At the Xplor 2025 mineral exploration conference in October, a moment of reflection and celebration unfolded. Among the many voices that shaped the event, one stood out: Alain Blackburn, Agnico Eagle’s Senior Strategic Advisor, Exploration, whose nearly four-decade career at the company has helped define its exploration legacy.
During a special tribute, Alain and other members of Agnico Eagle’s exploration team were honoured for their contributions to the company’s remarkable trajectory. The tribute highlighted Alain’s vision, rigor, and dedication, qualities that have guided Agnico Eagle through some of its most transformative discoveries.
After the conference, we had the privilege of sitting down with Alain to talk about his legacy, his philosophy, and the moments that defined his career.
“It’s a question of trust,” Alain said when asked what kept him at Agnico Eagle for 40 years. “Whenever I presented a project or a proposal to management, I always felt trusted.” That trust, he explained, created a culture where ideas could flourish and risks could be taken - a culture rooted in the values of Paul Penna, Agnico Eagle’s founder, which has been carried forward by Sean Boyd, Agnico Eagle’s Chair of the Board and former CEO (1998–2022), and by Ammar Al-Joundi, the company’s current President and CEO.
Alain’s journey began with an engineering degree in applied geology from the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, followed by a master’s in project management. In 1986, after contributing to the discovery of the Bousquet 2 gold deposit in Abitibi, Quebec, he joined Agnico Eagle as Chief Geologist at the LaRonde mine in 1988. Over the next 37 years, he oversaw the discovery of approximately 42 million ounces of gold and managed an exploration budget of US$1.2 billion.
Looking back on his career, Alain identifies his most memorable moment as the discovery of the first gold deposit at what would become the LaRonde mine. LaRonde began producing gold in 1988, and under Alain’s leadership, an exploration program launched in 1990 uncovered additional deposits on the property. Today, LaRonde remains Agnico Eagle’s flagship mine, having produced more than 8 million ounces of gold and continuing to operate as a cornerstone of the company’s success.
Alain noted his knack for discovery has often been described as intuitive and his success attributed to luck and the willingness to do things differently than other exploration teams, but at the same time. His advice to young geologists is grounded in experience and practicality.
“Combine operations and exploration,” he urged. “Develop an understanding of geology in exploration and geology in mining. When you are in a mine, you see the rock, you touch the rock. You are seeing the deposit in three dimensions. When you are working in exploration, you are working in two dimensions, mainly with maps and sections, developing theories that will hopefully bring you to new discoveries.” His guidance reflects 20 years spent in operations and 20 years in exploration, giving him a unique perspective on the value of bridging both worlds.
A Scholarship Honouring Alain Blackburn’s Legacy
As a way of recognizing Alain in a meaningful way, also at Xplor 2025, Agnico Eagle took the further step of announcing the Alain Blackburn Geology Scholarship, a program designed to support the next generation of geology leaders in Québec while celebrating Alain’s remarkable career.
Created in collaboration with the Quebec Mineral Exploration Association (AEMQ), the scholarship will provide financial assistance and employment opportunities to undergraduate students in geology or geological engineering at Québec universities.
The first cohort will launch in fall 2026, with up to 10 qualified students receiving support. All Québec universities offering geology programs will be invited to participate, ensuring broad access to this opportunity.
Congratulations to Alain on his successful career and cheers to the future geologists his legacy will be nurturing!