The conceptual or feasibility stage of a mining project commences with the collection and verification of vast amounts of data ranging from topographic surveys, drill information, bench scale metallurgical testing, infrastructure surveys and a whole host of environmental surveys. It is hard to believe but government agencies are keenly interested in the size, numbers and hardness of animal poop in all its variants. There are a number of rude, scatalogical comments that could be made at this point but professionalism prevents me from doing so. 

When the data has been accumulated, indexed and verified, the feasibility study can begin. Remember this is the insurance policy for the project success. Feasibility design must consider everything from mine design, production rate, building foundation, slope or excavation stability, mining method, equipment selection, water control, sources of process water, sources of contamination, building construction, plant layout, power sources, emissions controls, process technologies, dilution and recovery, marketing, transportation, sources of construction materials, sources of manpower, impact of large capital projects on the local economy (inflation impact), animal migration patterns, rare plants and animals, land claims, local business opportunities and lots of other considerations. The whole point of the conceptual design is to develop a list of major materials and labour from which an estimate of the cost to build, maintain and operate the facilities is calculated. Added to this is an assessment of the market into which the good stuff will be sold to calculate how much money will be made.

When the feasibility phase is complete it means that all the options have been evaluated; a design basis has been determined; a report is written and “a stake is driven into the ground”. This is the project manager’s way of saying, “Anyone who suggests we change something will have their brains dashed out.” They really do talk this way. If the report determines that the project is feasible then the team gets together and vast quantities of alcohol are consumed. Projects are never as euphoric as they are when declared feasible. It is all downhill from here. The first splash of cold water is the financing report. This introduces Project Development Rule # 4. It may be the greatest project in the world but no bank will touch it until the capital cost is reduced by twenty five percent. So much for the stake in the ground. Normally this ends the participation of the first project manager and the second one is introduced to the team. He is not so invested in the project and, unlike his predecessor, not so apt to tell the sponsors where to get off. Against all odds the costs are reduced, the project is not quite as wonderfully wrought but life is the art of compromise and completing the new design is another excuse for the dumb engineers to get drunk on someone else’s tab so who really cares.

That is all very cynical but not too far from the truth. So let’s start the feasibility with the most important stuff first - mining.