Plus an eclectic blend of technical presentations that included: Biometric Drill design for in situ Astrobiological Studies; Proof of concept for a small lunar excavation robot; In the Mars yard & surrounding area; In situ geological analyzer for Lunar & Martian surfaces. In my opinion, the most fascinating one was by D. Linne and Gerald Sanders of NASA entitled: "Design considerations for an oxygen production plant in support of a Lunar base." The tour of the Canadian Space Agency was also spectacular and I want to express my thanks for the invitation, to Norcat and to Dale Boucher - Conference Chair.

First pictured here on the Mining Publications Int'l. site, it's a prototype drill. It will form part of a still yet-to-be-developed robot that would bore 33 feet below the Mars surface, grab core samples, bring them back to the surface, and then identify each of the samples. The robotic system would process the samples for examination, slicing them into thin pieces or polishing & grinding them before handing them off for analysis.

The "Canadadrill" weighs about 100 pounds and would use a rotating core drill bit with fused diamonds. The drill, with the accompanying robotic technology known as a subsurface sample acquisition and handling system, would sit on a fixed platform on the planet's surface.

We celebrated our third year of representing it.

In 2006 the magazine has grown from 28 pages in the First Quarter edition to 82 pages in our Nov.-Dec, 2008 issue. It has been an enormously successful year

Mining Publications International will be happy to send you a complimentary copy with its 2008 Media Kit. Both a recent edition & its Media Kit are now on our site under: "Publications We Represent."

Congratulations to Mine Manager, Roger J. Emdin, P.Eng. of XSTRATA's Craig Mine, Sudbury Operations, Onaping Ontario. He has won our very limited edition: "Mining Map Of South America" at the 2007 CIM exposition in Montreal. It is currently valued at $ 80.00 US. Thank-you to all of the CIM seminar attendees for visiting our innovative clients who were exhibitors. Please visit our page: "Mining Trade Show & Conference Services" for news on our next conference: RETC (Rapid Tunneling & Excavation Conference) in Toronto, June 10 - 13. Contact MPI to be involved in our low cost & effective promotional programs.

Effective April 20, MPI is especially pleased to welcome Jon Baird, Managing Director of CAMESE as an advertising agency for its members. Existing relationships its members have with other agencies will be respected. Innovative monthly advertising programs can be viewed on the MPI site for all of our national & international publications. MPI has put together exceptional discounts, free ads & many other incentives for all of its clients, now including CAMESE & its 250 members.

Now ... Here's the story behind the story ... Jon & I had a conversation at the annual CIM "Round Up' in Vancouver a few months ago. We know each other professionally & so when he approached me, I invited him to "my office" outside of the convention center, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. He laid out his idea to me & asked what I thought about it. To me ... it was an instant "slam-dunk". But getting authorizations from my publications ... that required insight & planning. Nevertheless- I successfully achieved what Jon & I had initially agreed to.

MPI began marketing to the Eastern Canadian provinces in September 2004. Effective January 1, 2007 Mining Publications International (MPI) will be responsible for all sales from coast to coast in Canada, for the USA based; Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME). We are especially thankful to the SME administration for the continuing confidence & solid support they have afforded to our organization. They include: Johanna McGinnis-Media Manager; Editor-Steve Kral & Executive Director-David Kanagy.

"I am very proud to be now representing my entire country for the SME, and bringing material benefits & unique marketing opportunities to Canadian mining suppliers." Lewis Bonder, Director- International Market Development.

On November 21, 2006 MPI was invited by the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), to a reception at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier Hotel and lunch at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. More than fifty (50) Federal decision-makers were in attendance. The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources was the keynote speaker. The focus was on issues relating to the need for regulatory efficiency and project review plus the importance of geoscience in addressing declining mineral reserves.

I broke bread with Sonia Couto, Trade Commissioner, Metals and Minerals, Business Sector Bureau. Valuable insights to the operations of the Trade Commissioner Service were very much appreciated. I hope to have some exciting news in the future from our tete à tete.

A big “Thank-You” to Gordon R. Peeling, President & CEO of MAC for the invitation. They promote, through the collective action of their members, the growth and development of Canada's mining and mineral-processing industry, for the benefit of all Canadians.

Also in attendance was my former president of the Canadian Institute of Mining and first ever female to hold that post: Patricia J. Dillon. Pat currently is the Manager of Corporate Relations at Tek Cominco. It was enjoyable talking to her, as she was surrounded by many of the attendees. She commented on my successes at CIM and that was very much appreciated. She looked great!

Tim Kennedy, Director of Natural Resources & Environment, for Global Public Affaires shared our table and was an interesting person to talk to.