The webinar is firstly aimed at metallurgists who act as a named CP (competent person for the purposes of the JORC guidelines), or in an advisory role to a CP, in company announcements covered by JORC. Secondly, it is aimed at anyone acting as a CP that is not a metallurgist, but is taking advice from one. Thirdly, it is aimed at company directors, especially those whose resource projects have a material dependence on metallurgy for their revenue stream.

Metallurgical factors fall under the classification of modifying factors in the JORC code. Modifying factors are used to convert resources into reserves as they are the basis for demonstrating economic viability. Recovery is a typical modifying factor as it reduces the payable metal that is present in the mined ore. Product Grade is another modifying factor and it has the potential to render a product unsaleable. Penalty elements in concentrates are also possible modifying factors, and in extreme cases problem elements can lead to rejection of the product from export or sale.

Metallurgical factors can be derived by assumption in Scoping Studies, limited testwork in PFS and definitive testing in FS. In all cases the metallurgist needs to understand the provenance of the numbers being used, and where sampling is involved rather than assumption, the representative nature of the samples tested. All metallurgical modifying factors must also be integrated into revenue calculations, and this should be done in a manner assessed and approved by the metallurgist.

JORC’s foundation principals of Materiality, Transparency and Competence will allow participants to know when they require metallurgical oversight and what to look for in the provider of that advice. Metallurgists will be better equipped to decide if they qualify as a CP (or expert advisor) for a given project and, if they accept, what is expected of them.