1986		Almaden Resources Corporation (the predecessor company to Almaden Minerals) is brought public on the Vancouver Stock Exchange.  The word Almaden is of Arabic origin, meaning “the mine” and Almaden’s founder and current Chairman, Duane Poliquin, named the company after the famous mercury mines in Spain which have been in almost continuous production for the last 2000 years -- since the time of Hannibal.  As Duane explains, “I thought the name was a sign of continuity.”
1992		Duane establishes Almaden in Mexico. Having worked in Mexico in the 1970s, Duane recognized the outstanding geologic potential of the country. His decision has proved visionary for Almaden. Duane assembles a world-class database on Mexico which directly lead his identification and acquisition of the La Trinidad Gold Mine in Sinaloa State, Mexico. La Trinidad was subsequently sold to El Dorado Gold Mines Ltd., who put the mine into production with Almaden retaining a royalty.
1996		Morgan Poliquin, freshly graduated with a M.Sc. in Geology from the University of Auckland and with a Bachelors in Geological Engineering from UBC, comes to work with Duane, his father, at Almaden. Morgan identifies the Caballo Blanco project in eastern Mexico, and after acquiring the project, Almaden begins intensive exploration in eastern Mexico.
2001		Almaden Resources Ltd. amalgamates with Fairfield Minerals Ltd. under the new name of Almaden Minerals Ltd., and begins trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Almaden Minerals acquired a considerable portfolio of properties from the amalgamation including the small high grade gold deposit, the Elk Property in Southern British Columbia.  However, the focus of Almaden's exploration activity remains in eastern Mexico. Together Morgan and Duane assemble an outstanding portfolio of Mexican exploration projects through staking. These projects, which form the nucleus of Almaden’s assets, cover new unexplored areas, with little to no historic work. Targets on these claims include areas of hydrothermal alteration and mineralization representing high and low sulphidation epitermal systems and related porphyry copper-gold systems. Almaden advances these projects through JV and option agreements with other Companies.
2002		Under Duane’s direction, Almaden leads a JV to stake claims near the Diamet/BHP diamond project in the NWT Canada. The claims are adjacent to the subsequent Aber Diavik discovery and an indicator mineral train is found on Almaden’s claims. Work is ongoing to find the source of this train, interpreted to be a diamond bearing kinberlite pipe.
2006		Almaden is listed on the American Stock Exchange. The company continues to be well financed with a business model that aims for longevity and sustainability. Drilling by partners results in the discovery of the La Paila gold zone of Almaden's Caballo Blanco Project, Mexico.
2008 to 2009		The financial crisis hits markets, but Almaden is well capitalized owing to its business model and ability to generate exploration assets by prospecting. Some of Almaden’s JV and option partners struggle, and Almaden takes back many projects under agreement. Under Morgan’s direction Almaden commences a regional exploration program in Nevada based on the geologic premises that were successful in finding projects in Eastern Mexico. Several projects are identified and staked including the Willow and BP projects.
2010		Almaden elects to drill high priority targets on its 100% owned properties itself. This pays immediate dividends with the fantastic blind discovery of the Ixtaca zone of high grade epithermal gold silver veins on the Company’s 100% owned Tuligtic project. Throughout the remainder of 2010 and to date the Company expands drilling on the Ixtaca zone and is currently developing a major asset for the Company as drilling continues.
2011		Drilling continued on the Ixtaca Zone with exciting results [click here for the Ixtaca drill program page]. Gold Mountain Resources (formerly Beanstalk Capital) acquired 100% of the Elk Gold property.