Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) 2026 once again confirmed its position as the world’s leading gathering for the mineral exploration and mining industry.  This year’s convention reflected strong global momentum for mineral exploration and development, driven by growing demand for critical minerals and renewed optimism across the sector.

“There was a clear sense of energy throughout the convention,” said PDAC President Karen Rees. “Strong commodity markets are contributing to optimism across the sector. At the same time, governments and the public are recognizing more clearly how essential minerals are to economic growth, electrification, defence and modern technologies.”

Discussions throughout the week highlighted several major trends shaping the future of the industry: the strategic importance of critical mineral supply chains, increasing investment activity and mergers in key commodities such as copper, and the accelerating role of data, artificial intelligence and digital technologies in exploration and mining operations.

Against this backdrop, PDAC also offered an important platform for Xcalibur Smart Mapping to strengthen partnerships, announce strategic developments and engage with governments, industry leaders and investors from across the global geoscience ecosystem.

Strategic announcements and partnerships 

One of the key announcements made during PDAC was the acquisition of EMerald Geomodelling, a strategic step that strengthens Xcalibur’s capabilities in advanced geophysical modelling and artificial intelligence applied to geoscience. By integrating airborne electromagnetic data with geological and geotechnical information, EMerald’s technology enables the development of probabilistic subsurface models that support more informed drilling, engineering and resource management decisions.

The acquisition represents an important milestone in expanding Xcalibur’s Earth Intelligence capabilities, combining advanced geophysical data acquisition with AI-driven modelling to transform complex Earth data into actionable insights.

“Together with Xcalibur’s world-class airborne geophysics platforms and Earth Intelligence technologies, we’re set to accelerate sustainable solutions for infrastructure, tunnelling, hydropower and natural hazard management worldwide. “ Said Andi A Pfaffhuber CEO of Emerald.

Strengthening international collaboration

On Monday 2 March, on the sidelines of PDAC 2026, Xcalibur Smart Mapping signed the geophysical data acquisition contract under the Ata de Registro de Preços framework agreement awarded in 2025 by the Serviço Geológico do Brasil (SGB/CPRM).

The contract covers 27,000 linear kilometres across Eastern Goiás, where magnetometry, gamma-ray spectrometry and gravimetry data will be acquired over a period of up to 250 days.

More than a contract, this signing reflects the trust and continuity that has been built over time with the SGB/CPRM team and the shared commitment to expanding and improving Brazil’s national geophysical dataset in support of the country’s long-term mineral exploration ambitions.

Xcalibur extends its thanks to Mr. Vilmar Simões, President of SGB, Mr. Francisco Valdir Silveira, Director of Geology and Mineral Resources, and Ms. Geovanna Silva, Head of Cabinet at the National Secretariat of Geology, Mining and Mineral Transformation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, as well as to the entire SGB/CPRM team for their continued collaboration.

Industry engagement at PDAC

Throughout the week, the Xcalibur team participated in Country Days, bilateral meetings and specialised industry events, strengthening relationships with geological surveys, government institutions and exploration companies.

The company also hosted its traditional PDAC hospitality event, which brought together a large number of clients, partners and colleagues from across the global geoscience community, reflecting the strong level of engagement and collaboration within the sector.

PDAC also served as a platform to highlight Spain’s growing role in the international mining ecosystem.

During the convention, Víctor González of Xcalibur Smart Mapping participated in the annual “Mining in Spain” breakfast, an event that gathered industry leaders and investors interested in opportunities within the Spanish mining sector.

The breakfast was opened by H.E. Alfredo Martínez Serrano, Ambassador of Spain, with panels moderated by César Luaces Frades and contributions from Iván Martín Méndez (IGME) and Julio Pajares Rivas, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in the development of the mining industry.

Earth Intelligence and the role of artificial intelligence in geoscience

Within the technical programme, Stephen Reford presented on the concept of Earth Intelligence and the role of machine learning in airborne geophysics.

Earth Intelligence refers to the integration of geoscience, remote sensing, geospatial analytics and artificial intelligence to transform large volumes of Earth data into actionable insights for exploration, environmental monitoring and infrastructure planning.

“As geophysical datasets grow in scale and complexity, artificial intelligence is becoming essential to improve accuracy, accelerate interpretation and support smarter exploration decisions.”
— Stephen Reford

Machine learning is increasingly being applied across the geophysical workflow, from survey planning and data acquisition to processing, modelling and interpretation. These technologies allow geoscientists to identify noise and anomalies in magnetic datasets, detect geological structures and enhance mineral prospectivity mapping by integrating multiple data sources.

Collaborative research initiatives are also accelerating innovation in the field. One example highlighted during the presentation is the partnership with Stanford MineralX, where researchers are developing new approaches to automatically identify exploration targets by recognising geophysical patterns associated with known mineral deposits.

Key takeaways from PDAC 2026

The discussions across PDAC 2026 highlighted several key conclusions for the future of the industry:

• Critical minerals are now a strategic priority for governments and industry, driven by electrification, renewable energy and advanced technologies.
• Copper remains central to the energy transition, with rising demand from electrification, data centres and infrastructure modernisation.
• Artificial intelligence and digitalisation are transforming exploration and mining, enabling faster discovery and more efficient operations.
• International cooperation and supply chain security are becoming increasingly important as countries seek reliable access to critical raw materials.

Together, these trends underline a broader transformation across the geoscience sector. As demand for strategic resources continues to grow, the ability to convert geoscientific data into reliable intelligence will become increasingly essential.

The convergence of airborne geophysics, advanced analytics and machine learning is therefore not only improving exploration outcomes but also enabling a deeper understanding of the Earth system and how to manage natural resources more responsibly for the future.