadawill support a multidisciplinary collaboration designed to inform strategic, evidence-based investments in transportation infrastructure across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).
By combining computer modelling with participatory data collection and community engagement, the team will quantify how transformations in transportation infrastructure can achieve shifts in travel behaviour that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and enhance equity.
“Changes to our transportation networks are not only about reducing commute times or getting cars off the road — they also affect where people choose to live and the quality of life that they have in different neighbourhoods,” says CivMin Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou who founded Positive Zero Transport Futures in 2022 and is leading the new project.
“If we want to fully understand the impacts of our choices, we need to combine our expertise in spatial and temporal modelling of emissions with community-based techniques that enable us to paint a more holistic picture.”
Collaborators on the project include U of T Engineering Professors Shoshanna Saxe (CivMin), Khandker Nurul Habib (CivMin), Eric Miller (CivMin), Greg Evans (ChemE, ISTEP), Jeff Brook (Dalla Lana School of Public Health, ChemE) as well as Professors John Robinson (Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy) and Erica DiRuggiero (Dalla Lana School of Public Health).
The project also includes a number of partners outside U of T, such as environmental NGO Pollution Probe, the City of Toronto and various community associations.
“Transportation is an issue that affects everybody, and multidisciplinary collaboration has always been a hallmark of our approach,” says Judy Farvolden, Managing Director of the Mobility Network.
“This project is a great example of the way that academic research can be strengthened and augmented with insights from the communities that are impacted by these changes. We can then bring this knowledge to our partners in government to make informed, evidence-based decisions that can lead to better outcomes for all.”
The funding from the Government of Canada accounts for more than $800,000 of the project’s $1.2 million budget. Other sources of funding include the Dean’s Strategic Fund, which helped launch Positive Zero Transport Futures, as well as the Mobility Network.
“These important investments are essential to driving infrastructure solutions that make a difference in communities,” says The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities.
“With research and data, we can strengthen housing and infrastructure to make a positive impact for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
Update for our U of T community: New Mining Futures Initiative complements our Lassonde Institute of Mining,
expanding our Mineral Engineering portfolio
Posing for a photo together are (L to R): Professor Lesley Warren (new Director of Mining Futures Initiative – MFI), Rachel Wallace (Director of Business Development and Strategy for MFI), Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou (Chair, Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering) and Professor Sebastian Goodfellow (new Director of Lassonde Institute of Mining – LIM). The group photo was taken in the lobby of the Galbraith Building, home to the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
Dear U of T Mining Community Members,
Mining has a critical and expanding importance in the development of climate positive technologies. At the University of Toronto, we have a significant role to play in mining research, education and workforce upskilling, while also providing leadership to help industry meet demand and sustainability goals. This is a time of transition and disruption within the sector and the University, and we are pleased to share we are evolving to seize this significant opportunity.
From FASE Dean, Professor Chris Yip: “Through discussions with industry leaders, students, Faculty administration and our alumni, we are excited to be expanding the U of T Mining portfolio with a new Director of Lassonde Institute of Mining (LIM) Professor Sebastian Goodfellow and launching the new Mining Futures Initiative led by Director Professor Lesley Warren.”
LIM will be evolving to focus on talent development for the 21st century resource sector and will work closely with U of T’s new complementary and synergistic research-intensive initiative, Mining Futures. This broader offering will help effectively deliver enhanced educational offerings as well as innovative research driven solutions, that will advance our reputation across the sector. This expansion will see new MEng and executive education initiatives as well as new research projects and collaborations in the development pipeline for 2024.
From the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering (CivMin) Chair, Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou: “We are looking forward to growing the ways we support the mining industry and our U of T community. The Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering is committed to educating our students and preparing them for a dynamic future, while investing in research and innovation projects that will support the mining industry’s shift to more sustainable operations. To that end LIM will be dedicated to enriching student learning at both undergraduate and graduate levels, creating opportunities for our community to connect with industry and experiential learning, and providing new leadership competencies and skills development through executive education courses and certificates.”
From incoming LIM Director, Professor Sebastian Goodfellow: “Our vision for the Lassonde Institute of Mining is for its transformation into a beacon of learning and leadership in the mining community. With a focus on engineering leadership, our professional programs will equip mining professionals and organizations with the knowledge and skills necessary to support the mining sector’s transition towards sustainability, while leveraging exciting opportunities within the digital frontier.”
Mining Futures will focus on the global industry’s need for new strategies and technologies to meet growing supply demands, as well as improve their environmental and social outcomes. Mining Futures name and vision were developed in consultation with our 2021-2023 Academic Steering Committee and our industry advisors. Mining Futures, led by Professor Lesley Warren as Director and Rachel Wallace, Director (Business Development and Strategy), will leverage our multi-disciplinary researcher ecosystem and growing industry partnership portfolio to deliver impact-oriented solutions.
From Mining Futures Director, Professor Lesley Warren: “Mining’s grand challenge is to balance greater production of critical metals and minerals required for the clean energy transition, whilst radically transforming its environmental performance and rights-holders and community partnerships to ensure environmental, social and cultural impacts do not negate its contributions to clean energy technologies. We are excited to be working with Dr. Goodfellow to deliver industry impact across research, talent and thought leadership. ”
Mining Futures is building new industry-academia partnership platforms to accelerate transformative outcomes that are resonating with the sector.This year, we signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Vale Base Metals (Energy Transition Metals). This partnership platform to date has three signed projects totalling over $2M+ in funding with Lead PIs Professor Mansoor Barati (MSE) and Professor Emily Moore (ILead). Currently, new projects are being scoped including sponsored research projects and people strategy initiatives which invest in upskilling the Vale and mining workforce. We will be hosting the Vale Innovation team on campus in early 2024 for our Vale Priorities & Research Capability Mapping Workshop. We will be sending out more information on how you can participate soon.
From FASE Dean, Professor Chris Yip: “We have partnered with Vale, a global leading mining company, ensuring UofT is central to their research and innovation strategy in the coming years. This investment emphasizes the important work we are doing in this space. With access to our world-class talent and expertise, U of T Engineering offers solutions the mining industry needs. The growing demand for Critical Minerals is an imperative we must address and we at U of T can provide leadership in improving outcomes for industry, the environment, and our country.”
From U of T’s Defy Gravity Campaign Co-Chair, Claire Kennedy: “Mining has an important role in helping to decarbonize our economies and support the energy transition through responsibly sourced critical minerals, while helping educate the 21st century engineer versed in sustainability. This pillar of UofT excellence is vital for the industry and Canada. I am excited to see the expansion and evolution of mining on campus with the transformed Lassonde Institute of Mining and new Mining Futures.”
We are looking forward to growing and expanding opportunities for our UofT Mining Community – stay tuned to hear more in 2024 as we move forward!
For more information please contact:
Rachel Wallace
Director of Business Development and Strategy
Mining Futures Initiative
Email: r.wallace@utoronto.ca
…..
Professor Jason Hawkins (CivE PhD 1T1), of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Engineering. (Photo by Craig Chandler / University Communication)
Jason Hawkins (CivE PhD 2T1), an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was awarded the 2021 Eric Pas Dissertation Prize at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, held Jan. 7-11 in Washington, D.C.
The Eric Pas Prize is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the travel behaviour field for a PhD student. One winner is selected from myriad international submissions.
Hawkins received the award for his doctoral dissertation – “Modelling Spatial Location Choice and Transition for a Changing Urban Landscape” – which he presented while a graduate student at the University of Toronto in 2021, under the supervision of Prof. Khandker Nurul Habib.
“The research goal was to develop a theoretical framework to model how home location choice and long-term transportation decisions affect each other,” said Hawkins. “My research develops mathematical models of human decision-making in transportation and location choice, drawing on engineering, economics, statistics, sociology and other fields. My dissertation builds on early work by the Nobel Prize winning economist Gary Becker from the 1960s on how people make tradeoffs between market consumption (the buying of goods and services) and home production (the producing of goods and services).”
Food consumption is a good example of how home location and transportation affect decision-making, Hawkins said. If a person likes buying food from restaurants, they may look for a home in close proximity to a variety of restaurant options. If they enjoy preparing their own meals at home, they may opt for a home with a large kitchen. The choice between these lifestyles affects how much time and money a person spends on housing, transportation and food.
Hawkins developed new economic models and considered other factors such as how households make tradeoffs in their home location to weigh the needs of all household member, and how the COVID-19 pandemic affected how people thought about transportation and home location.
“COVID-19 hit at the end of my dissertation writing, (but) we were already seeing shifts in the field from considering (a shift from) the ‘producer city,’ focused on cities’ ability to increase the efficiency of manufacturing, and towards the ‘consumer city,’ focused on providing urban amenities such as museums and parks,” Hawkins said.
“Omaha is seeing this pattern in its completion of the Gene Leahy Mall and riverfront parks. It’s an understanding that good public amenities can help to retain and attract talent to the city. My research provides quantitative tools to understand these shifting trends in urban functions.”
CivMin alumni received recognition for their service to the University
L to R: Barry Hitchcock (CivE 5T8), Robert James (CivE 5T8) and Andrew Wong (CivE 9T0). (Photos by Phill Snel, CivMin)
On January 16, the University of Toronto’s top volunteers in 2023, including thee CivMin alumni, were recognized for their service to the University. The 92 recipients, 11 of whom were Engineering alumni. were presented with the 2023 Arbor Awards at a celebration event held at the Carlu.
Established by U of T in 1989, the Arbor Awards are presented annually to alumni and friends whose loyalty, dedication and generosity have added substantially to the quality of the University of Toronto experience.
The evening ceremony was the first time the University has been able to hold an in-person awards ceremony since 2019.
Recipients from 2020, 2021 and 2022 were also invited and acknowledged at the celebration.
Andrew Wong (L)receives his Arbor Award from U of T President Meric Gertler
Andrew Wong (CivE 9T0) After joining the Engineering Alumni Network in 2016 as a board member, Wong was nominated as chair of the inaugural Nominations & Governance Committee. In this role, he oversaw the process of interviewing more than 80 alumni each year for leadership volunteer roles representing the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering.
Barry Hitchcock (L) receives his Arbor Award from U of T President Meric Gertler.
Barry Hitchcock (CivE 5T8) and Robert M. James (CivE 5T8) Both 1958 graduates of U of T’s Civil Engineering program (the Civ Class of 5T8), Hitchcock and James have played an integral role in helping their fellow alumni stay connected over the past 65 years. After the class president passed away, they stepped up to continue his tradition of keeping the group united, including through regular video reunions during the pandemic, annual lunches and a regular newsletter. (Robert James could not attend the ceremony)
Hitchcock relayed the backstory of how he and classmate “Robbie” took up the torch to keep their class in touch:
Our class had 83 who graduated in 1958. I am now the oldest living member by a margin of about four years.
When our class President, Pat Falby elected in 1954, passed away in 2018, I attended his funeral service along with two of our classmates. They asked me to organize a reunion lunch. I then held one at the Yorkdale Holiday Inn in May of 2019. I used the email list from the notice Pat’s daughter sent to advise us of his passing.
Six of us attended the luncheon, including one member from Vancouver who was in Toronto visiting his son. When we discussed whether to continue reunions, there was consensus that yes, we should do so. Rob James, volunteered as our newsletter editor for a year, providing I would agree to be Class President. Of the six classmates who attended that luncheon, two have since passed.
I felt I was not the best fit for the role, as I had attended only two years of the course, am not well known among the members, and am the eldest. I asked two younger classmates if they would take it on, but they declined; so, by default, I became it.
I was scarcely acquainted with Rob, because his career was with a U.S. firm and he only occasionally attended our reunions. Rob, now retired and living in Toronto, has two sons and a sister. Betty and I had dinner with him, but did not socialize with him prior.
Then the pandemic came, putting an end to future in-person reunions. Phill Snel, Communications Officer for the Department who interviewed me the summer of 2019 for an article, offered to set up Zoom meetings for us. The was we didn’t have a current email list. I visited Pat’s widow, Jane, to obtain to big containers containing 60 years of files. Rob, in turn, did an amazing job of condensing them into one smaller container of records, including contact information for our members. From this, Rob prepared a list divided into Deceased, Living and Active; the Living category included those we did not have current contact information for and/or did not respond to our emails.
We successfully started the Zoom meetings spaced every four months, or so, with about 15 participants. They included classmates from all around North America, such as Vancouver, Moncton, Toronto, Ottawa, San Francisco and Atlanta. Often joining us, besides Phill, were Nelly Pietropaolo, Brent Sleep, Sonia DeBuglio as well as other staff and faculty.
Rob regularly prepared newsletters, sent via email, for our Class of Civ 5T6. He just sent out newsletter number 16 in the fall of 2023.
After the pandemic we had two in-person lunches hosted by the University. One in May 2022, during Alumni Reunion week on the patio of a local restaurant by campus, was attended by six members and a spouse or family member. After the lunch, we were welcomed as guests at the Faculty Club and our class was recognized by Engineering Dean Prof. Christopher Yip, Chair of Civil & Mineral Engineering Prof. Brent Sleep and head of Engineering’s Alumni Relations Sonia DeBuglio.
The second luncheon, held May 25, 2023 and attended by 10 members and spouses, was held at a date to suit Betty and myself as we were not available during Alumni Week. It coincided with our 66th wedding anniversary on the patio of the Faculty Club, where we were treated like royalty. Betty and I were presented with 24 long-stemmed yellow roses and other gifts. I think it had something to do with Rob and I being in our advanced years to have such a good crowd turn out.
In summary, Rob and I have clicked together to do what we have done. I could not have done this without Rob, and I don’t think he could have done it without me. It was fate that brought us together at that Holiday Inn luncheon in 2019 when Rob spoke up about volunteering to be our newsletter editor. It was not as if we were buddies who planned this together, as we hardly knew each other. And it was Phill who kindly offered to set up our Zoom meeting; we wouldn’t have been able to set them up ourselves without his help.
Through working together, Rob and I have developed a close friendship; we keep in touch with phone calls and emails.
A word about our class history, in our post-graduation years:
Under the leadership of Pat Falby as President, and Bob Pillar as newsletter editor, we began in 1963 by having reunions every five years. These included weekends at the Sheraton Centre with a dinner/dance and more. Once, we enjoyed a week in Aruba hosted by one of our classmates (all costs covered including airfare, accommodations and meals for classmates and spouses). Our benefactor arranged it through a third party, remaining anonymous, and did not attend himself. We also, as a group, enjoyed a week in Las Vegas.
As our numbers dwindled, we started having the reunions annually with dinners at the Faculty Club. Outside of reunions, we had golf days at Collingwood and Alliston. As numbers dwindled further, our reunions because semi-annual lunches at the Yorkdale Holiday Inn each spring and fall. This eventually fell apart due to the illnesses and deaths of Pat Falby and Bob Pillar, and the passing of some of our regular attendees.
Mei Li (PhD candidate) presents at the 2024 Canadian Geotechnical Society-Southern Ontario Section Graduate Student Competition. (Submitted photo)
Mei Li, a PhD candidate under the supervision of Professor Giovanni Grasselli, secured second place at the recent 2024 Canadian Geotechnical Society-Southern Ontario Section Graduate Student Competition. The competition, held by our Department Friday, January 19, included representatives from institutions from Southern Ontario: Toronto Metropolitan, U of T, Waterloo; York, Western, and McMaster.
In her presentation titled ‘Utilizing High-Resolution Imaging and Machine Learning to Characterize Fracture Network Generated by Laboratory True-Triaxial Hydraulic Fracturing,’ Mei presented new findings that contribute to our understanding of how subsurface fracture complexity is generated. This was achieved through the quantitative characterization of the geometry of a shale fracture network artificially induced by laboratory hydraulic fracturing testing.
Exclusive event for Lassonde Mineral Engineering students:
Fireside chat with Ross Lawrence (GeoE 5T6), recently inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame
A photo of the attendees from the Ross Lawrence (GeoE 5T6) Fireside Chat on Wednesday, January 17, 2024 on the fourth floor of the Lassonde Mining Building at the University of Toronto. The event with special alumnus guest speaker, a recent inductee into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame (CMHF), was hosted by the Department of Civil & Mineral Engineering for largely undergraduate Lassonde Mineral Engineering Students. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
Prof. John Harrison (L) gestures to Ross Lawrence during the Fireside Chat event on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. (Photo by Phill Snel, CivMin)
He graciously agreed to share his career and life experiences with us during an intimate “fireside chat” on Wednesday, January 17. This exclusive event for our Min students, supported by Engineering Advancement, included a light fare reception following the talk.
After a welcome from CivMin Chair Professor Marianne Hatzopoulou, along with insightful perspective on the impact of mining on Indigenous communities at home and abroad, the talk was moderated by Professor John Harrison.
Lawrence’s career, spanning decades, included consulting on mining projects around the world. As a founding partner of Watts, Griffis, and McOuat Limited (WGM) in 1962, his career saw work in more than 100 countries, and established offices in Australia, England, Alaska, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, and Indonesia.
Of his notable technical contributions, was the introduction of a method for diamond drilling 12-inch diameter core. It allowed for bulk sampling, which had previously not been possible.
Lawrence and his fellow classmates led a fundraising campaign to establish the Class of 5T6 Engineering Award of Merit, for outstanding engineering students at U of T. He also championed Mining Matters, devoted to educating students and the public about the impact of the mining industry for Canada.
As a historical frame of reference, Lawrence emphasized how the little town of Cobalt, Ont. led the way to make it possible for Canada to take the world stage in mining. The hard rock mine saw the Cobalt Silver rush begin in 1903, when huge veins of silver were discovered, eventually leading to the Cobalt area mines producing some 460 million ounces of silver. It was this influx of capital which directly led to the funding of so many of the major Canadian mining projects which followed.
Lawrence also provided attendees with the bonus of signed copies of his book, Have Bag, Will Travel.
