Consultants Society committee member to speak at upcoming conference
On 8 May at the International Mining Geology Conference in Perth, Western Australia, the AusIMM Consultants Society committee will be represented by committee member Karl van Olden.
Karl will deliver a short presentation on the recent work of the committee and the various benefits available to members in engaging with AusIMM’s Communities of Interest.
AusIMM is often celebrated for its contributions to the mining industry. A lesser-known yet crucial aspect of the Institute, working in the background, are the Societies which represent communities of practice within the Institute. These societies consist of members with specialised expertise in various disciplines within mining, metallurgy and related disciplines, working together to develop events, products, and projects tailored to industry professionals. These are operated on a volunteer basis by members and supported by the AusIMM Management Team.
Recent Consultants Society initiatives
The Consultants’ Society, working through the committee, have identified a need to formalise a guide for Studies of Mineral Projects (for Scoping, Prefeasibility and Feasibility studies). Two years ago, the study processes guideline started in the imagination of four society members. Since then, many industry experts have been engaged, resulting in a study processes matrix for Minerals Projects, a short 4-module course on study processes and a study guideline in the form of an AusIMM published handbook.
The short course has been given four times to dozens of participants from across the global mining industry, with very positive feedback from participants. The handbook is a practical what-to-do-and-when for participants in minerals studies – which will be published imminently (mid 2024) by the AusIMM. We encourage you, even if you are not closely involved in a study, to explore and refresh your appreciation of the larger process to which you invariably will contribute through your career. The committee hope that the handbook will be a useful tool for you to achieve this.
As part of the Consultant’s Society, we are now developing this work into a minimum standard for study processes to compliment the other established codes in the industry. We believe that this will be a great benefit for our society members. This initiative extends beyond the realm of consultants, benefiting individuals and teams involved in mineral project development, including mining companies, investors, and stakeholders seeking transparency and reliability in project definition.
On a different subject, the Consultant’s Society has released the Mineral Consultant’s Handbook with useful information for consultants operating as individuals or within larger consultancies. The society has been running regular webinars to expand on the subjects of this handbook. The Consultant’s Society initiated ESG forums that have now developed into an independent community of practice. The society will be holding a Consultant’s Forum in October following on from the Mill Operators conference in Brisbane. Further information on accessing the publications is on the AusIMM website.
If you are interested in any of the above subjects, or those of the other AusIMM communities, please get involved be reaching out through the AusIMM or contacting the various committee members directly. You too can make a contribution to the industry, and to your professional colleagues, learning a lot on the way.