Comprehensive services to see a mine from concept to completion

From initial resource estimation through the feasibility study stage and into production, we can help you unlock the value of your project. Our geologists have extensive experience in operations, database management, and resource estimation and can help you plan effective drill programs, generate realistic geologic models, and prepare industry compliant mineral resource estimates under most reporting jurisdictions.

We have significant experience in open pit design, whether a small open pit using construction sized equipment for a high grade gold mine in Far East Russia, or world class open pits using the world’s largest equipment in the high altitudes of South America. The heat of a desert or the cold of Nunavut with permafrost conditions are all considered in the practical designs developed. Designs are created to enhance project economics while considering the environments in which they exist.

Pit design makes use of specialized software incorporating the Lerch-Grossman pit shell routine. From these designs, accurate cost estimation follows; both operating and capital. These designs are then compared to ensure the most economic design is advanced forward in any project.

We delight in working with client teams to arrive at the best functional design for a specific project, irrespective of commodity.

Our underground design team brings years of practical mine operating experience to the table. We ensure operability is a key consideration even at the earliest stage of study and create a realistic plan to base your project development on. Various mining and material handling methods are considered in conjunction with the client to arrive at a successful design. Preliminary designs through to Feasibility Studies, bank evaluations, and operational support cover the range of consulting experience that AGP's engineers can draw upon to assist our clients.

Our metallurgical engineers can assist with metallurgical sample selection, testwork program management or supervision, flowsheet development, process plant design, and more. Acting as owner representatives, we strive to ensure suitable test programs are conducted on appropriate metallurgical samples and that the maximum value is extracted by the process. Our team can interpret available testwork results and provide financial teams with process plant performance predictions. We can also develop process engineering packages for studies and projects.

Our close association with engineering and construction firms such as Halyard Inc. and Lycopodium Limited, allows seamless transitions into detailed plant design, construction, commissioning, and start-up assistance.

AGP has access to a pool of metallurgical resources with experience in almost every mineral but particularly in base metals, coal, diamonds, and precious metals. Recent and ongoing metallurgical programs are located around the globe and include gold, copper/gold, copper/molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, and copper/lead/zinc.

We have extensive experience authoring study reports from internal reports such as Order of Magnitude studies to reports for public disclosure such as PEA, PFS and FS studies. We prepare NI 43-101 (Canada) compliant reports, have experience with JORC (Australia) compliant reporting, and are up to speed with recent changes in SEC (US) reporting requirements.

An Order of Magnitude Study (OoM) is a front-end study typically used to support the decision to progress to Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and to guide corporate decision making. Order of Magnitude (±50%) estimating accuracy is typical for this level of study. These studies are cost effective, not requiring QP site visits, but are not suitable for public disclosure. Many of our clients have found great value in performing an OoM study prior to more detailed studies as it can help identify key trade-off studies and areas of high economic sensitivity to focus on going forward.

The Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) is a scoping-level study which relies on information from disciplines such as geotechnical, environmental, infrastructure, and markets in addition to the core inputs from mining, geology, and metallurgy. Capital and operating cost estimates for the project will typically be estimated to ±30%.

Our engineers and geologists have many years experience in the completion of PEA's and will typically develop cost estimates to the required accuracy by obtaining vendor budget quotations in addition to using data factored from recent projects and/or operational assignments.

The Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) develops the concepts and work completed in scoping-level studies, examines necessary trade-offs or optimizations, and may progress resources into reserves. Multi-disciplinary technical teams will improve the accuracy of capital estimates through the completion of additional engineering. Disciplines such as geotechnical, environmental, infrastructure, and markets are utilized in addition to the core inputs from mining, geology, and metallurgy. Capital and operating cost estimates for the project will typically be estimated to 25% overall accuracy.

Our engineers and geologists have extensive experience completing PFS's and can manage resources required for such work. Associate engineering companies such as North Rock Mining Solutions Inc., BBA E&C Inc. and BGC Engineering are used to compliment our core skills.

The Feasibility Study (FS) further develops and confirms ideas from the PFS study to a 15% level of accuracy. It builds on designs and trade-off studies completed in the PFS and typically significant post PFS sample collection and testwork. Detailed estimates are developed with multiple vendor quotes, and a focus on constructability and schedule. All disciplines including geotechnical, geology, mining, metallurgy, process design, environmental, infrastructure, and product marketing work together to achieve the final representation of what would be designed, built, and operated. This level of study is key to making production decisions, arranging finance, and providing a basis for permitting activities.

We have experience completing many successful Feasibility Studies on our own, and are also happy to work as part of a larger technical team on more complex Feasibility Studies.

In an age where talent and experience in the mining industry are in short supply, AGP offers management, operations and planning personnel to support in production planning, mining design, equipment selection, process plant optimisation, metal accounting and production reconciliations, and commodity market assistance.

Many of our engineers have over 25 years practical experience in operations and design environments around the globe. We are most happy when able to work together with a client's team to develop practical solutions to the problems that constantly challenge organizations.