Published: 24 May 2026
cim connect 2026
AMC Consultants (AMC) is pleased to be attending CIM CONNECT 2026, held under the theme Our Mining Moment: Strategic Growth and Sustainable Operations. This conference will be held at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Vancouver from 3-6 May 2026.
As part of this year’s program, AMC will contribute through both a focused short course and a technical presentation, reinforcing our commitment to advancing practical, value-driven approaches to mining.
Our short course is an introductory session well suited to professionals across mine planning, technical studies, and leadership roles who are looking to strengthen the link between strategy and outcomes. Attendees will also earn 4 Professional Development (PD) hours.
AMC looks forward to connecting with industry peers at the conference and contributing to the ongoing conversation around smarter, more sustainable mining practices.
AMC at the conference
Short Course:
Cut-Off Grades and Mine Strategy Optimization
Facilitators: Andrew Hall, Managing Director and
Eric Frazier,
Principal Mining Consultant
Level: Introductory
When:
Saturday, 2 May 2026, 13:00 - 17:00
This introductory and foundational course is designed to remove the mystique surrounding cut-off grades. It initially describes increasingly complex cut-off models that progressively account for costs and prices (break-even cut-offs stop here!), the grade distribution of the resource, and the capacities and capabilities of the mining equipment and treatment plants. It then demonstrates how the optimum cut-off policy and all other key value-driving decisions should be based on the results of a comprehensive evaluation focused on delivering the company’s and other stakeholders’ goals. Counterintuitive to many is the common discovery that optimum cut-offs are often unaffected by cost and price assumptions or changes and may vary over time and from place to place within the deposit. Cut-offs are an output from the planning process, not a predetermined input into it.
The techniques described also identify robust plans that manage the trade-offs between upside rewards and downside risks if the assumptions underlying the plan turn out to be wrong, as they inevitably will be! Misconceptions and objections are discussed and results from case studies presented.
Technical Presentation:
Open pit and underground strategic fit – A case study of the Wildcat Resources Tabba Tabba project
Presenter: Thomas Brauhart, Mining Engineer - Open Pit Mining
Part of session: Resilient Strategies for Deep and Integrated Mining
Where and when: Room 117 | Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 14:50 - 15:15
The Wildcat Tabba Tabba project is a planned large-scale lithium operation located 80 km from Port Hedland, Western Australia. During the open pit pre-feasibility study, Wildcat Resources sought to understand the role of underground mining beyond simply identifying an optimal transition point. Instead, the focus shifted to determining the best overall strategic fit, enabling earlier identification of value drivers, risks, and opportunities.
Open pit production schedules were evaluated across multiple revenue factors and aligned with underground inventories assessed at varying cut-off grades. Additional variables, including mill capacity upgrades and capital expenditure timing, were also incorporated. This multi-variable approach enabled more informed decision-making, challenged traditionally fixed assumptions, and highlighted sensitivities across key inputs to identify the most advantageous mine schedule.
The strategic modelling demonstrated the value of integrating underground and open pit planning early—areas typically assessed independently. This resulted in a more cohesive and flexible mine plan aligned with project objectives. While later changes to processing assumptions impacted inputs, the approach provided meaningful insights into optimal project design and long-term value.