The minerals industry, like other major global industries, must consider and manage risks to business objectives (i.e. OH&S, environment, community and other areas) to remain successful.

Management of risks requires a proactive, systematic approach, applied when key decisions are being made across the life cycle of the industry from exploration through to mine closure.

Risk assessment methodology offers systematic approaches that can assist with key decision making that are made in the minerals industry.

Although regulatory authorities promote and, in some cases, require risk assessment, these methods are an inherent part of sound business management and not only a morale or legal obligation.

The accuracy and effectiveness of risk assessment deliverables can vary greatly depending on the quality of the risk assessment process.

This MCA guideline can provide guidance for those intent on following a quality process of risk assessment in their operations. 

This guideline is intended to provide advice on risk assessment and is not a definitive or mandatory document. 

In the body of the guidelines, there are a number of Internet links and reference sources of further information on the guideline topics. It must be noted that the authors and/or contents of these links and references are in no way endorsed by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) and Minerals Industry Safety and health Centre (MISHC). They are only supplied to provide additional information on the topics.