MMSA has two classes of membership, Regular Member and QP Member (Qualified Professional).

MMSA welcomes new members who meet the qualifications, have made contributions to the mining industry, and have a proven professional background. Prospective members may apply as a Regular Member or as a Qualified Professional Member.

You are invited to consider membership in either class, dependent upon your interests and needs. See What disciplines are covered for QP Membership? (Link to the FAQ) For details about requirements for each of the seven categories offered.

If you are applying as a new Member, you can apply for both Regular and QP Membership at the same time. Fill in both parts of the new member form to apply for both levels of membership. You must be accepted as a Regular Member before the application as a QP Member is reviewed.

New Member Application (includes Regular and QP qualification forms).

If you are a current MMSA member, you can apply for QP status using the QP Member Application.

To Apply:

Choose the appropriate form on the left. Complete and sign the application form, re-digitize and email with requested attachments to contactmmsa@mmsa.net,  (preferably in pdf format) or mail to MMSA headquarters.

An applicant for Regular membership should have at least 10 years of practical or professional experience, which should include five years in positions of responsibility in mining, metallurgical or allied lines of work. The holding of a degree from an accredited college or university may be accepted in lieu of four of the ten years of required experience, at the discretion of the Membership Committee.

The QP applicant must have at least 10 additional years of practical or professional experience after graduating with an engineering or geoscience degree from an accredited college or university. The experience should include at least 5 years in positions of responsibility in mining, metallurgical or geosciences. The time spent earning the undergraduate college or university degree will NOT count in lieu of the required experience.

If you have been notified by an MMSA Member that you are being invited to membership, or if you think you qualify for membership, you may submit an application.

New Member Application Form. The form includes application for Regular Member as well as QP member.

To Apply:

Choose the appropriate form on the left. Complete and sign the application form, re-digitize and email with requested attachments to contactmmsa@mmsa.net,  (preferably in pdf format) or mail to MMSA headquarters.

It is important to note that the application process can take several months.  Upon receipt of an application, the MMSA Administrator will contact each sponsor and request corroborating information to support the application. Next, the application is reviewed by the Executive Committee and additional information is solicited from the applicant, if needed.  Once the Executive Committee votes to approve the potential member, the applicants name, along with their sponsors’ names are published in our monthly or quarterly newsletter.  If no objections are received by the MMSA Member body, and the applicant has rendered dues, the applicant becomes a Regular Member of MMSA.

If the applicant is also requesting QP Membership, then once Regular Membership has been granted, the application moves to the QP Committee.  The QP Committee will contact the applicant for an interview to discuss experience and qualifications.

Application for Regular Membership

• An applicant may be anybody who believes they meet at least the minimum qualifications for admission. Such applicant should either be invited to apply by an existing member, or should apply independently by completing the Regular Member Application Formfound on the Website. This is a pdf form that can be downloaded to your computer. It has fields that can be filled in with your information. The completed application must include the names of three sponsors who will be willing to endorse the applicant for admission. At least two of those sponsors must be current members in good standing and a third can be a current or past supervisor or peer who can personally attest to the candidate’s qualifications and background.
• The completed application form should be printed out and signed. It may then be re-digitized and emailed to contactmmsa@mmsa.net(preferably in pdf format) or mailed to MMSA headquarters. A current resume should be attached.
• The MMSA Administrator will contact each sponsor and request corroborating information in support of the application in question.
• The MMSA Administrator will then forward the application packages to the Executive Committee for approval as a candidate. The Committee may request additional information.
• Applicant’s name and sponsors will be posted to the membership at large, either by means of the Quarterly Newsletter or the more frequent monthly Member Update. Members have a 30 day period in which to lodge an objection against an applicant.
• After the given grace periods and in the absence of any objections, the applicant will be invited to join the Society and such action will be confirmed once application fees and dues have been received.

Application for QP Membership

• Any applicant for QP Membership must first be accepted as a Regular member and go through the steps outlined above for a regular member application.
• A QP member application can be submitted at the same time as a new Regular member application. Fill in the QP portion of the new member application.
• A member in good standing who wishes to apply for QP recognition or a new member applicant, will be required to submit the following:
  o Three endorsers who know your capabilities. One of the endorsers may be a current or past supervisor or peer who can personally attest to the candidate’s qualifications and background.
  o A full up-to-date resume.
  o Selection of an area(s) of expertise for recognition. (see list of options)
  o Signed Ethics Compliance certificate.
  o Copies of diplomas and certificates used in support of the application.

• The applicant will be interviewed by at least two members of the QP membership committee.
• Throughout the process, additional information may be requested from the applicant.

Membership dues and application fees are assessed after an applicant is approved for membership. The fee structure is as follows:

*If a QP member has been approved for more than one category, an additional $50 per category is added to the annual dues.

A QP is “An individual who is an engineer or geoscientist with the requisite experience in mineral exploration, mine development, operations or project assessment, including experience relevant to the subject matter of the project or report, and is a member in good standing of a recognized professional organization.”

The concept of developing internationally accepted standards for the public reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves got its start in 1994 by the formation of the Committee for Mineral Reserves International Reporting Standards (CRIRSCO).  This committee was made up of representatives of numerous mineral industry professional organizations and societies located throughout the world.

Today, nearly 80% of mining company capital is listed on the various global stock exchanges that recognize the CRIRSCO template.  The purpose of the CRIRSCO template is, in part, is the timely disclosure of material information in a clear, concise and effective manner for mineral projects at all stages of development.  This standard is designed to prevent investors from making investments based on fraudulent or misleading information.

The technical reports presented by companies listed on the stock exchanges which adhere to the CRIRSCO guidelines must be prepared by Qualified Professionals (QPs) with appropriate technical experience and knowledge.  MMSA provides a Qualified Professional program allowing our members to prepare these reports. MMSA is a Recognized Overseas Professional Organization (ROPO) by all Provinces in Canada (NI 43-101), AusIMM in Australia (JORC Code) and SAIMM in South Africa (SAMREC Code) for the public reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves.

Providing this membership class helps MMSA to achieve its objective of the protection of investors in the minerals industry.

A QP member must select a discipline.  While it is possible to select multiple disciplines, it is recommended to pick a maximum of 3.  For each extra discipline, there is an additional membership fee and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) hours. The available disciplines are:

• Geology: requires a degree in geology or geological engineering and works in one  or more of the following areas: as an exploration, mine, or consulting geologist on the search for and delineation of mineral deposits; as a mine geologist in the extraction of a deposit; and/or the review and auditing of these activities.
• Mining: requires a degree in mining engineering or other acceptable engineering discipline and works in one or more of the following areas: the extraction designs for mineral deposits; on the geostatistical modeling of mineral deposits; as a mine engineer working on the extraction of a deposit; and/or the review and auditing of these activities.
• Ore Reserves: requires designation as a geologist or mining engineer and regular work related to the evaluation and classification of deposits as mineral resources and mineral reserves, and/or on the geostatistical modeling of mineral deposits, and/or the review and auditing of these activities.
• Metallurgy/Processing: requires a degree in metallurgy, metallurgical engineering, chemical engineering, or similar degree along with experience in the processing of mineral deposits into saleable products.
• Environmental Permitting and Compliance: requires a degree in environmental science, geology, biology, chemistry, mining engineering, or other suitable science or engineering degree and work on the permitting of proposed mining operations, compliance with applicable permits and regulations at an active mine, reclamation of mining sites, and the review and auditing of environmental compliance by proposed and active mining sites and reclamation of abandoned sites.
• Mineral Valuation Finance: An applicant for this QP category should:
  a.     Be an engineer or geoscientist with a degree in mineral economics, geology, mining or metallurgy.
  b.     Have at least ten years of experience in minerals valuations, mineral economics, or minerals financing; with demonstrated familiarity with international valuation codes, the use of Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return and Payback Periods and an understanding of macro and micro economics related to a broad topical background in various mineral commodities. .
• Minerals Project Costing, Infrastructure, Management:An applicant for this QP category should be an engineer or geoscientist with an appropriate engineering degree and ten years of experience in any combination of the following:
  1. cost analysis for mining and mineral related projects components including the use of available data bases, historic costs, application of appropriate levels of contingency;
  2. analysis, design and costing of mining related infrastructure requirements such as such as roads, power, water, shops, laboratories and offices, port facilities, etc. with experience in researching and confirming of capital costs and operating components including the use of available data bases, historic costs, application of appropriate levels of contingency; or
  3. management of surface and/or underground mining projects through the construction and start-up phases. Capabilities in controlling project costs, schedule and monthly progress reports. Experience in dealing with contractor and vendors including bidding, bid analysis and awarding contracts.

MMSA Members who are members in good standing may apply for recognition as a QP Member. Fill in the QP Member Application form and attach a current resume or CV including all preferred methods of contact. The resume should include detail about experience in the categories applied for so the QP committee can evaluate your qualifications. Existing members applying for QP status must name three current members who can attest to your technical capabilities and ethical standing. The sponsoring members will fill in the QP Endorsement form. The QP Membership Committee will review your application, notify the membership of your intent and respond to you in a timely fashion.

QP Application Form

The completed application form should be printed out and signed. It may then be re-digitized and emailed to contactmmsa@mmsa.net,  (preferably in pdf format) or mailed to MMSA headquarters.

MMSA has been recognized as a ROPO (Recognized Overseas Professional Organization) by:

• All Provinces in Canada, (CIM – National Instrument 43-101)
• AusIMM in Australia (Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves -The JORC Code)
• South Africa. (SAIMM)

Recognition by these entities requires that QP members meet certain minimum educational and experience levels, and that they declare their own specific areas of expertise. The QP pledges to follow the Code of Ethics maintained and enforced by the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America (MMSA).

When you are accepted as a QP member, you are expected to stay current with your professional development. As a QP you are required to have an average of 50 hours per year of CPD within any three year period for each QP category. Reporting CPD accumulation yearly is required. It is your responsibility to keep track of your CPD hours. CPD logs will be audited periodically and you will be notified when your CPD logs for the previous 3 years is selected for auditing.

The CPD hours can include:

• Attendance at workshops, on-line or in-person courses, field trips, and other events with a technical focus.
• Attendance at technical meetings and conferences
• Preparation and presentation of technical papers, including articles published in mining media.
• Participation in professional associations as an officer or committee member.
• Any  employer- or work-required training such as safety classes, regulatory requirements classes, etc.

When CPD is reported, a copy will be added to your file. Reporting consists of a document or spreadsheet containing the following information:

• QP’s Name and contact information, QP category(ies) of qualification, and the 3 year periods being reported.
• The dates of the CPD hours.
• The number of CPD hours.
• The title of the CPD event or activity.
• A brief description of the technical aspects of the CPD event or activity.

A sample CPD log is provided. Those QPs who are members of other professional organizations that have a CPD reporting system may wish to keep their CPD log in the form used by that organization as long as the information requested by MMSA is also included. MMSA will accept these alternative CPD logs.

If there is a request for information about a QP, MMSA will provide the CPD as part of the response. If you do not have a current statement on file, you will be asked to provide one.

The following documents explain the CPD program for Qualified Professional (QP) members.

• Introduction
• FAQ
• Sample Log
• How to fill in Log
• CPD Lookup Table
• Audit Process