What's included
A mine is a sequence of studies before it is a construction site. The template follows the stage-gate progression the industry actually uses:
- Exploration, Target generation, geophysics, geochemical sampling and first-pass drilling. Milestone: discovery confirmed.
- Resource definition, Infill drilling, assay turnaround, geological modelling and a compliant resource statement. Milestone: resource declared.
- Studies & feasibility, Scoping study, pre-feasibility and the bankable feasibility study that supports a funding decision. Milestone: investment decision.
- Permitting & approvals, Environmental and social impact assessment, mining licence, water and tailings approvals, community agreements.
- Development & construction, Site access, power and water, plant construction, pre-strip or shaft sinking, and mobile fleet delivery.
- Ramp-up & operations, Commissioning, first production, ramp to nameplate capacity, plus the closure and rehabilitation plan. Milestone: commercial production.
Who uses this template
Mine planners, project engineers, and mining executives use this to take a deposit from exploration toward production. It sequences resource drilling, feasibility gates, permitting, development, and production ramp-up, giving the technical team and investors a stage-gated view of the long timelines and approvals that shape a mining project.
How to customize it
- Adjust the exploration and drilling phases to your deposit type, open pit and underground diverge sharply at development.
- Swap pre-strip for shaft sinking or decline development if the mine is underground.
- Extend permitting where community consultation or indigenous agreements are required.
- Add a tailings storage facility track; it frequently has its own permitting and construction path.
- Keep closure planning visible from the start, most jurisdictions require it before approval, not at the end.
Scheduling tips
- Treat each study as a gate. Scoping, pre-feasibility and feasibility are decision points, not just deliverables, link downstream work to their approval.
- Plan drilling around seasons. Access roads, ground conditions and wet seasons constrain rig availability far more than crew size does.
- Order long-lead plant early. Mills, crushers and transformers have lead times that can exceed the construction window itself.
- Ramp-up is not instant. Reaching nameplate capacity commonly takes six to eighteen months; showing it as a step change misleads everyone reading the chart.
- Track permits individually. A single outstanding water or tailings approval can hold the whole project regardless of construction progress.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to develop a mine?
From discovery to commercial production is commonly 7-15 years. Exploration and studies dominate; construction itself is often only 2-3 years. The template compresses that lifecycle onto one chart.
What are the stage gates in a mining project?
Typically discovery, resource declaration, scoping study, pre-feasibility, bankable feasibility and the investment decision, each a gate that funds the next phase. All appear as milestones in the template.
Does this work for open pit and underground?
Both. The exploration, study and permitting phases are shared; swap the pre-strip rows for shaft sinking or decline development if your mine is underground.
Is the mining project template free?
Yes. Free to download in Excel, PowerPoint and CSV, and free to edit online with no sign up.