By MineForce LLC · Published October 21, 2026 · About the principal
An existing mine should be evaluated as a present-day operating proposition. Historical production, installed equipment and mineralization each tell part of the story, but none independently establishes that the property can operate economically now. Start by identifying the decision you need to make and the evidence that could change it.
Reconstruct the proposed operating case
Ask what is to be mined, how material reaches processing, what product is sold and which costs occur before revenue begins. Reconcile that story against production records, layouts, maintenance information and the proposed schedule. Identify the date, source and limitations of every material input. Old costs or recovery assumptions may describe a different configuration, feed or market.
Inspect the interfaces between assets
A processing plant can be intact while access, power supply or water arrangements prevent its use. Review how the mine, haul routes, stockpiles, processing equipment and utilities connect. Establish whether observations are visual only or supported by tests, maintenance records and competent specialist assessments. Inaccessible workings should be recorded as an information gap rather than assumed serviceable.
- What supports the claimed production rate and product quality?
- Which infrastructure needs repair, replacement or further testing?
- What development and commissioning work precedes production?
- Which permits, agreements or access arrangements need independent confirmation?
- What safety and compliance work is needed for the proposed activity?
Turn unresolved items into acquisition conditions
Separate missing evidence from an identified adverse condition. Both can affect a decision, but they require different responses. A missing test may justify further investigation; known rehabilitation may require a priced scope. Assign each material question an owner, required evidence and decision deadline. Include working capital and ramp-up losses in addition to equipment and construction costs.
Know where technical diligence ends
Legal title, mineral resource estimates, environmental liabilities, formal valuation and financing requirements need their own qualified review. A practical technical assessment helps connect those workstreams; it does not replace them. Before commitment, request a consolidated list of assumptions that remain unverified and decide which are acceptable, which need conditions and which could stop the transaction.
General technical information, not a site-specific compliance determination. Review scope, mine conditions and applicable requirements must be established for each engagement.