SMEDG-AIG EXPLORATION STRATEGIES SYMPOSIUM 27th APRIL 2001

Concluding Comments by KEN MAIDEN (SMEDG-AIG Poet Laureate)

First we heard from Pete Vanderspuy<

Who titillated us with fore-play

Baaie dankie, Meneer

It’s great that you’re here

Pete always has plenty to say

Jack Parry gave his observations

On strategy for all corporations

If you go to your client

With a high value giant

You’re sure to receive acclamations

Dave Timms’ talk was very appealing

He spoke of both digging and dealing

But if you’re in a big drought

You could then go without

The juniors – Oh, what a feeling

Bob Gunthorpe then made his submission

And exploration is in his tradition

But when discovery’s all quiet

You must then go and buy it –

It’s a great way to grow – acquisition

Tom Eadie then held our attention

But one thing he just didn’t mention

‘Cause this made me think

If you don’t find your zinc

You’d have to retire on a pension

MIM sent a geophysician

With electrical juxtaposition

And if everything fails

He can go back to Wales

To practise his old superstition

Alf Aggo then talked about data

And it seems to get greater and greater

But you need that precision

To make the decision

To explore at the pole or equator

Allen Trench then came to the fore

And talked about how to find ore

And it matters not whether

You wear out boot leather

But whether you increase your score

For Goldfields, there’s no shilly-shally

‘Cause they’ve quickly increased their tally

Out in Western Australia

Where they’re not used to failure

They’ve now started mining at Raleigh

Billiton picks the small companies at leisure

“We’ll back you, it’s only a pleasure”

But we now understand

That it’s all been well planned

To take over our national treasure

Though Gympie’s a well-known address

It’s been bloody hard to assess

So when you hear Gympie

Don’t think it’s all wimpy

This one’s a stunning success

The Newcrest talk was sensatious

And their programme was really tenacious

They picked up a sleeper

And then they drilled deeper

Klondyke at Cracow – good gracious

The Thunderbox case history showed

How to find a big gold-bearing lode

Though the man from Dalrymple

Made it all sound so simple

Good focus, sound work – that’s the code

Then Greg Hall’s presentation

30 years chasing mineralisation

It’s not always a breeze

‘Cause they’re moving his cheese –

Why did we all choose this vocation?

*

Today has been most interesting

There’s lots of ideas for digesting

Now go to your bankers

Who are a bunch of very nice people

And tell them to please start investing

So that’s it, that’s exploration

Strategy, technology, innovation

I’ll finish up here

So you can go for a beer

And indulge in some quiet conversation