Enhancing Project Delivery Through Operational Experience

Engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) remains a prevalent approach for greenfield project delivery in the mining and minerals sector. While effective in coordinating complex works, it frequently culminates in a hard handover, with limited mechanisms to capture and reuse operational learnings in future designs. Consequently, design deficiencies can be repeated and addressed late during commissioning, increasing ramp‑up duration and elevating capital expenditure (CAPEX) risk, which can undermine investor confidence. This paper advocates integrating operational experience and subject matter expertise early in design to close the feedback loop between operations and projects. Key themes include recognising operational realities not evident on piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs); designing for variability in ore and process conditions; and embedding metallurgical requirements within digital control system philosophy. By aligning control objectives with process needs, avoiding unnecessary complexity and creating structured feedback pathways, projects can reduce technical risk and improve commissioning efficiency and long‑term operability.