TIME TO MINE: ACCELERATING RESPONSIBLE MINERAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH IMPROVED DATA GOVERNANCE AND MINING INTELLIGENCE *G. Cuchierato1, M. A. Noppé2, Castilho, Y.F.P.1,3 1GeoAnsata, Brazil, (*Presenting author: glaucia@geoansata.com.br) 2University of Queensland, Australia 3Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Brazil ABSTRACT The mining industry faces an urgent challenge: supplying the minerals required for the energy transition while managing technical, environmental, and social complexities that extend project development timelines. Over recent decades, the time between mineral discovery and mine production has nearly tripled, reflecting increased regulatory requirements, greater technical complexity, and higher stakeholder expectations. While attention often focuses on permitting and financing constraints, delays frequently stem from fragmented data management, inconsistent technical workflows, and late-stage validation that undermine confidence and trigger costly revisions. Addressing these challenges requires a shift grounded in trust, transparency, and data integrity. This study presents the TIME TO MINE (“Time Intelligence for Mining Excellence”) initiative as a governance-centered methodology to improve data reliability, traceability, and technical assurance across the mineral project lifecycle, supporting responsible acceleration, more efficient decision-making, and greater confidence in mineral resource and reserve information. Grounded in the GeoData Quality Management (GDQM) methodology and aligned with international reporting standards such as CRIRSCO, JORC, and NI 43-101, the initiative integrates structured data governance, multidisciplinary validation, and AI-assisted screening routines to identify inconsistencies, data gaps, and workflow inefficiencies at early stages. Case studies indicate that improved governance supports reuse of existing datasets, reduces redundant drilling, improves prioritization of technical investments, and accelerates projects by reducing uncertainty rather than compressing regulatory or technical stages. Results suggest governance embedded in routine workflows improves project predictability, strengthens stakeholder confidence, and enhances technical credibility. The findings reported represent demonstrated outcomes from completed industry implementations, while extrapolative projections regarding acceleration across the mining industry remain forwardlooking and subject to further validation across additional jurisdictions and commodities. While governance improvements cannot eliminate social or permitting timelines, the framework demonstrates that structured data qualification and assurance mechanisms play a central role in reducing technical friction and enabling more efficient and responsible mineral development. Responsible acceleration, therefore, depends fundamentally on transforming technical data into auditable, decision-ready assets that support transparent, reliable, and sustainable delivery of future mineral supply. By embedding intelligence within data architecture, the initiative positions data governance as a strategic enabler for building trust through transparency and unlocking value through reliable data.
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