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Professional Certificate

Metal Accounting

Intake commences 3 March 2025

  • 40 PD hours 40 PD hours
  • 100% online 100% online
Enrol now

ic_round-star.pngic_round-star.pngeic_round-star.pngic_round-star.pngic_round-star.png  AusIMM courses rated 4.9/5 (4.5k+ reviews)

Professional Certificate

Metal Accounting

Intake commences 3 March 2025

  • 40 PD hours 40 PD hours
  • 100% online 100% online
Enrol now

ic_round-star.pngic_round-star.pngeic_round-star.pngic_round-star.pngic_round-star.png  AusIMM courses rated 4.9/5 (4.5k+ reviews)

See pricing

Course Overview

  • Gain an appreciation of the diversity, techniques and methodologies to accurately, reliably and efficiently track metal production from mine custody transfer point to saleable product.
  • This course introduces the principles of the AMIRA P754 Code of Practice for Metal Accounting as a means for enabling reliable metal accounting.
  • Gain the foundation and framework to deliver more accurate metal accounting reports and data outputs.
  • Techniques and methodologies are reinforced with real world examples that can be applied in the workplace.

Who is this for?

Persons responsible for generating, utilising or supporting metal accounting reporting in the minerals industry including:

  • Site Metallurgists
  • Metallurgists accountable as the Competent Person
  • Chemical or Process Engineers transitioning to Metallurgy roles
  • Plant Design Metallurgists/Process Engineers
  • Metallurgical Managers
Duration Delivery Course Type 2025 Intakes PD Hours Language
40 hours 
8 weeks
100% online
Professional
Certificate
3 March 2025

1 September 2025
Up to 40
English

Course Modules

  • ‘Metal Accounting’ in the minerals industry
  • The context of the Amira Code and principles in the minerals industry
  • Motivation for and benefits of accurate metal accounting
  • Your role in providing the Competent
  • Person with accurate and reliable information
  • Accuracy (trueness & bias) & Precision (variability)
  • Quantifying Error & Uncertainty: Types and sources, detecting changes, control charts.
  • Comparing Quantities & Variances: T Tests & Propagation of Error
  • Heterogeneity, Fundamental Sampling Error, Sampling Nomogram, Sampling
    Variogram
  • Measuring mass flow
  • Sampling theory and basics
  • Sampling process streams
  • Sampling stationary materials
  • Measurement systems monitoring
  • Sample Management and Safety, Health and Environment
  • Sample management and preparation
  • Sample Analysis and QAQC
  • Metal balancing requirements and methods
  • Handling Inventory and data
  • Reconciliation
  • Data storage and management principles
  • Reporting audience and objectives
  • Linking to financial reporting

Course Pricing

Member Price
A$2,775
Price is inclusive of 10% GST
  • Exclusive discounts
  • Access to digital library
  • Networking opportunities
  • Professional development
  • Industry insights
Enrol now
Associate membership and enrolment bundle
A$3,031
Price is inclusive of 10% GST
  • Exclusive discounts
  • Access to digital library
  • Networking opportunities
  • Professional development
  • Industry insights
Become a member & enrol
Non-member
A$3,625
Price is inclusive of 10% GST
  • Exclusive discounts
  • Access to digital library
  • Networking opportunities
  • Professional development
  • Industry insights
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Download the course brochure

Professional Certificate in Metal Accounting

Learning Objectives

  • Explain the principles of the AMIRA P754 Code of Practice for Metal Accounting and use it to critically appraise my site’s metal accounting practices
  • Apply practical statistical methods to analyse, quantify and monitor accuracy (bias) and precision of primary metal accounting input measurements and related risk
  • Identify current practices in metal accounting activities, and ways to improve practices in sampling, sample representativity, sample preparation, laboratory analysis, mass measurement, bias and error management, data management, reconciliation and reporting for metal accounting 
  • Recognise the potential risks of poor metal accounting practices and possible mitigation procedures
  • Identify requirements for sound data storage and management
  • Relate integrity of reported metal accounts with financial reporting and associated corporate governance principles
  • Explain how different disciplines interact across the minerals industry to facilitate accurate and transparent metal accounting reporting 
  • Plan improvements to metal accounting practices that will ensure standardised, best practice metal accounting practices at my process plant/laboratory

Course Structure

The eight-week course consists of six modules over six weeks, with a final two weeks to complete the written assessment. Each module consists of:

  • Pre-recorded videos, featuring interviews with experienced industry experts
  • Interactive learning activities and discussion
  • ‘Take home’ analytical tools that can be used in the workplace
  • Multiple choice questions
  • Additional reading including case studies

The written assessment requires participants to complete short answer questions that address the content presented in each module.

There are three live sessions held throughout the course and these are also recorded and available within 24 hours for participants who are unable to attend.

Recommended text

The recommended text for this course is An Introduction to Metal Balancing and Reconciliation, available for purchase from the University of Queensland. Participants are able to secure a 10% discount on the purchase of this publication (available in hard copy only). Participants are urged to order in plenty of time to allow for order processing and shipping. Please complete this form and email it to jkpublications@uq.edu.au.

Course Schedule

Course dates Virtual classrooms Assessment

Course commences: 3 March 2025

Course closes: 27 April 2025

Module 2: Wednesday 12 March, 12.00–13.00 AEDT

Module 4: Wednesday 26 March, 12.00–13.00 AEDT

Module 5: Wednesday 2 April, 12.00–13.00 AEDT

Due date: 27 April 2025

Note: The virtual classrooms listed above are the only scheduled activities for this course but they are not the only activities. All other course work (eg videos, readings, final assessment, etc) can be completed at your own pace on the learning platform within the course duration. All activities must be completed before the course close date. The virtual classrooms will be recorded and made available within 24 hours for those participants unable to attend the scheduled sessions.

 

Earn digital credentials

Showcase your studies, validate your knowledge

Verify your new skills and knowledge with a digital badge that you can add to your LinkedIn profile, email signature, intranet, or any other online account.

Your badge links to a detailed outline of the course, showcasing and validating your new skills in a format that employers and colleagues can easily access and trust. You can also choose to download a personalised certificate.

Course Facilitators

Karen McCaffery

Karen McCaffery
Principal, Tastufo Consulting (CPMet), MIEAust. CPEng, NER
Karen McCaffery has more than 35 years’ experience in the mining and minerals industry. Since graduating as a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering, she has worked directly for several major mining houses in a range of operational leadership, technical support, project development, business & strategic planning and business excellence roles within the metallurgical function and more recently, by consulting to industry.

Areas of specific expertise include metal accounting, having developed and deployed a comprehensive metal accounting standard and guideline based on the AMIRA Metal Accounting Code of Practice for a mining major, developing and embedding sound applied geo-metallurgical practices into day-to-day operations and production business planning and, process operational performance improvement across the complete plant flowsheet.

With over 25 years expatriate experience, a large part of her work has also been to develop others including metallurgists, engineers, operators and technicians to build their skills and capability. This includes building and managing a successful new graduate training scheme for metallurgists, mechanical and electrical engineers.

John Jessop

Managing Director - Think Advisory Pty Ltd BSc (Geophysics)
John has worked in the mining and mineral processing industry since completing his Bachelor of Science in 1993. His main area of expertise is in enterprise software to support the technical processes of the mining sector, from grass roots exploration through to delivery of products to market, with specific experience in metallurgical accounting and inventory management systems. In partnership with JKTech, John created the first commercially available enterprise grade metallurgical accounting software product that has been implemented for multiple commodities and in multiple jurisdictions.

He has led a number of consulting engagements focused on process and governance weaknesses in various aspects of metal accounting and their resulting impact elsewhere in the business, as well as business process design and requirements analysis in preparation for metallurgical accounting and inventory management system implementations.

Dr Gail Gnoinski

MAusIMM
Dr Gail Gnoinski is geologist and geochemist who has spent the past twenty years working in the mining and minerals processing industries, in a variety of roles ranging from governance and standards, metals tracking value-chain optimisation, mine geology operations, laboratory management and petrological-geochemical services, for multi-national corporates in Australia, South America, South Africa and Namibia.

She has a track record in the development and implementation of metal accounting best practices and improving efficiencies from the geo-metallurgical interface to the process plant and refinery/smelter and the final product, to capture value leakage and mitigate risk to ensure that organisations are better informed about the performance of their operations, and that financial reports are based on accurate and traceable data.

Gail is passionate about education in the minerals industry, and has actively led through mentorship of graduates, and facilitating workshops in sampling theory, geo-metallurgy, metal accounting reporting together with industry experts, aimed at the development and progression of operational knowledge and performance to competence and excellence.

Enrolments now open

Intake commences 3 March 2025

Free template

Business case to attend

Getting approval to undertake a course can sometimes be a challenge. To assist you in putting together a compelling business case to your manager, we have prepared an email template. It’s easy to use – just copy, fill in the blanks and email to your manager.

Enrolments now open

Intake commences 3 March 2025

See what past participants are saying about AusIMM's Online Courses

 

Video
Video
Video

Attending the metal accounting course has been an eye-opening experience for me. While I had recognized several operational issues before, I didn't fully grasp their significance until the course provided me with a deeper understanding. It's incredible how much knowledge and insight I gained from the sessions.

Lauren Pavitt, 2024 course participant

Excellent course with great facilitators. I strongly recommend the course for all professionals that they want to dig deep into metal accounting best practices.

Lazaros Dalampiras, 2024 course participant

I really enjoyed the course as it was very interesting especially for me dealing with metal accounting in my daily activities.

Eric Mkela, 2024 course participant

The course was a complete approach to solve metal accounting issues.

Francis Jay Duran, 2024 course participant

I have learnt a lot of new concepts from this training to improve my metal accounting skills by ensuring good practise MUST be applied in accordance with P754 Amira code.

Tamala Anam, 2024 course participant

Frequently asked questions

The course will be run entirely online via a cloud-based platform which can be accessed via computer, tablet or phone. Participants will simply need to have a working Internet connection and a computer, tablet or phone with sound to access the course. 

Please note that the course videos and virtual classroom recordings are hosted on Vimeo. Participants in regions where Vimeo is blocked may need to use a VPN to access these materials.

The entire course will run over eight weeks (six modules over six weeks plus another two weeks to finish the final assignment). It is expected that participants will take about 40 hours to finish the entire course. This includes attendance at live virtual classrooms and completion of all learning activities.

Yes, it is a requirement for participants to complete all modules and pass all learning activities, including the final assessment. A digital credential will be awarded upon successful completion.

We aim to run two intakes each year.

No, the course is currently delivered in English only.

Participants can earn professional development (PD) hours for undertaking the course. One contact hour of technical content is equivalent to one PD hour.

Subscribe to receive free resources, exclusive interviews with subject matter experts and other professional development information.

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