Robust Governance Processes to Provide Assurance on Reported Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
Short Course Level: Intermediate
Facilitators:
Prof. Mark Noppé, The University of Queensland, Sustainable Minerals Institute, Australia (Primary Presenter)
DRA. Gláucia Cuchierato, Geoansata, Brazil (Co-Presenter)
Mr. Gary Poxleitner, SRK Consulting, Canada (Co-Presenter)
Mr. Bob McCarthy, SRK Consulting, Canada (Co-Presenter)
Short Course Objectives
You will learn how a three-layer framework of assurance controls, including peer review and technical audit/reviews, provides a robust system to support knowledge sharing, improve quality and confidence in outcomes, and provide the assurance to support good corporate governance.
Target Audience
This course will benefit specialists, practitioners, competent/ qualified persons, technical managers, company officers, internal reviewers/auditors and directors concerned with the accuracy and transparency of generated and reported technical (geology, grade, resource, reserve, life of mine plans, study results and forecasts, regardless of the size or maturity of the reporting entity).
Abstract
What you will learn:
You will learn how a three-layer framework of assurance controls, including peer review and technical audit/reviews, provides a robust system to support knowledge sharing, improve quality and confidence in outcomes, and provide the assurance to support good corporate governance. The work and processes we carry out in data collection, resource and reserve generation and reconciliation are effectively the building blocks for the outputs, forecasts and reports we produce – technical assurance provides the mortar that supports these ‘blocks’.
Why should you attend:
Learn why a clear assurance process including improved peer review and audit processes for Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are crucial in providing the necessary assurance to senior management, boards, invertors, lenders and other stakeholders.
This course and workshop covers the importance of people, processes and risk management for reducing exposure to exploration, resource and reserve disclosure risk, and improving the quality and confidence in data, interpretation, estimate generation and internal as well as external, public reporting and disclosure.
About the instructor
Professor Mark Noppé, MSc, MAICD, FAusIMM(CP) Director, WH Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre (The University of Queensland); Interim CEO, JKTech Pty Limited (The University of Queensland); NED, Litchfield Minerals Limited.
Mark is the Director of the W.H. Bryan Mining Geology Research Centre (BRC) at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) and CEO of JKTech, the technology-transfer company of UQ and the Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) (JKTech Pty Ltd and SMI-ICE-Chile SpA). Mark is a non-executive director of Litchfield Minerals Limited and an AusIMM director (2021-).
Mark has been applying geoscience knowledge in the assessment of developing resource projects and operating mines since 1985. He provides technical advice, mine and project reviews, technical assurance reviews and advice, due diligence and audits, process improvement studies, as well as training and mentoring in all aspects of orebody knowledge, from exploration reporting, resource definition and reporting, mine geology, grade control and mine reconciliation through to inputs into reserving and feasibility studies.
Mark’s clients have included technical leads, management and Boards of resource project owners, as well as the investors, lenders and legal advisors to these projects. He has worked extensively in South Africa, Western Australia and Queensland, and consulted on a variety of projects and commodities in a range of international geological, mining and geographic settings. Previously, Mark was Group Chair of SRK Consulting’s global Board and held prior Board roles within various consulting companies including as founding Managing Director of Xstract Mining Consultants and SRK Consulting (Australasia), and was Group Operations manager with Snowden Group.
Mark has held positions as Chair of the Southern Queensland branch of the AusIMM, the AusIMM Consultants Society, the AusIMM Awards Technical Excellence Committee, the Geostatistical Association of Australasia and Secretary of the Geostatistical Association of South Africa. Mark has an MSc in Exploration Geology from Rhodes University, South Africa, and is a Fellow and Chartered Professional (Geosciences) of the AusIMM and a member of the SEG. Mark received the AusIMM Charles Marshall Award for Technical Excellence 2020. Mark mentors with the AusIMM, Australian Academy of Technology & Engineering’s Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) and the International Women in Resources Mentoring Program (IWRMP).
DRA. Gláucia Cuchierato is a geologist (IGc-USP) and DSc in Mineral Engineering (EPUSP), she leads GeoAnsata as its Executive Director, a consultancy based in Belo Horizonte in Brazil specializing in geoscientific and geotechnical data quality.
She is the creator of the GDQM (GeoData Quality Management) methodology, applied in mining projects and operations to enhance data reliability in drilling, instrumentation, testing, and geotechnical investigations. She leads strategic projects focused on data governance, technical assurance for financial operations, and ESG-aligned investment strategies, particularly for companies subject to stock exchange regulations or seeking access to sustainability-driven investment funds.
Gláucia provides corporate training programs and specialized courses focused on Mineral Resource and Reserve Reporting, the Brazilian Reporting Guidelines (GBRR), Best Practices in Information Quality, and QA/QC in the Mineral Industry. As a guest lecturer, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses at PMI-EPUSP and IGc-USP, and contributes to the Executive MBA program at ADIMB-IBMEC.
Gláucia is passionate about sharing knowledge with students and supporting early-career professionals in the fields of geology and mining engineering. As a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), she also serves on the Continuing Professional Development Committee of the Brazilian Commission for Resources and Reserves (CBRR).
Mr. Gary Poxleitner, PEng, PMP, is a Practice Leader (Mine Engineering) with SRK Consulting, with over 35 years of practical experience in international precious and base metal projects and mining operations.
Gary has extensive experience in both near-surface and deep underground mines across a range of mining methods, material handling systems, and commodities. Prior to joining SRK, he worked in operations, engineering, and corporate capital projects at mines located on Vancouver Island, in South Africa, Canada’s Arctic region, and within the Sudbury mining complex. His areas of expertise include underground mine design and planning, mineral resource and mineral reserve due diligence and independent review, technical audits and assurance reviews, cut-off grade determination, operating and capital cost estimation and optimization, operational improvement, mine optimization, and economic evaluations.
Gary has led and participated in numerous independent technical reviews, mineral resource and reserve due diligence assessments, mine audits, and operational evaluations for mining companies, financial institutions, and investors globally, with a focus on technical assurance, governance, and business risk.
Gary has served as a Board Member of SRK, Chair of the CIM Sudbury Board, Chair of the CIM Underground Mining Society (UMS), Vice-Chair of CAMIRO, and as a member of the CIM National Council. He currently serves as Chair of the CIM National Guidelines Committee, sits as Past Chair of the CIM Underground Mining Society, and is a member of the Executive Board of the Management & Economics Society (MES) of CIM.
Mr Bob McCarthy is a professional mining engineer with over 30 years’ experience in mine operations, mine planning, asset management, and technology development and implementation.
He has worked at numerous mines, across different departments, in a variety of technical and management roles. Bob’s technical strengths are in mine planning, project and technology evaluation, and mine/project due diligence reviews.
Bob is considered an open pit specialist, and as such is a qualified/competent person for mineral reserves as defined in NI 43-101/JORC Code and has led MRMR external audits for major mining companies.