Faster mine approvals start with better project planning, BBA says
While unpredictable regulatory processes remain a challenge, companies can improve their prospects by resolving critical questions earlier and bringing technical, environmental and social teams together.
Canadian engineering consultancy BBA asserts that faster mine approvals begin with improved project planning. The issue stems from unresolved decisions about how a mine will be built, operated, and closed, which can arise long before regulators receive an application. While federal and provincial frameworks exist to reduce duplication and streamline the review process, each province maintains its own distinct legal and regulatory framework for mining projects.
Environmental studies, waste characterization, and stakeholder engagement can arrive too late to influence project design, forcing developers to revisit engineering during permitting.
To address this, BBA suggests that companies resolve critical questions earlier and integrate technical, environmental, and social teams. They caution against focusing solely on elements that determine project economics while deferring other details, as this can result in a feasibility study supporting a business case but lacking essential environmental considerations. Late environmental inputs may require changes to containment systems and infrastructure, leading to delays and additional months of work.
Similarly, water management should inform design from the outset rather than being addressed after the broader project has been defined. Closure planning can also impact development decisions, and considering rehabilitation early may reveal opportunities to configure a site differently, reducing complications later.
BBA emphasizes that accelerating development does not require completing every engineering detail sooner. Instead, companies should identify which inputs are necessary for sound decisions at the scoping, prefeasibility, and feasibility stages. They advise focusing on the right engineering at the right time, such as waste-material geochemistry tests and water management considerations, even if they do not significantly affect overall cost estimates.
Even then, deferring these inputs increases the risk that subsequent findings will necessitate changes to a design already under regulatory assessment. While some uncertainty remains in permitting policies, regulatory personnel turnover, and approval timelines, earlier preparation is crucial for minimizing financial pressure, especially for junior developers with limited resources.
BBA recommends clearer project communication, early stakeholder involvement, and better coordination between engineering, environmental, and social specialists to identify and resolve issues while design options remain open.
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