PDRI: Project Definition Rating Index -- Mining Projects

The objective of this study was to examine the mining industry in order to identify how its projects resemble and differ from projects in other industries. This study also sought to determine which factors influence project success in mining projects, especially during the front end planning phase. Once it had identified these factors, RT-366 could create a PDRI for Mining Projects.

The team followed a methodology similar to the ones earlier CII research teams used during their development of the previous PDRIs. After soliciting input from industry participants, the authors conferred with experts from mining operations and in engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) companies to identify, refine, and assign weights to 180 elements.

RT-366 validated the weighted PDRI for Mining Projects by testing it against completed projects. Based on their analyses, the researchers could identify a cutoff point for each of six aspects of project performance). They also used linear regression to fit the data to a straight line, enabling them to predict the effects of increasing or decreasing the PDRI score by 100 points.

This study focused on projects within the mining industry. To ensure that the findings of the study applied to the mining industry in general, it included inputs from participants from a variety of countries where significant mining activities take place. The study considered greenfield and brownfield projects. It did not consider smaller, so-called “stay in business” projects.

This report has illustrated significant correlations between the PDRI score and change, schedule, and cost performance, as well as the performance, operating, and customer scores. The PDRI should be used to establish alignment among project members and to foster a common understanding of the risks and areas requiring further development. While the PDRI can be used at the end of the front end planning phase of the project, to give decision-makers a sense of the readiness of the project study to proceed into the next phase, much more value can be extracted by using the tool regularly during the project study to align team members around which areas require more work.