DEVELOPMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THE AMERICAN NATIONAL STANDARDS INSTITUTE (ANSI) TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUP TO ISO/TC 82 COMMITTEE – MINING

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 82 – Mining has been in existence since 1955 but little to no standards have resulted from this committee, largely due to the lack of participate of key countries that include the US, UK, an Australia. Now a renewed effort through ISO led by Germany, but also including significant contributions by Russia and China has created renewed interest in developing standards that meet the specific needs of international mining operations. This includes standardization of specifications relating to machinery and equipment used in opencast and underground mining for the extraction of solid mineral substances, but excluding the preparation and processing of the minerals; recommended practice in the presentation of plans and drawings used in mine surveying; methods of calculation of mineral reserves; and, terminology. This activity is being undertaken because standards are needed to ensure mining operations are done safely and with due regard for protection of the environment.

Supporting this effort will help ensure the United States maintains its rightful place as a global leader in the mining sector and that American norms, practices, and experiences are recognized and accepted in international standards that can be adopted into the U.S. The specific scope, which included four (4) main topics includes:

1. specifications relating to machinery and equipment used in opencast and underground mining for the extraction of solid mineral substances, but excluding the preparation and processing of the minerals;
2. recommended practice in the presentation of plans and drawings used in mine surveying;
3. methods of calculation of mineral reserves; and
4. terminology.

In addition to the potential to add working groups focused on CMM, VAM, and Underground Coal Gasification, the most significant new work item is designed to integrate the existing US (SEC Guide 7), Canadian (CN 43-101), and Australian (JORC) methods for determining mineral reserves. Based on a submission by the German Institute for Standardization (DIN), TC 82 has been reconstituted and the resulting voting members of TC-82 now include Germany, China, Finland, Iran, South Korea, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.