AEMA’S ANNUAL MEETING

Chair Information & Resources

Short Courses Schedule:

  • Sunday, December 6: 8 am–5 pm

  • Monday, December 7: 8 am–5 pm

  • Tuesday, December 8: 8 am–5 pm

  • Exhibit Hall Hours:

    • Wednesday, December 9: 9 am–6:30 pm

    • Thursday, December 10: 9 am–6:30 pm

    • Friday, December 11: 8 am–11 am

Technical Sessions Schedule:

  • Wednesday, December 9: 8 am–5:30 pm

    • Concurrent Morning Sessions: 8 am–11:30 am

    • Concurrent Afternoon Sessions: 2 pm–5:30 pm

  • Thursday, December 10: 8 am–5:30 pm

    • Concurrent Morning Sessions: 8 am–11:30 am

    • Concurrent Afternoon Sessions: 2 pm–5:30 pm

  • Friday, December 11: 8 am–11:30 am

    • Concurrent Morning Sessions: 8 am–11:30 am

2026 Sponsorship Information

Registration Links:

  • Coming in August

FAQs

Chair Resources:

Welcome 2026 Annual Meeting Chairs!

On behalf of the American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) and Annual Meeting Program Committee, we are delighted to extend a warm welcome and express our sincere gratitude for your valuable contribution as a Chair at our upcoming Annual Meeting.

Your willingness to dedicate your time, expertise, and leadership to the conference is greatly appreciated. The success of our event relies on the dedication of individuals like you, who bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to their roles.

As a Chair, you play a pivotal role in shaping the conference experience for both speakers and attendees. Your commitment to maintaining the quality and relevance of the sessions and short courses is essential in ensuring the event's overall success. Your insights and guidance will contribute significantly to creating an engaging and enriching experience for all participants.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further information before the conference. We are here to support you in any way we can.

Once again, thank you for your dedication to the American Exploration & Mining Association. AEMA is successful because of members like you. We look forward to a successful and memorable event with your valuable contributions.

Please reach out to Devon Coquillard at dcoquillard@miningamerica.org or 352-425-0172 with any questions.

Please ensure you review this webpage (formerly known as the “Handbook”), which contains essential information, including Chair Guidelines, Key Deadlines, the Chair Checklist and Responsibilities, the Speaker & Chair Media Kit, and Sample Social Media Posts.

2025 Annual Meeting Program▼

Chair Responsibilities

Thank you sincerely for your valuable contributions as a Technical Session Chair to the success of the AEMA Annual Meeting. Your time, expertise, and commitment are truly appreciated. Session Chairs, like yourself, play a crucial role in shaping the event and defining each speaker's role.

Responsibilities:

Throughout the planning and execution of the AEMA Annual Meeting, Session Chairs play a pivotal role as the primary link between AEMA Conference Staff, Program Chairs, and session speakers.

Session Chairs maintain regular communication with their speakers, including notifying them of their acceptance to present and coordinating their scheduling. They provide guidance to ensure that presentations align with the Annual Meeting's theme and the session description. Chairs work with speakers to establish time allocations, determine the order of presentations, and address any audio-visual (AV) requirements.

Chairs are also responsible for encouraging speakers to master their material and avoid relying heavily on reading from slides. They advocate for concise, visually engaging presentations with minimal text to maximize audience engagement and impact.

Each session will require a designated co-chair. Session Chairs and Co-Chairs must coordinate closely to ensure the session is well-organized and that all responsibilities are covered effectively.

Please note that failure to meet deadlines or fulfill the responsibilities outlined may result in removal as Session Chair to ensure the smooth planning and execution of the program.

Requirements:

  • All Session Chairs or Organizers must be current AEMA members or affiliated with a Member organization.

  • All sessions will have a co-chair. All session chairs will be required to coordinate with co-chairs.

Annual Meeting Fees:

  • Technical session registration fees for chairs and co-chairs will be waived, provided they are individual AEMA members or employed by a member company.

  • One speaker per talk will receive complimentary technical session registration, provided they are individual AEMA members or employed by a member company.

    • Government, state regulatory agencies, and geological survey employees are exempt from the membership requirement to receive a waived registration as a speaker.

    • College or university professors and other employees not associated with the state Geological Survey/Bureau of Mines are required to be members for the waived registration fee as a speaker.

  • Non-member speakers pay the discounted member rate of $500 for registration.

Annual Meeting Registration:

  • Registration is required for all attendees, including Speakers, Session Chairs, or Organizers.

  • Failure to register by the Advanced Registration Deadline of November 13 will require on-site registration. Register early to ensure the best price.

  • All Chairs and Speakers must complete registration before participating in the session, with no exceptions.

Resources:

  • For reference, the 2025 Annual Meeting Program is available here.

Please reach out to Devon or Deanna with any questions.

Chair Deadlines

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Chair Deadlines ~

Important Dates:

  • July 15: Registration Brochure Information Due Information

    • Needed: Changes to the Session Title, description, etc.

  • September 15: Final Program Information is Due Information

    • Needed: Changes to the Session Title, description, etc.

    • Speaker Lineup and Form due (to include Final Title for all Session Talks)

  • September 30: Abstracts Due

    • Abstracts and short bios from all Technical Session Speakers are to be published in AEMA’s event App.

      • Abstracts are not required.

    • The Session Chair should collect all Session Abstracts and submit to Devon Coquillard

    • Abstracts should be more detailed than the Preliminary Abstract. 300—400 words. Accepted formats .Doc or .Docx

  • September 30:Audio/Visual Request Forms Due

  • September 30: Last day for Early Bird Registration Prices

  • October 1: Registration Prices increase

  • October 15: Print Deadline Program

    • The program is sent to the printer; any changes after this date will not be reflected in the printed program.

  • November 13: Pre-Registration Deadline. All speakers and organizers MUST be registered to ensure lowest price.

  • December 6-11: Annual Meeting

Chair Checklist (Suggested)

Early Preparation

  • June 15: Confirm Participation

    • Submit Session Topic/Title & Call for Papers Information

    • Session Topic & Working Title

    • Co-Chair

    • Bios and headshots of chairs

  • June 26: Call for Papers Closes

    • Begin reviewing submissions and preparing for speaker selection.

  • July 31: Notify Submission Authors of Acceptance or Denial

    • Inform all authors who submitted to the Call for Papers of the status of their submission.

Session Information Submission

  • July 15: Submit Information for First Registration Brochure

    • Provide:

      • Co-Chair Name, Title, Company Affiliation, Email, Phone

      • Headshots and short bios (50–75 words) for both chairs

      • Session Title

      • Course Description & Learning Objective (~100 words)

  • September 15: Submit Registration Brochure Updates

    • Confirm or update:

      • Session Title, description, etc.

      • Speaker Information Sheet

      • Working Titles of all Session Talks

Speaker Coordination

  • July: Hold Initial Speaker Meeting

    • Introduce speakers and co-chair.

    • Discuss session goals, preliminary schedule, and presentation guidelines.

  • August: Hold Midpoint Check-In Meeting

    • Review draft presentations and confirm AV needs.

    • Discuss progress on abstracts and session alignment.

  • Late September: Hold Final Speaker Meeting

    • Confirm final presentations and speaker order.

    • Address any last-minute questions or updates.

    • Ensure all speakers are registered

Finalize Program Details

  • September 15: Submit Final Program Information

    • Confirm or update:

      • Session Title, description, etc.

      • Speaker form (with lineup) & final titles for all talks.

  • September 30: Collect and Submit Abstracts

    • Gather abstracts (300–400 words) from all session speakers who want to include an abstract.

    • Ensure abstracts are detailed and in .Doc or .Docx format.

    • Collect short bios from all speakers.

    • Submit abstracts and bios to Devon Coquillard.

  • September 30: Last day for Early Bird pricing registration, Please ensure all speakers are registered.

  • September 30: Submit Audio/Visual Request Forms

    • Gather AV requirements for the session and submit.

Final Steps Before Event

  • October 15: Print Deadline for Program

    • Ensure all final updates to session details are submitted before this date.

  • November 13: Pre-Registration Deadline

    • Confirm all speakers and organizers are registered.

Ongoing Responsibilities

  • Maintain regular communication with all speakers to confirm schedules, updates, and requirements.

  • Coordinate closely with the Co-Chair to ensure all tasks are completed on time.

  • Emphasize the importance of engaging presentations with minimal slide text.

Speaker & Chair Media Kit

Welcome to the AEMA’s Annual Meeting Speaker Media Kit! We're thrilled to have you as a distinguished speaker at our upcoming conference. This kit is designed to assist you in preparing for and promoting your participation. If you have any specific requests or require additional information, please don't hesitate to contact AEMA’s Communications & Outreach Manager, Kenna O’Neill, at koniell@miningamerica.org or (360) 520-3865.

Please note that this document will be updated regularly to include new materials and information for your use.

Media Inquiries

Please direct all reporters to Kenna, our designated media contact, for all media inquiries. Kenna will be happy to provide information and assistance regarding our organization and event. Thank you for your cooperation.

Press Release Template

Continue to check back for updated press release templates as we get closer to the Annual Meeting.

Conference Overview

The American Exploration & Mining Association’s Annual Meeting is the second-largest annual conference in the mining industry, bringing together experts and thought leaders from around the globe. This 3-day conference will feature insightful keynotes, engaging panel discussions, and interactive short courses, providing a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and collaboration. The convention includes short courses, technical sessions, and a 250-booth trade exposition.

Promotional Materials

Share your participation on social media and with your network. Keep checking back for new materials and templates as we get closer to the Annual Meeting. Download graphics and promotional materials via the Chair Sharepoint site. Reach out to Devon if you need access.

Note that some of the materials will provide a space to add your own company branding (logos, headshot, etc.) and room to add your session name and presentation name. If you need any assistance adding this information, please contact Kenna.

Social Media

Connect with the conference community on social media. Tag us in your posts and use the official conference hashtag:

  • Twitter: @MiningAmerica

  • Instagram: MiningAmerica

  • Facebook: American Exploration & Mining Association

  • Linked In: American Exploration & Mining Association

  • Hashtag: #AEMA26

Sample Social Media Posts:

  • #SaveTheDate for #AEMA26, where you can catch Brown & Caldwell’s Todd Glindeman, Mining & Waste Market Sector Director, as a featured presenter during the Dec. 9-11 technical session program in Sparks, NV. Learn more at miningamerica.org.

Another easy way to promote the Annual Meeting is by sharing AEMA Annual Meeting content and posts. Be sure to follow our social media accounts and take advantage throughout the year. Continue to check back for updated samples as we get closer to the Annual Meeting.

Questions

If you require any further assistance, please contact AEMA’s Communications & Outreach Manager, Kenna O’Neill, at koniell@miningamerica.org or (360) 520-3865.

Your Annual Meeting Team

THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS

FAQs

 

Q: How do I register?

A: Register for the event is online only. Registration can be completed by visiting: www.miningamerica.org/annualmeeting 

Registration will open in August


Q: As a Chair, do I need to register?

A: All attendees, including chairs, speakers, and exhibitors, must be registered. To benefit from the advanced discounted rate, and avoid the $50 late charge on-site, ensure your registration is completed by midnight PST on Friday, November 13, 2026.


Q: As a Chair, do I pay for registration?

A: We will comp technical session registration for session chairs and 1 speaker per talk [maximum of six (6) comped speakers per session] provided you are either individual members of AEMA, one of the two corporate representatives of a member company, or employed by a member company provided registration is completed by September 30th during the Early Bird registration period.

The exception to this is employees of the federal government and state regulatory agencies & geological surveys. This exception DOES NOT apply to college or university professors or other employees of colleges and universities who are not associated with the state Geological Survey/Bureau of Mines.

Non-member session chairs and speakers will be required to register at the member rate of $500. 

Please indicate which Session you are speaking in during registration.



Q: Is there a room block?

A: Yes, AEMA has a room block at the Nugget Casino Resort, located at 1100 Nugget Ave, Sparks, Nevada, 89431, USA.

AEMA strives to minimize participants' costs by negotiating competitive room rates. Your registration and hotel bookings directly contribute to keeping meetings accessible and supporting future events.

Register and reserve your room with the official AEMA Annual Meeting room block before November 24, 2026, to guarantee the best rates.

The room block will open in July.

Q: Am I responsible for my own room reservations?

A: Yes, all attendees, speakers, chairs, and exhibitors are responsible for making their own reservations, including room, tax, resort fee, and incidental charges. 

The hotel requires a one-night room deposit per room to guarantee accommodations. All major credit cards are accepted for the deposit, which is refundable if canceled forty-eight (48) hours prior to arrival. This deposit guarantees the room until 12:00 midnight on the scheduled arrival date. Check-in is 3:00 pm, and Check-out is 11:00 am.

Q: What are the room rates?

Resort and Casino (formerly West and East) Towers (Single or Double Occupancy): $109

Triple and Quad occupancy rates are $10 per person over the quoted rate

AEMA discounted resort fee is $26