Critical Minerals Forum

Workshop Location

The UBC Alumni and Welcome Centre is located in the heart of campus and easily accessible on University Blvd. Wayfinding at UBC. The Jack Pool Hall is located on the second floor of the Alumni Center.

UBC’s Welcome Centre’s knowledgeable staff can answer your trip-related questions, provide maps and directions, and offer helpful tips. Contact the Welcome Centre

Vancouver

Vancouver is a cosmopolitan city with a vibrant and multicultural population of over two million. Located on Canada’s spectacular West Coast in the province of British Columbia, and surrounded by ocean and mountains, Vancouver is one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Its location is accessible from around the globe, and it offers a mild temperate climate and year-round activities. Vancouver is often ranked as one of the top destinations in North America to host an international conference.

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for teaching, learning and research, and is consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. The UBC campus is situated on Vancouver’s west side, surrounded by temperate rainforest and sandy beaches. The campus has been located on this site for most of its 100-year history, a location that is the traditional territory of the xwmə0–kwəyˇəm (Musqueam) people.

We acknowledge that UBC’s two main campuses are situated within the ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam people, and in the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples. Learn more about the Musqueam people, their culture and their history with visits to the Museum of Anthropology and the Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, or a guided walking tour highlighting Indigenous art and architecture on the Vancouver campus.

Lodging

Critical Minerals Forum attendees will stay on campus at:

Walter Gage Residence
5959 Student Union Blvd
Vancouver, BC V6T 1K2

The guest rooms are private, safe, and a 5-minute walk to the Alumni Center and 25 minutes from downtown.

The block of Gage Signature Studios is reserved at the rate of $209CAD/~US$150 per room per night plus 13% taxes/fees.

Please use this BOOKING LINK to reserve your room today. Reservations cut-off date: 28 September 2026.

If you need assistance or require an accessible room, please contact the UBC Reservations Office at 604-822-1000 ext. 3, toll-free at 1-888-822-1030, or by email at [email protected].

These discounted room rates are valid for 3 days before and 3 days after the Critical Minerals Forum, subject to availability.

Transportation

The University of British Columbia campus is 25-30 minutes from Vancouver International Airport.

The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is Canada’s second busiest airport. Fifty-three airlines serve YVR, connecting people and businesses non-stop to more than 125 destinations in Canada, the U.S., and around the world.

Taxi and ride sharing services from YVR are available from the arrivals level of the Vancouver International Airport, and the drive will take about 25-30 minutes. There is a zone fare of $46 from the airport to UBC for taxis. There is no direct bus service from the airport, but there are several public transit routes that will safely transport attendees to and from campus. It takes approximately one hour and is currently ~$10 in fares.

Parking

If you stay on campus at Gage Suites, long-term parking is available, and you can walk to the Alumni Center. Gage Suites has a surface parking lot and underground lot. Guests that are staying overnight can request a pass from the Front Desk upon check in. The rate is currently $18CAD/day.

If you travel to campus each day, limited metered street parking is available near the Alumni Center along University Blvd and Westbrook Mall. Parking in one of the following parkades is recommended:

University Boulevard Lot (Premium — next door to venue)
6163 University Blvd, V6T 1Z1
Pricing: $4.06 per hour — no maximum
Directions

Health Science Parkade (Economy — five-minute walk)
2250 Health Science Mall, V6T 1Z3
Pricing: $4.06 per hour — maximum $22.12 (daytime/evening), $10 (holidays and weekends)
Directions

North Parkade (Economy — five-minute walk)
6115 Student Union Boulevard, V6T 1Z1
Pricing: $4.06 per hour — maximum $22.12 (daytime/evening), $10 (holidays and weekends)
Directions

International Travel to Canada

Canada law requires that all persons entering Canada carry proof of citizenship and identity. A valid U.S. passport, passport card, or NEXUS card satisfies these requirements for U.S. citizens.

An invitation to visit Canada may be required when applying for a Canadian visitor visa. This letter is for visitor visa purposes only. If your visa application is denied and SEG receives a copy of the denial by email before 13 October 2026, your registration fee will be refunded in full. After 13 October 2026, your registration fee will be refunded less a US$50 processing fee. Please note this invitation letter does not guarantee that you will be granted a visitor visa, nor does it commit SEG to assist you in obtaining a visitor visa.

Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 June 2026

We are pleased to invite you to submit abstracts for the Critical Minerals Forum, held 27–29 October 2026 at The University of British Columbia. The Critical Minerals Forum focuses on advancing the scientific understanding and exploration of critical mineral systems through integrated geophysics, geology, geochemistry, borehole and remote sensing methods, along with emerging tools such as AI, drone measurements, and new sensing technologies.

We invite abstracts on the following topics:

• Critical mineral exploration case studies
• Understanding critical mineral systems from geological perspectives
• Multiphysics and integration of geophysics and geology
• Advancement in inversion methodology
• Remote sensing
• Integration of geochemistry and geophysics
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning
• Decision-making under uncertainty
• UAV measurements
• New sensors and instrumentation
• Mine waste characterization
• Characterize mineralogy and geology in and beyond boreholes
• Economics and supply chains of commodities

Submission Guidelines:

• Abstracts should be at least one page and up to 2 pages in length
• 1 figure required
• Indicate preference for oral presentation, poster presentation, or either
• All files must be in pdf
• Authors are strongly encouraged to use the SEG Abstract Template
• Abstracts and all required information must be submitted via the SEG Abstract Submission Form

Important Dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: 15 June 2026
• Notification of Acceptance: 6 July 2026
• Workshop Dates: 27–29 October 2026

You are invited to offer your support of the Critical Minerals Forum by purchasing a sponsorship from the following list of opportunities.

• Diamond — US$20,000
• Platinum — US$10,000
• Gold — US$5,000
• Silver — US$2,000
• Reception — US$3,000
• Lunch — US$3,000
• Student Support — US$1,000
• Attendee Gift — US$1,000 plus cost of gift of choice

To review sponsorship opportunities in detail and to sign up as a forum sponsor, please download the Sponsorship Form and submit it to [email protected].