ABOUT CONTOUR EXPLORATION

OUR COMPANY HISTORY

WHO WE ARE

Our Company History

Founded in 2022 by industry veterans Paul MacDonald, Jim Donaldson, Michael MacDonald, and Michelle Palmes, Contour was built on a shared vision: to provide safe, professional, and best-in-class services in the mining exploration and geotechnical site investigation sectors. With the addition of Brett Joseph and Guy Laplante to our leadership team, we bring even more expertise and experience to every project.

Our Commitment

Safety and quality are the foundations of our business. These principles drive our growth as we expand operations across Canada and into the United States.

We are excited to expand our U.S. presence through our Alaskan subsidiary, Contour Services Inc., which is fully equipped and ready to deploy crews for projects nationwide.

Global Experience

Our dedication to serving the North American market extends beyond the U.S. and Canada. Our teams have extensive experience in Mexico and Latin American exploration programs, with Spanish-speaking personnel to ensure seamless communication and project success in the region.

WHAT WE DO

Contour provides a wide range of services to meet your exploration and site investigation needs:

Exploration Construction Services: Timber-framed drill pads, helipads, met/comm tower platforms, water systems/storage, sumps, emergency shelters, field labs, medic shacks, fuel storage sites.

Turnkey Exploration Programs: Managing/staffing projects from planning and permitting to execution and reporting.

Exploration Camps: Designing and constructing comfortable, functional camps for your field teams.

Site Preparation: Comprehensive falling, clearing, and line cutting services.

Claim Staking: Conducting helicopter and ground claim staking, digital tenure management.

Geochemical Surveys: Our trained crews conduct till, stream sediment, soil, and rock (channel/prospecting) sampling, knowing a single sample can lead to discovery. Every sample matters.

Remote Site Reclamation: Comprehensive reclamation services for hard-to-access sites.

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide the highest quality service in the safest and most professional manner possible.

Integrity, Hard Work, Safety, and Service – ALWAYS!

Vision

To have a positive impact on our industry’s safety and quality levels by setting the standard.

We can do this when we:

• Deliver reliable service

• Take ownership in everything

• Commit to continuous improvement

• Build a positive team environment

Values

• Integrity

• Hard Work

• Safety

• Reconciliation

• Service

• Respect

OUR MISSION, VISION, and VALUES

Every day at work, we are privileged to collaborate with our Indigenous colleagues, who comprise over 30% of our team. We see firsthand the richness of Indigenous cultures and the lasting impact of past government policies. We are dedicated to doing things differently, building trust, and fostering true partnerships with Indigenous communities. Our Truth and Reconciliation Policy reflects our commitment to moving forward with respect, listening to, and aligning with community values.

Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation:

Building Relationships, Respecting Cultures

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Culture of Respect

We are committed to building a workplace where everyone feels respected and valued, regardless of their background or identity. We believe that a culture of respect fosters collaboration, innovation, and success.

MANAGEMENT TEAM

PAUL MACDONALD

Born in Whitehorse, Paul has over 35 years experience in the mining exploration industry, specializing in leading pad building crews on multi-drill programs. His expertise spans across all aspects of placer and hard-rock mineral exploration, from claim staking to resource drilling, as well as placer development and mining.

In addition to his mining exploration experience, Paul is an accomplished climber and faller, holding a ticketed blaster position in the Yukon for two decades. His dedication to his craft is evident in his strong work ethic, and he takes great pride in mentoring and guiding younger crew members to develop their skills and excel in their roles.

Managing Partner

JIM DONALDSON

Managing Partner

Jim is a passionate Explorationist with over 35 years of hands-on experience in grassroots mining exploration. Throughout his career, he has fulfilled various roles, including claim staker, line cutter, dirt-bagger, prospector, drillers' helper, placer miner, camp carpenter, extreme pad builder, program lead, and project manager.

Jim's extensive expertise includes conducting MAG, VLF, and HLEM surveys, covering thousands of kilometers in search of base and precious metals. He has ventured from the high arctic islands to Patagonia, exploring challenging terrains. Jim thrives on tackling logistical hurdles and increasing efficiency on exploration projects.

MICHELLE PALMES

Managing Partner

Michelle has 17-years experience in the exploration industry across Canada, the USA, and Mexico. She has excelled in everything she does including recent roles as Senior Geological Technician at operating BC mines. Her expertise encompasses geochemical sampling programs, prospecting, surface and downhole surveying, overseeing drill programs, and the management of exploration camps and core shacks. Beyond her technical roles as an XRF technician, data collection, sampling, and QA/QC, Michelle plays a vital role in overseeing our Health & Safety protocols and leads our Administration department with skill.

MICHAEL MACDONALD

Michael has over 13 years of experience in Mining Exploration, and what initially began as a summer job during his university years, transformed into a full-fledged career, igniting a deep passion for the industry. He has dedicated the majority of his career to constructing drill and helicopter pads in remote regions of British Columbia, Yukon, and Nunavut. Additionally, Michael has valuable experience in managing camps, overseeing drill programs, cutting seismic lines, clearing sites, and tackling various challenges that arise during projects.

He excels at assisting clients in accomplishing their project goals while maintaining a strong commitment to safety and efficiency.

Managing Partner

Brett Joseph

Brett is from Kitselas, BC, and brings over 16 years of experience in mining exploration. As an experienced project leader, he has successfully managed teams in challenging locations such as Alaska, Yukon, Nunavut, and BC.

Throughout his career, Brett has honed his skills in building drill pads in a wide range of environments, including steep rocky slopes, high Arctic tundra, intertidal zones, permafrost, and swamps.

Beyond his construction expertise, Brett is highly respected for his outstanding mentoring abilities. His intelligence, competence, and problem-solving skills have earned him a reputation as a dependable, solution-focused project leader.

Senior Project Manager

Guy Laplante

Senior Project Manager

Guy, originally from Elliot Lake, Ontario, brings over 16 years of experience in Mining Exploration, excelling as a Pad Builder and project leader. His expertise spans a range of activities including camp construction, staking, line cutting, soil sampling, and conducting geophysical surveys.

A passionate outdoorsman, he enjoys fishing and snowmobiling near his Maple Sugar bush in Northern Ontario.

Guy is a highly reliable and invaluable project lead, known for his problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and consistent demonstration of skill and dedication in fieldwork.

CONTACT US

Can't wait to help you with your exploration program or geotechnical site evaluation.