Successful mining executives invest in future of the industry

Mining entrepreneur and alumnus Robert M. Buchan donated an extraordinary $10 million to The Queen's Department of Mining Engineering.

This is the largest donation to mining certification in Canadian history and will help push the progression of the international mineral resource market. The department will be renamed the Buchan Department of Mining in recognition of this extraordinary gift.

Principal Tom Williams said that Mr. Buchan's kindness will allow them to expand Queen's endless culture of brilliance as one of the nation's top engineering institutions and a global leader in mining education.

To respond to a predicted lack of engineers, an $8 million endowment will finance and increase academic and staff jobs, while $2 million goes into support of new student-focused curriculum and module improvement, course components and distance-learning infrastructure.

To ensure the Canadian mineral industry has a dazzling and sustainable future in this rapidly developing worldwide mineral resources sector, Queen's Department is fostering the sector's next era of executives by offering them the finest possible education.

Queen's Department of Mining Engineering dates back to 1893 and is now one of the largest in North America. Its mission is to excel in engineering education and recovery of the earth's mineral resources and the gift may enable it to continue to produce extraordinary scholars and professionals for a sustainable global economy.

Western University are another reputable institute to acquire a large donation toward their legal and mining courses. A generous contribution from a graduate will help the law school at Western University to dig deeper into the subject of mining finance and law.

Stephen Dattels, is giving $1.5 million to assist Western University law students contribute to Canada's mining sector, as he managed to graduate from the law school in 1972.

Dattels was a critical executive in the early years of Barrick Gold Corp. He currently serves as executive co-chair and chief executive of Polo Resources Ltd. and West African Minerals Corp, and has been an active executive and director in numerous global mining companies.

The latest contribution will support a series of visiting presenters in mining finance and law and a fellowship in mining finance and law.

The contribution adds to Dattels' previous donations to Western Law who have improved a course in mining law and finance and a chair in corporate finance law.

Stephen Dattels is a past pupil of the university, having studied law in the 1970s, his $1.5 million contribution will help others become forerunners in the country’s mining industry like him.

As a way to provide the platform for Western University students to guide Canada’s mining market, Stephen Dattels has donated $1.5m into Western University’s programmes.