Committee for International Standardization in Mining - CONIM
IBRAM, through its Committee for International Standardization in Mining (CONIM), develops a series of activities to support the use of technical standards in mining (ISO and ABNT). These standards are of paramount importance for suppliers and consumers of mineral goods, since they are used to quantify the quality characteristics of these goods, upon which the calculation of revenue, premiums, and fines for each shipment is based. CONIM is part of IBRAM's Directorate of Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs.
O IBRAM-CONIM CONIM was created within the IBRAM structure in 1994, at the request of Brazilian iron ore companies, with the exclusive function of coordinating, providing secretarial support, strengthening, and encouraging the participation of these companies in the development of ISO and ABNT standards. In 2007, CONIM further expanded its scope of support and began coordinating the participation of Brazilian companies producing iron ore, copper and nickel concentrates, and nickel alloys. CONIM has its own budget, with the companies using CONIM's services (producers and exporters of iron, copper, and nickel) being responsible for funding the Program, regardless of their contributions as IBRAM members, as it is a special program within the Institute's structure and solely aimed at serving these companies. Each company's financial contribution is based on a quota system and considers the volume of ore traded. Currently, the International Standardization Program in Mining covers the sectors of iron ore (ISO/TC 102), copper and nickel ores and concentrates (ISO/TC 183), as well as nickel and nickel alloys (ISO/TC 155), and is open to new projects upon request from companies. More specifically, the IBRAM-CONIM:
It hosts CB-41This is the ABNT committee responsible for developing and revising Brazilian technical standards for iron ore, as well as coordinating and formalizing the participation of Brazilian companies in the work of the ISO Committee for Iron Ores, which is TC 102 – Iron Ores. CB-41 It was established as a mirror committee of TC 102. Thus, for each Committee of TC 102 (Sampling, Chemical Analysis, and Physical and Metallurgical Testing) the CB-41 There is a Study Committee to receive, discuss, and reach a consensus on the Brazilian position in the voting on ISO projects. The scope of action of CB-041 It is the standardization in the field of iron ores, concerning terminology, sampling methods, sample preparation, moisture determination, particle size distribution determination, chemical analyses, and physical tests.
CEE-081 headquarters (Special Study Committee on Copper and Nickel Ores, Concentrates and Primary Products). This Committee aims at standardization in the field of copper and nickel ores, concentrates and primary products concerning specifications, terminology, weighing, sampling and sample preparation, chemical analysis, physical tests of copper ore and concentrate, smelter residues, nickel ore, nickel and nickel alloys. This ABNT committee is responsible for the development and revision of Brazilian technical standards for nickel ores, concentrates and primary products, and coordinates and formalizes the participation of Brazilian companies in the work of the ISO Committees for copper and nickel (ISO/TC 155 and ISO/TC 183).
Prepare (politically and technically) the Brazilian delegations to participate in the meetings of the ISO technical committees, in addition to participating in these meetings, together with experts from the sponsoring companies.
Maintains the Secretariat of the Subcommittee for Brazil/ABNT. TC 102 responsible for standardizing physical and metallurgical testing of iron ores (ISO/TC 102/SC3).
It follows the progress of projects conducted in ISO/TC 102 (iron ores) ISO/TC 183 (ores and concentrates of copper, nickel, zinc and lead) and ISO/TC 155 (nickel and nickel alloys), with alerts regarding periods for Brazilian comments and votes. Provides secretarial support to Brazilian leaders of Working Groups at ISO and ABNT.
It hosts the meetings of the Commissions and Working Groups on Sampling (CE 01), Chemical Analysis (CE 02), Physical and Metallurgical Testing (CE 03) and the Special Study Commission on copper and nickel ores, concentrates and primary products (CEE-081), in accordance with the ABNT and ISO programs.
It maintains the administrative structure that allows for the scheduling and organization of these meetings, the office infrastructure and secretarial services for these committees, providing the members of these discussion groups, who carry out other professional activities in their companies, with the necessary support for the work to proceed satisfactorily.
Coordinates the preparation of training courses on the content and application of standards (open and in-company training). It is important to emphasize that this participation brings significant advantages to mining companies, such as:
– prevents biased proposals and the development of biased norms from taking hold;
– significant improvement in sampling facilities and laboratories (especially through our participation in international interlaboratory trials);
– High-level training for the professionals involved, through deepening their knowledge of both the development and application, as well as the limitations of the standards;
– Systematic contact with technical staff from clients and competitors;
– valuable international experience of the professionals involved.
