461 scrutiny, and more complex negotiations with authorities and communities. Programs such as the Sustainable Minerals Institute’s Complex Orebodies initiative demonstrate that project viability increasingly depends on integrated approaches that address technical, environmental, social, and governance risks simultaneously. Delays, therefore, result from interacting factors across the mining lifecycle rather than single causes. Financing conditions have also become more stringent, particularly during commodity downturns, when investors demand higher technical and ESG maturity before committing funds. Longer development timelines reflect not only greater technical complexity but also growing institutional, environmental, social, and financial expectations. Initiatives such as the Responsible Minerals Initiative (2026) and the ICMMsupported Consolidated Mining Standard Initiative (2026) reinforce increasing requirements for ESG performance, transparency, and responsible sourcing, which directly influence investment decisions and project development timelines. 2. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE Given the challenges outlined, without structural changes aligned with the Technology–Trust– Transformation pathway toward Mining for the Future, the sector will struggle to meet mineral supply needs within required timelines. In this context, this paper addresses Noppé et al. (2025) central question for reducing the time from discovery to mine development: How do we successfully develop new supply in the time we need? The TIME TO MINE initiative is presented as a governance-centered methodological approach demonstrating how data governance and AI-assisted validation can transform technical data into actionable intelligence supporting strategic decisions across the mining value chain. This process supports informed strategic decisions throughout the mining value chain. Rooted in the GeoData Quality Management (GDQM) methodology initially proposed by Cuchierato (2022), the approach assesses geological data quality in alignment with international reporting standards such as CRIRSCO, JORC, and NI 43-101, integrating technical and governance dimensions required for project advancement. By integrating data governance, validation, and technical assurance across project stages, the initiative supports a unified, auditable decisionmaking environment in which AI-assisted routines identify inconsistencies and data gaps, while expert validation preserves technical reliability. This structure enables early identification of information gaps and supports more predictable, transparent project progression. Despite technological advances, industry practices often prioritize data storage over governance structures, ensuring data quality and continuity, leading to inconsistencies and misalignment between technical outputs and corporate decisions. Transforming operational data into reliable corporate assets, therefore, requires clear ownership, validation protocols, and governance processes supporting reporting and investment decisions. TIME TO MINE addresses this need by embedding accountability, traceability, and governance practices throughout project maturation, connecting technical data generation to reporting and asset advancement in alignment with international standards. By integrating governance principles, AIassisted analysis, and structured assurance, the initiative supports responsible project acceleration by reducing uncertainty and strengthening the reliability of resource and reserve information. This work illustrates how governance and assurance mechanisms can consistently support decisionmaking and project execution across the mining lifecycle while reinforcing the Technology–Trust– Transformation objectives of Mining for the Future. 3. METHODOLOGY | APPROACH 3.1. Where It Applies – Mining Project Lifecycle The TIME TO MINE framework applies across the entire mineral asset lifecycle, structuring decision support along the sequence of project development stages proposed by Noppe et al. (2025) – understanding (research, consultation) → discovery (exploration, permitting) → assessment (studies, consultation) → development (approval, permitting, construction) → processing (extraction) → closure and
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