FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
XPLOR 2026: WHERE QUÉBEC’S MINERAL EXPLORATION INDUSTRY COMES TOGETHER TO SHAPE WHAT’S NEXT
Montréal, Québec — [September 9th, 2026] — This November, Montréal will become the meeting place for the people, ideas and conversations driving mineral exploration forward.
As the mineral exploration industry enters a period defined by renewed investment, critical minerals, evolving markets and rapid technological change, Xplor 2026 returns as the place where Québec’s exploration community reconnects, exchanges ideas and looks ahead.
From November 2 to 5 at Le Westin Montréal, Xplor 2026 will bring together nearly 1,200 participants, close to 100 exhibitors and a dynamic lineup of technical workshops, market discussions, project updates and networking opportunities designed around the realities of today’s exploration industry.
Organized by the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (QMEA), Xplor has long been one of the industry’s most important annual gatherings in Québec. This year’s edition builds on that legacy with a fresh, forward-looking program reflecting the conversations currently shaping exploration — from junior financing and mergers and acquisitions to critical and strategic minerals, responsible development, Indigenous collaboration and the next generation of professionals entering the sector.
More than a conference, Xplor is where the exploration ecosystem comes together.
A program built around the industry’s biggest conversations
Xplor 2026 opens with two days of professional and technical workshops, offering participants practical knowledge they can take back to the field and the office.
Sessions will cover topics ranging from geophysics, drilling and SIGÉOM data to metallurgy, QA/QC, gold markets and ESG throughout the mining cycle. The goal is not simply to present ideas, but to create opportunities for exploration professionals to deepen their expertise and exchange perspectives with peers.
The main congress then shifts the focus to the broader questions facing the industry.
Market experts will examine the forces influencing exploration financing and the outlook for junior mining companies. Industry leaders will discuss mergers, acquisitions and emerging opportunities, while project presentations will give attendees a closer look at exploration activity across Québec and beyond.
Critical and strategic minerals will also take centre stage, reflecting their growing importance to the energy transition, economic development and global supply chains.
The result is a program that moves seamlessly between technical expertise, market intelligence and business development, a combination that has become one of Xplor’s defining strengths.
Where ideas turn into opportunities
What sets Xplor apart is not just the conference schedule. It is the concentration of people, expertise and opportunities in one place.
For four days, prospectors, geologists, exploration executives, investors, service providers, researchers, students and government representatives share the same space. Conversations that begin after a conference can continue over coffee, on the exhibition floor or during one of the event’s many networking activities.
Dedicated spaces such as the Gold Fields Business Corridor, Redevance Or Business Café and Connection Zone are designed to encourage those exchanges, while private meeting rooms allow companies, partners and investors to continue more focused discussions.
For many attendees, these encounters are where new partnerships begin, projects gain momentum and future opportunities emerge.
That business-building dimension is complemented by a strong social program, including the Opening Cocktail, the WIM Breakfast and the Recognition Gala, creating multiple opportunities to reconnect with colleagues and expand professional networks throughout the week.
A new generation joins the conversation
One of the notable additions to the 2026 edition is a dedicated Student Networking Lunch, presented by Osisko Metals.
The initiative will create an opportunity for students and emerging professionals to meet industry leaders and begin building the relationships that can help shape their careers.
It is a natural extension of QMEA’s long-standing commitment to supporting the next generation of mineral exploration professionals. At a time when the industry is actively seeking new talent, creating meaningful connections between experienced professionals and those entering the sector has never been more relevant.
More than 50 years of industry leadership
Behind Xplor is an association with deep roots in Québec’s exploration community.
QMEA was founded in 1975 in Val-d’Or, when prospectors, geologists, engineers and investors came together around a shared objective: giving a stronger voice to Québec’s emerging mineral exploration industry.
More than five decades later, its mission remains remarkably consistent: bringing together the exploration community, representing its interests and helping create the conditions for responsible and innovative mineral exploration.
Over the years, QMEA has grown into a hub connecting exploration companies, geoscientists, suppliers, investors, researchers and public-sector partners. Xplor has become one of the Association’s strongest expressions of that role, a place where the entire ecosystem gathers to exchange knowledge, build relationships and move forward together.
That history gives the event its foundation. But Xplor 2026 is firmly focused on the future.
The place to be before the year closes
As 2026 draws to a close, Xplor offers the exploration community a chance to step away from day-to-day operations and take stock of where the industry is headed.
What are markets telling explorers? Where is investment flowing? Which projects are attracting attention? How are new technologies changing exploration? How can the industry continue building stronger relationships with communities while developing the minerals needed for tomorrow’s economy?
These are the conversations that will fill conference rooms, exhibition aisles and networking spaces throughout Xplor 2026.
With its combination of technical content, market insight, business development and community-building, Xplor 2026 is shaping up to be much more than another date on the industry calendar.
It is where Québec’s mineral exploration community reconnects, shares ideas, creates opportunities and helps define what comes next.
Xplor 2026 will take place November 2–5, 2026, at Le Westin Montréal. Registration is open, and the program will continue to grow as additional speakers and sessions are confirmed.
For more information, to view the latest program or to register, visit xplor.aemq.org.
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Media contact
Ian Clermont
Director of Communications
Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (QMEA)
819.762.1599 ext. 2221
About the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (QMEA)
Founded in 1975, the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (QMEA) represents and brings together the stakeholders who make up Québec’s mineral exploration sector. For more than 50 years, the Association has worked to advance the interests of its members, foster knowledge sharing and collaboration, support the next generation of professionals, and contribute to the responsible development of Québec’s mineral potential.
About Xplor
Organized by the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association, Xplor is one of Québec’s leading annual gatherings for the mineral exploration industry. Bringing together exploration companies, prospectors, geoscientists, investors, suppliers, researchers, students, government representatives and industry partners, Xplor combines technical knowledge, market intelligence, business development and networking under one roof.
