Young Mining Professionals (“YMP”), in partnership with The Northern Miner, is pleased to announce that the nominations are now open for the Young Mining Professional of the Year Awards (“YMP Awards”), named in honour of two iconic entrepreneurs in the mining industry: Peter Munk and Eira Thomas.
YMP is soliciting nominations from the public to nominate the top leaders in the mining and metals industry. The YMP Awards recognise two young outstanding mining entrepreneurs – one male and one female – who, over the past year and throughout the course of their careers, have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and innovative thinking to create value for their companies, shareholders, as well as for themselves.
Nomination criteria:
- Under the age of 40 as of December 31, 2025.
- Currently engaged in the mining and metals industry.
Evaluation criteria:
- Leadership excellence – Demonstrated strong leadership throughout the past year and career—this could include leading teams, driving change, or championing initiatives.
- Innovative thinking – Shown creativity or innovation that creates value—for their company, stakeholders, or themselves.
- Value creation – Consistently delivered measurable results—financial, operational, or strategic value.
Please visit https://www.youngminingprofessionals.com/awards to submit your nomination.
Nominations for the Peter Munk Award (male) and the Eira Thomas Award (female) are open to the public until October 2025. Winners will be selected by YMP and The Northern Miner and announced in January 2026. The Awards celebration takes place on February 28, 2026, at the Shangri-La Toronto, ahead of The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention. Tickets will be available from October 2025.
Previous award winners:
Peter Munk Award – Adam Lundin, Jack Lundin, Scott Berdahl, Vincent Metcalfe, Alex Dorsch, Matthew Fenton, David Cataford, Jose Vizquerra, Stephen de Jong and Nolan Watson.
Eira Thomas Award – Ana Juárez, Ella Cullen, Kelly Earle, Shelby Yee, Maggie Layman, Ashley Kirwan, Andrée St-Germain, Catherine Raw, and Alicia Woods.
YMP would like to thank the generous sponsors and supporters of the YMP Awards: Barrick Gold, KPMG and Cassels. Their commitment to recognising and empowering the talented and committed next generation is invaluable to our industry.
About YMP
YMP is a global association of mining professionals committed to advancing the leadership and visibility of the mining industry. YMP has chapters in Arizona, Brazil, Brisbane, Denver, London, Mongolia, Montreal, Perth, Peru, Riyadh, Sudbury, Switzerland, Toronto and Vancouver. YMP supports it’s members through career development and scholarships, networking and access to investment opportunities. Each chapter hosts a range of events in their respective city, including the Distinguished Speakers series, which has attracted industry leaders including Peter Munk, Pierre Lassonde, Sir Mick Davis, Mark Cutifani, Ian Telfer, Eira Thomas, Rob McEwen, Don Lindsay, Ross Beaty and many more.
For more information on YMP, our chapters, the YMP Awards and other YMP events, please visit our website at www.youngminingprofessionals.com or email us at info@youngminingprofessionals.com.
