Mineral resources and ore reserves are key assets for a resources company.  Assurance is needed over the processes that are applied in their estimation and reporting to assess and manage the risk that the mineral resources and ore reserves are incorrectly defined and/or reported which will impact on business decision making, reporting, reputation and investor confidence.

1. Mark Noppe
Robust governance processes to
provide assurance on reported mineral
resources and ore reserves
SRK Johannesburg, Feb 2018

2. Contents
• What we mean by Resource and Reserve (R&R) assurance
• Why improve R&R assurance
• How to improve R&R assurance
• Technical peer reviews and audits
• Examples of R&R assurance and governance
• Discussion and Conclusion

3. What do we mean by Resource and
Reserve (R&R) assurance

4. Risk mitigation – Technical assurance
• Exploration Results, Resources and Reserves
– Are key assets for mineral-focused companies
• Assurance
– Is needed over the processes applied in the data collection, estimation
and reporting of Exploration Results, Resources and Reserves
• The assurance process
– Must assess and manage the risk that the Exploration Results,
Resources and Reserves are incorrectly defined and/or reported

5. R&R assurance
Incorrect data collection, interpretation,
estimation and reporting can impact on
business decision making, reporting, and
corporate reputation
“The level of risk is determined by
the quality of controls” (Jim Joy)

6. R&R assurance
Any process for R&R assurance should:
1. Support corporate governance (Board assurance)
2. Ensure the accuracy of generated and reported results
3. Provide knowledge sharing, capacity building and
improvement opportunities

7. R&R assurance: people-process-systems
ACCURACY /
REPEATABILITY
PEOPLE
PROCESSESSYSTEMS

8. Why improve R&R assurance

9. Introduction
Mining is an inherently risky business
• The company and the market need
transparent, consistent and balanced
reporting of a project’s technical data,
confidence and development status
• Risks and opportunities exist when:
− advancing an exploration prospect
to a viable project, and
− operating a mine
• Incorrect data collection, interpretation,
estimation and reporting can impact on
value, business decision making, reporting
and corporate reputation

10. Errors that should not occur
Age old matters continue to be an issue
• Different types and quality of sample data
- More data ≠ better data
• Treatment of missing sample intervals
- Biased estimates, incorrect estimates
• Incorrect rock density testing
- Incorrect tonnage
- Incorrect weighting when compositing
• Geological controls not recognised / applied
• Inappropriate estimation (methods / application)

11. Some sources of incorrect R&R reporting
• Fewer staff?
• Lack of time?
• Inexperience?
• Lack of mentoring?
• Lack of peer review?

12. How to improve R&R assurance

13. How do we improve R&R assurance?
• Assurance (for the Board, Management & External
Stakeholders)
– Is needed over the processes applied in the data collection,
estimation and reporting of Exploration Results, Resources,
Reserves and Reconciliation
– Including all key inputs (Modifying Factors)
• The assurance process
– Must assess and manage the risk that the results are incorrectly
defined and/ or reported

14. Where can R&R assurance be improved?
CORPORATE
External
reporting
SUPERVISER
Internal reporting
PRACTITIONER
Estimate / Report
generating

15. How do we improve R&R assurance?
• Companies already have assurance and governance
systems for legal, financial, etc. matters
• So what about Exploration Results, Resources,
Reserves (and mine reconciliation) reporting?

16. An example of a risk management process
The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) provides an outline of an
effective risk management and control process known as “The Three
Lines of Defence” model (IIA, 2013):
1. Management control is the first line of defence
2. Oversight functions through the various risk controls and
compliance established by management are the second line of
defence
3. Independent assurance is the third line of defence

17. Where can R&R assurance be improved?
Independent reviews and/or audits
generally managed by and reported through
the company’s internal audit group rather
than through the technical group whose
work is the subject of the review or audit
Oversight and selectively applied peer
reviews of the technical processes and
compliance to procedures, standards and
operation of controls in place at key stages
of the estimate generation and reporting
Peer review of technical work at
specific stages of the various estimate
generation and reporting stages by
suitable qualified / experienced peers
3rd
Line
2nd
Line
1st
Line
INDEPENDENT
Review / Audit
SUPERVISION
Oversight/ Peer
Review
PRACTITIONER / OPERATION
Self Assessment / Peer Review

18. Technical peer reviews and audits

19. Why review and audit?
• Compliance
• Assurance
• Annual reporting
• Independence
• Reputation
• Due diligence
• Value
• Market perception
• Fraud
• Understanding risk
• Identifying opportunities
• Process improvements
• Skills improvement

20. Why have a peer review and audit process?
The overall objective of Peer Review and Audit is to provide effective
risk management and control to provide the Board and Senior
Management with a level of assurance that the reported Exploration
Results, Resources and Reserves are accurate and reliable
The process:
• Recognises the fundamental importance of Resources and Reserves
• Requires complete, accurate information to meet internal standards and
public disclosure obligations
• Helps define competencies, accountabilities and responsibilities

21. Technical peer review versus audit
Peer Review
• Concurrent with the preparation/ reporting processes
• Allows time for implementation of improvements prior to reporting
• May involve a verification of the numbers and processes
Audit
• Generally retrospective
• Identifying opportunities for improvement in the future
• Focused on people (competency), processes and systems (adequacy
and effectiveness)
• Does not necessarily verify the reported numbers

22. Governance audit (Resource and Reserves)
• The “primary purpose of the audit process is to
provide assurance over internal controls
• The process ensures the adequacy of the process
design, that is, that the controls work as intended
(effectiveness)” – de Lange (2016)
• Other benefits
– Where weaknesses are identified, recommendations
can be made on how to improve the controls
– More systematic issues can be identified over time,
and corrective actions developed

23. Discussion (1 of 2)
Some people are nervous or
suspicious about having their work
reviewed / audited, or believe it is a
sign of weakness to be subjected to
peer review
“Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve
estimation processes are surprisingly
underrepresented in resource
companies’ assurance systems given that
these are the material assets of the
companies”
(de Lange, 2016)
• Why is peer review /
technical audit not
consistently applied across
the industry?

24. Discussion (2 of 2)
• Why should peer review /
technical audit be
consistently applied across
the industry?
“Stakeholders are also increasingly more
interested in non-financial areas of
entities, as the future success of an entity
is more than a set of financial metrics”
(de Lange, 2016)

25. Who makes a good reviewer / auditor?
• Specialists conforming to applicable codes
• Knowledgeable about specific and broad technical aspects
• Knows when they are out of their depth and require further specialist knowledge
• Can fit in at all reporting levels, from site to boardroom
• Bring teams together – “lead auditor”
Who should be on a review team?
– Good communicator
– Interpersonal be able to get information
– Independent…discloses all liabilities
– Credibility
– Member of professional organisation (AIG, AusIMM)
– May be external

26. Examples of R&R assurance and
governance

27. Example: Rio Tinto’s three levels of R&R
governance
1. The primary governance is through the Ore Reserve Steering Committee
(ORSC)
– Meets at least quarterly to discuss resource and reserve matters, provides
sponsorship of Competent Person training and development, maintains and
monitors Resource, Reserve and Reconciliation standards
2. The Rio Tinto Executive Committee (EXCO)
– The ORSC reports to the EXCO independently of the various product group lines
3. The Board Audit Committee (BAC)
– Annual reviews of R&R at a group level, review of findings from a group-wide
R&R audit program, administered and managed independently of the ORSC
by Rio Tinto’s internal Audit and Assurance function

28. Atlas Iron (Gold Fields, Anglo American, etc)
• “Atlas has an established Ore Reserve Steering Committee (ORSC) that
oversees the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves processes and
reporting. The committee includes management from geology, operations
and mine planning. It meets regularly and is responsible for reconciliation,
estimation and reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Ore
Reserves undergo rigorous governance and signoff processes
extending to all disciplines responsible to satisfy JORC [Code] compliance
with this process audited by external consultants.
• Atlas continues to develop its internal systems and controls in order to
maintain JORC [Code] (2012) compliance in all external reporting, including
the preparation of all reported data by Competent Persons as members of
the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.”
Atlas Web Site, 2017

29. Discussion and Conclusions

30. Discussion
A system of peer reviews and audits contribute to:
• Governance (assurance over accuracy)
• Technical improvement opportunities
• Mentoring and professional development guidance to
those whose work is being reviewed
Technical review / audit is particularly crucial at this
time in the industry when:
• Companies are running lean or inexperienced teams,
with limited technical or management oversight
• Mining companies are suffering investor “crisis of
confidence” in their ability to achieve stated objectives
• Investors are increasingly risk adverse
• Regulators are taking a closer look at industry’s “self
regulation” model
Companies should disclose to
their stakeholders how adequate
assurance on the effectiveness
of the company’s Resource and
Reserve governance, risk
management and control
structure is provided

31. Conclusion
A R&R assurance system of staged reviews and audits
• Provides increasing levels of independent and objective assurance
• Leads to systematic and disciplined processes of evaluating and improving the
effectiveness of the Exploration Results (data), Resource and Reserve risk
management and governance processes
• Provides management and the board with assurance that the Exploration Results,
Resources and Reserves are accurate and reliable
• Responsible management of a resource project through its full lifecycle relies on
– competent and dependable controls and management direction
– effectively provided by the senior management and board leadership of the
organisation