An exposure draft of the Australian Guidelines for the estimation and classification of Coal Resources has been released for industry comment. The draft has been produced by a voluntary committee of industry representatives as a revision to the 2003 Edition of the Australian Coal Guidelines. A survey enabling interested people to make comments on the exposure draft will soon be available. If you work with Coal Resources, you are encouraged to take a look at the exposure draft.
In 1971, the first version of ‘the Coal Guidelines’ predecessor document was published. Since that time a number of updates have occurred. The last edition prepared by the Queensland Mining Council and Coalfields Geology Council of NSW was published in 2003.
In 2013 a committee was formed comprising industry professionals to review the Coal Guidelines in line with the release of the 2012 JORC Code. Represented by members of the Queensland Resources Council, Coalfields Geology Council of NSW, the Joint Ore Reserves Committee, various mining companies and consultancies, this group embarked on a review and preparation of a draft document which could be presented to the coal industry as the successor document to the 2003 Coal Guidelines.
The review committee recognised that over time and successive publications, similarities existed between parts of the JORC Code and Coal Guidelines. Likewise there was acknowledgment that conflicts had also developed.
The review committee decided that the successor document to the Coal Guidelines should enhance the JORC Code in relation to Coal rather than replicate aspects of or create conflict with the Code. The scope of this new guideline was to provide:
This exposure draft of the successor document, ‘Australian Guidelines for the Estimation and Classification of Coal Resources’ has now been released for public comment. The review committee is now seeking feedback from the industry on the document and its suitability to replace the 2003 edition of the Coal Guidelines.
To review the exposure draft, please click here.
In the coming weeks an online feedback and survey portal will be made available. The review committee is requesting individuals from the wider coal industry to review the document and via this portal comment on components of the existing draft and make suggested edits or additions. The review committee will also be seeking to determine if the intent of the draft as a replacement document has been met. Some questions will be asked to establish the demographics of respondents. Any personal details requested will be used for the sole purpose of this review and shall not be distributed to other parties. Contact with individuals may be made as a part of the review to obtain clarification on responses.
It is envisaged that upon closure of the feedback survey, collation and review of feedback submissions shall be made prior to the release of an approved successor document. The review committee would like to thank in advance participants providing feedback for this exposure draft and look forward to the publication of the 2014 edition of the Australian Guidelines for the Estimation and Classification of Coal Resources for use in conjunction with the JORC Code.
AIG is providing information regarding the review of the Coal Guidelines as a service to Members but is not directly involved in the review.
