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The Parker Challenge

The Parker Challenge

 

How much variability would there be if multiple geologists or geostatisticians all estimated and classified a mineral resource from the same data? The Parker Challenge aims to find out!

Proudly sponsored by

Carlin style gold

The 2025 Parker Challenge focuses on orientation: getting the directions of continuity right.

You will be tasked with estimating the gold in the deposit referred to as ‘Enterprise’ for the purpose of the Parker Challenge. The actual deposit will be revealed at the conclusion of the Parker Challenge award.

Your task is to estimate the gold only, identifying the best orientations for grade trends and pinpointing the hard boundaries where these trends stop.  The judging will prioritise your critical path: how you arrived at your gold estimate.

Join the 2025 Parker Challenge now and put your resource estimation expertise to the test. Click the button below for full details.

About the Parker Challenge

Ever approached a task and wished you had a bird's eye view of how others might solve the same problem? The Parker Challenge, created in association with the Mineral Resource Estimation conference, aims to quantify the ‘between person variance’ or ‘pattern noise’ in resource estimation.

The Parker Challenge features multiple resource estimators creating a classified model from the same base dataset. Estimates from participants will be amalgamated, and the results compared. The range of outcomes, differences in approaches, and classification decisions will be presented during the conference, along with the challenge winner.

This is an unprecedented challenge with the potential to catapult the industry forward.

NOTE: In accordance with the participant Terms and Conditions, employees of the Conference Organiser (AusIMM) and the Sponsor (Barrick/Nevada Gold Mine) are ineligible to enter.

Join the 2025 Parker Challenge

Bring your innovative thinking to the table and redefine the way we estimate resources.

Why participate?

Presenting a unique opportunity to address the lack of transparency in MRE output and resource classification, The Parker Challenge will allow you to contribute to building a knowledgebase that will benefit the entire industry for years to come.

The dataset: 'Enterprise'

Enterprise is one deposit of several that make up a multi-million-ounce complex located in the northern Carlin Trend. Participants will receive a limited data set, all data prior to 2010, comparable to what would typically be available for an interim Mineral Resource estimate.  

Identifying estimation variability

Your estimate will be amalgamated with estimates from every other participant and the results will be compared. The range of outcomes, differences in approaches and classification decisions will be presented during the conference, highlighting just how different the estimates can be given the same data.

Reward and recognition

Thanks to The Parker Challenge Sponsor, Barrick, the winner will be rewarded with $45,000! The Challenge winner will be announced at the Mineral Resource Estimation Conference being held at Optus Stadium in Perth from 6-7 May 2025.

1946—2019

Dr Harry Parker

Dr Harry Parker was widely known and respected as an authority and expert in the field of resource modelling and geostatistics.  He emphasised the preparation of resource models that reflect both local geological controls on grade and orebody geometry as well as the degree of selectivity implicit in the mining method.  These insights were gained from combining an impressive breadth of experience with deep technical knowledge. Lifting The Parker Challenge trophy is a prestigious nod to a man for whom such an exercise would have been fascinating!

The Parker Challenge Competition

General
  1. Entry is only open during the Competition Period (defined below).
  2. Employees of the Conference Organiser (AusIMM), the Sponsor and members of the Conference Advisory Committee are ineligible to enter.
  3. There is no entry fee for this Parker Challenge Competition (“Competition”).
  4. Entries into the Competition open on 12:00pm (AEST), Tuesday, 17 December 2024 and close at 11:59pm (AEST), Monday, 24 March 2025 (“Competition Period”).
  5. Competition entrants may be required to sign the Sponsor’s non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prior to receiving the competition data set.
  6. To enter, Eligible Individuals must, before the closing of the Competition Period:
    • using the data set provided by the Conference Organiser, complete and digitally transfer in the Correct Format, the Deliverables (Competition Materials);
    • provide all required information on entrant’s experience, technical background, affiliation, as specified by the AusIMM.
  1. The number of entries permitted for this Competition is limited to one (1) valid entry per person or per team.
  2. Entries can be made by an individual or a team.
  3. By entering this Competition, the entrant agrees that they have read, understood and will 
    abide by the terms and conditions of this Competition.
  4. This Competition requires a minimum of 15 entrants to proceed.
  5. The Conference Organiser reserves the right (subject to any applicable law) to cancel, terminate, reschedule, or suspend the Competition, at its sole discretion.
  6. The Conference Organiser and the Conference Advisory Committee reserve the right, at any time, to verify the validity of entries and entrants and reserve the right, in their discretion, to disqualify any individual who the Conference Organiser or the Conference Advisory Committee have reason to believe has breached any of these Terms and Conditions, tampered with the entry process or engaged in any unlawful or other improper misconduct calculated to jeopardise fair and proper conduct of the Competition. Errors or omissions may be accepted at the Conference Organiser’s discretion. Failure by the Conference Organiser to enforce any of its rights at any stage does not constitute a waiver of those rights. The Conference Organiser’s legal rights to recover damages or other compensation from such an offender are reserved.
  7. Incomplete or indecipherable entries will be deemed invalid.
  8. Competition entries will be reviewed and assessed by the Conference Advisory Committee, during the period of 24 March 2025 to 5 May 2025. At the end of the review period the Conference Advisory Committee will determine a winner, and this decision is final. Minor prizes may be awarded at the judge’s discretion.
  9. The winner will be announced on at the Mineral Resource Estimation Conference on Wednesday 7 May 2025, as part of the conference program. Notification will be sent via email, within seven (7) days of the announcement. The winners details will also be published on the conference website (https://www.ausimm.com/conferences-and-events/mineral-resource-estimation/) as well as via social media channels.
  10. The Conference Organiser will facilitate the payment of the prize money to the winner, within thirty (30) days of the winner announcement. Payment of the prize money will be processed ina single transaction, to the winner’s nominated business account.
  11. The prize cannot be transferred or exchanged.
  12. Should a winner not be identified and awarded, then the prize money will be returned to the competition Sponsor.
  13. The prize money will be paid in accordance with the Australian Tax Office regulations. The Conference Organiser will not be liable for any tax implications resulting from the prize winnings and the winner(s) must obtain independent tax advice to ascertain how this may affect their situation.
  14. Entrants consent to the Conference Organiser
    a) using the competition data submitted as part of the Competition, their name, likeness, image and/or voice in (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same) in any media for an unlimited period without remuneration for the purpose of promoting this competition (including any outcome); and
    (b) providing the Sponsor with all the Competition data submitted as part of the competition entry.
  15. Any costs associated with preparing and submitting a competition entry is the entrant’s responsibility.
  16. The Conference Organiser is the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), ABN 59 836 002 494, 204 Lygon Street, Carlton VIC 3053, 03 9658 6100.
Competition Data
  1. A data set will be provided to each competition entrant and this data must be the single source of data used for the entrant’s submission.
  2. The data set will be provided by the Conference Organiser, on behalf of the Sponsor.
  3. Entrants acknowledge and understand that the data set provided is confidential and is to be used for the sole purpose of the Competition only and cannot be used in any other way. The usage period of the data is the period of the Competition only, being date to date.
Limitation of Liability and Variation of Terms
  1. If any act, omission, event or circumstances occurs which is beyond the reasonable control of the Conference Organiser and which prevents the Conference Organiser from complying with these Terms and Conditions, the Conference Organiser will not be liable for any failure to perform or delay in performing its obligations.
  2. The Conference Organiser and its respective officers, employees, contractors and agents will not be liable for any losses, damages, expenses, costs or personal injuries arising out of this Competition, or use of any prize, including but not limited to any breach of these Terms and Conditions, contract or tort (including negligence) and any other common law, equitable or statutory remedy (Damages) whatsoever, including but not limited to direct, indirect and consequential Damages, including Damages that cannot reasonably be considered to arise naturally and in the ordinary course of things even if those Damages were in the contemplation of the Competition entrant and Conference Organiser
Statutory Rights and Consumer Guarantees
  1. Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any rights that an entrant may have under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) (CCA) or any other legislation which may not be excluded, restricted or modified by agreement. If the CCA or any other legislation implies a condition, warranty or term into this Agreement or provides statutory guarantees in connection with these Terms, in respect of goods and services supplied, the 
    Conference Organiser’s liability for breach of such condition, warranty, other term or guarantee is limited (at the Conference Organiser’s election):
    a) in the case of supply of goods, the Conference Organiser doing any one or more of the following: (i) replacing the goods or supplying equivalent goods; (ii) paying the cost of replacing the goods or of acquiring equivalent goods; and/or (iii) paying the cost of having the goods repaired; or
    b) in the case of supply of services, the Conference Organiser doing either or both of the following: (i) supplying the services again; and/or (ii) paying the cost of having the services supplied again.
Indemnity
  1. Entrants agree to fully indemnify and hold the Sponsor and the Conference Organiser; its employees, agents, contractors and sub-contractors harmless from any claim, cost, demand, liability or damage (including legal costs, professional costs and other expenses on a full indemnity basis) incurred by the Conference Organiser and/or its employees, agents, contractors and sub-contractors arising out of or in connection with the competition, including, but not limited to (i) an entrant’s breach of these terms and conditions; or (ii) infringement of an entrant’s intellectual property or other right of any third party.
Privacy
  1. An entrant's competition entry, and any handling of their personal information, is at all times subject to the relevant privacy collection statement and the Conference Organiser's Privacy Policy, as amended from time to time and accessible via the webpage: ausimm.com/privacy-policy.
  2. By entering the Competition, the entrant acknowledges and agrees that their personal information (including name, title, company and email) may be provided to the Conference Advisory Committee, displayed at the Conference and included in conference marketing activities (printed, online and via social channels). The Conference Organiser is not responsible for the subsequent use, disclosure or handling of an entrant’s personal information by the Conference Advisory Committee.
Submission of Competition Materials
  1. The entrant must prepare and submit the competition entry in accordance with competition guidelines.
  2. The entrant agrees that the Competition entry content/data becomes the property of the Conference Organiser and authorises the Conference Organiser to use the information submitted for the purposes of the Competition and for any purpose connected with the business of the Conference Organiser.
  3. The entrant agrees that the Competition entry content/data will be provided to the Competition Sponsor by the Conference Organiser and authorises the Competition Sponsor to use the information submitted for the purposes of the Competition and for any purpose connected with the business of the Sponsor.
Intellectual Property
  1. The entrant assigns to the Conference Organiser all rights, title and interest (including all intellectual property rights) in the Competition submission data. This assignment operates as an assignment of future intellectual property rights to the extent that the data is not in existence at the date the entrant accepts these Terms.
Definitions
  1. Competition data - means the data provided to the entrant by the Conference Organiser, on behalf of the Sponsor and further defined in 23, 24, and 25.

  2. Submission data / deliverables / Competition materials - means the digital products submitted by the entrant.

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