Figure 2 – Evolution of the average lead time for a mine to enter production, according to Manalo (2025). One reason for more frequent delays in initiating new mines is the increasing complexity of deposits being developed (Sustainable Minerals Institute, 2022). New projects increasingly involve deeper, lower-grade orebodies in environmentally or logistically challenging regions, requiring longer and more complex technical assessments before investment readiness. Pre-construction stages have expanded, as exploration, environmental studies, permitting, community engagement, and financing demand greater integration and time. The widening gap between feasibility and construction reflects stricter licensing, increased public 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 ICMM-supported 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
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