It is with great sadness that I share the news that our good friend and long time colleague Juris Balins has passed away. I am sure that many of you have fond memories of working or socializing with Juris over the years, as I have particularly in his later years. Rather than talk more about him at this time I will just share what he wrote of himself:

Juris Balins passed away on December 22, 2025 at Credit Valley Hospital in Mississauga. He was predeceased by his wife Patricia Brown (nee Halse) and by his parents Emma Kronsbergs Balins (nee Laugalis) and Janis Balins. Juris was born on October 1, 1952 and was raised in Toronto. He attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute prior to earning his B.A.Sc degree in Geological Engineering at the University of Toronto in 1975. After graduation, he lived in England for four years while carrying out post-graduate studies and research at King’s College, London. After returning to Canada, Juris joined Golder Associates Ltd. In Mississauga where he worked for 34 years, principally involved with mine waste management projects in Canada and internationally, before his retirement in 2013. He is remembered by close friends in Canada and by Pat’s family in the United States.