Mines and Money blog - 02/12/09

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Cold front from Dubai... melts into spring blossom

As the first full day of Mines and Money 2009 got into its stride, the atmosphere among delegates was decidedly upbeat.

With over 1,500 people through the doors by mid-morning, the exhibition was buzzing as gloomy thoughts of Dubai (though still up for discussion) melted away to talk of a strong start to 2010.

Whispers of things to come hinted at fervent activity in the pipeline, from getting back underway with exploration programmes to a flurry of IPOs and raisings.

All the usual faces are in attendance, with a few notable additions. Women in Mining have a booth for the first time, and was drawing a lot of attention from both genders.

A number of students were also in attendance (identifiable by their attire) no doubt taking some comfort in the generally positive sentiment, with the possibility of new jobs coming back on the horizon soon.

The conference itself was also busy, with delegates popping in and out throughout the day to listen to the range of presentations being made.

And as the day drew to a close, the enigmatic Ian Henderson revived the slightly flagging audience with his personal thoughts on what makes a good investment.

The green shoots of earlier this year are turning into blossom, he said, echoing the sentiments of many delegates, and growth expectations are increasing.

Where do we go from here, he asks, perhaps to the bar downstairs (or at least one close by) for some well-earned refreshments.