A Chinese mining-sector delegation visiting South Africa last week gained “valuable insights” from specialist engineers and scientists from SRK Consulting South Africa, specifically pertaining to aspects that affect mineral resources and mineral reserves reporting and valuation.
The delegation comprised members of the Mineral Resources and Reserves Evaluation Centre of the Ministry of Natural Resources, in Beijing, who were hosted by South Africa’s Samcodes Standards Committee (SSC).
In a knowledge-sharing day at the Wanderers Club, in Johannesburg, SRK specialists shared their experience in conceptualising and quantifying the ‘modifying factors’ that should be considered when converting mineral resources into mineral reserves.
The 20-member delegation came to South Africa as China worked towards becoming the fourteenth member of the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO), which provides common standards for the reporting of exploration results, mineral resources and mineral reserves.
SRK partner and principal mining engineer Marcin Wertz noted: “In a series of presentations, SRK experts covered a range of disciplines, including exploration, environmental management, social impact, geotechnical engineering, mine planning, mineral processing, tailings, water management, mine closure and mineral asset valuation.”
As a global, multidisciplinary consulting engineering firm, SRK generates and submits the largest number of competent persons’ reports in the sector.
SRK corporate consultant and former chairperson Roger Dixon was involved in initiating the Samcode process about 25 years ago, which led to the South African Code for the Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (Samrec) and the South African Code for the Reporting of Mineral Asset Valuation (Samval). South Africa was also a founder member of CRIRSCO, on which Dixon remains one of two country representatives.
SSC chairperson Matt Mullins said South Africa had much valuable insights to share with China. During this visit, the SSC programme gave the Chinese delegation broad exposure to South African mineral reporting standards and its mining sector more generally, engaging with various stakeholders.