Appointing an iron ore consultant
Appointing iron ore mining consultant: Your due diligence capability checklist
Whatever your touchpoint to iron ore mining, be it in the banking, finance, independent advisor or company sector, you likely require expert technical advice that spans geology, mining, geotechnical engineering, and corporate, if not a combination of all these.
Mistakes at any stage across any area of mining can lead to colossal financial or reputational damage and staggering loss. There is simply no room for error. When appointing the right - and best - consultant for the task, you must have confidence in your decision. Not only must the consultant have a wealth of experience, but you must also have implicit trust in their capabilities and reputation.
So, how does your due diligence sort the iron from the clayore?
Based on almost four decades of working in this demanding field, our team here at AMC has consolidated the following checklist to help you make the right decision for your business.
Questions you should ask when vetting an iron ore mining consultant
These questions will enable you to very quickly identify the calibre of consultant you are considering:
- For how long has this consultant been operational in iron ore mining and how many projects have they led over this time?
- What can the consultant do to de-risk your project and hedge against future market volatility?
- How can this consultant objectively demonstrate that they are trusted by the industry?
- How can this consultant objectively demonstrate their reputation in the industry?
- What is the level of transparency in this consultant’s work and how will they keep me abreast of progress?
Iron ore mining consulting - general capability checklist
The following are non-negotiable, broader capabilities your consultant simply must be able to demonstrate:
- Thorough experience with initial scoping studies yielding technical risk assessments to definitive feasibility studies.
- Ability to produce accompanying cost estimates to bankable standards.
- Preparation of independent technical reviews for proposed transaction along with relevant financial advice.
- Ability to undertake geological, geotechnical and mining engineering aspects of studies.
- Experience in Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation.
- Sound knowledge of contract tender evaluation.
- Strategic analysis and optimization..
- Ability to produce independent reports in accordance with the JORC Code (or equivalent) and advice on ASX stock exchange listing- related matters.
- Experience in preparing Ore Reserve audits and mine planning reviews.
- Ability to undertake Owner vs Contract mining studies and produce support and equipment reviews.
- Mining cost estimation and analysis.
- Geotechnical assessment.
- Provision of trade-off studies, including options analysis to determine the most appropriate mining method and mode of material transport for mines.
With the above serving as a broad-base foundation, an experienced iron ore mining consultant needs to demonstrate even more specific skill sets. These include:
Iron ore geology expertise
Mineral resource estimation and preparation and publication of JORC Mineral Resource Statements and NI 43-101 Technical Reports.
- Exploration and production support and advice.
- Grade control, blending strategies, reconciliation.
- Independent exploration valuations and reviews.
- Exploration targeting and country/region reviews.
Iron ore mining engineering expertise
- Scoping, bankable feasibility, pre-feasibility, feasibility and strategic studies.
- Pit optimization, strategic scheduling, financial evaluation and benchmarking studies.
- Life of Mine (LOM), operational production scheduling, pit and waste designs.
Iron ore
- Cut-off grade analysis, product mix strategy, mining loss and dilution studies.
- Ore Reserve estimation and preparation and publication of JORC Ore Reserve Statements and NI 43-101 Technical Reports.
- Site support for various operational, mine planning, management and benchmarking/operational improvement roles.
- Risk assessments – mining and project risk.
Iron ore geotechnical and metallurgy expertise
- Geotechnical slope stability and risk assessment.
- Open-pit geotechnical monitoring, management, advice and site secondments
- Operational process performance improvement.
Why appoint AMC Consultants for your iron ore mining project?
Our frontline iron ore mining experience is second to none
Having consulted for the past ten years on more than 500 projects covering all iron ore deposit styles across all major iron ore provinces globally, AMC holds a wealth of hard-won iron ore consulting experience. Our knowledge and skill set includes direct experience within numerous operations and technical and corporate consulting studies for iron ore projects worldwide.
AMC's iron ore experience around the world
Would you like to discuss the map below in more detail or learn more about AMC's Iron Ore capabilities? Book a time with Peter!
Peter Fisher
Principal Mining Engineer
Iron Ore Commodity Champion
Peter has more than 35 years of diverse experience in the mining industry, holding executive management and consulting roles in BHP, Rio Tinto, NAB, Hancock Prospecting, Vale, Bechtel, CSR, Talbot Group, and HWE Mining. He has served as Director of private mining companies and CEO of listed and unlisted companies, with extensive experience in large-scale mining, rail/port/road logistics and contract mining.Peter’s core capabilities are developing and implementing complex strategies, managing commercial, risk, organizational and technical solutions in the mining industry.
We are iron ore mining consultant specialists
Our key personnel are supported by over 100 geologists, geotechnical engineers, mining engineers, metallurgists and associates with further expertise. We provide accurate, timely studies enabling many deposits to advance to the next stage. Our clients include the biggest names in global iron ore mining, including
BHP,
Rio Tinto Iron Ore,
Fortescue Metals Group,
Roy Hill,
Kumba Iron Ore, African Minerals Ltd,
Sesa Goa Ltd,
Qatar Mining, London Mining Plc,
Nordic Iron Ore AB, Nevada Iron Ltd and dozens more.
We pioneered Hill of Value™ and Smart Data™ System
AMC’s ground-breaking
Hill of
Value™ strategy optimisation process has been in continual development for more than 20 years. We know that every mining operation is unique and we apply
Hill of Value™ to comprehensively assess all the practical input and scenario combinations available to you. As a result, you can make assured, confident decisions. Moreover, every report we prepare is founded on data run through our
Smart Data™ System, which captures mining cost and productivity data across mining methods, commodity types, geographies, and more.
The mining sector trusts us
We’re not advisors perched on the periphery of the mining sector - we’re on the frontline, as is demonstrated by our presence on the JORC Code Committee:
- AMC Executive Lead - Technical, Steve Hunt, is the present JORC Code Committee Chair
- AMC General Manager, Roderick Carlson, is a JORC Committee ex-officio member
- AMC Principal Geologist, Peter Stoaker OAM, is JORC Code Deputy Chair
- AMC Director / Executive Lead,
Andrew Hall, and AMC Geology Manager, Tracie Burrows, are JORC Committee non-executives
Contact us
If your business requires iron ore mining consultants with an outstanding pedigree and proven results, contact AMC today.
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