The Canadian Securities Administrators ("CSA") published Staff Notice 43-307 Mining Technical Reports – Preliminary Economic Assessments, which is intended to clarify the definition of "preliminary economic assessment" ("PEA") in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). NI 43-101 defines a PEA as "a study, other than a pre-feasibility study or feasibility study, which includes an economic analysis of the potential viability of mineral resources". The terms pre-feasibility study ("PFS") and feasibility study ("FS") have the meanings ascribed by the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, as amended. The CSA notes that certain issues have been identified in monitoring PEA disclosure since June 2011 when this definition was included in NI 43-101.
The Notice emphasizes to issuers that a PEA is to be kept separate and distinct from both PFS and FS, which indicate more comprehensive studies, and provides further guidance to issuers on other aspects of PEA preparation and disclosure to address the issues that have arisen. The CSA notes that the definition of PEA has two elements that distinguish it from other studies, namely that, by definition it cannot be a PFS or FS and it can only demonstrate the potential viability of mineral resources, not the technical or economic viability of a project. The Notice provides guidance to issuers regarding how to properly identify and disclose a PEA and avoid the staff challenging the study or taking the position that the issuer is treating the PEA as a PFS.
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