Global average lead times from discovery of mineral resources to production 2010-2019
On average, it takes 16.9 years from the discovery of mineral resources worldwide to production. Out of this total timeframe, the first 12.5 years on average correspond to the longest stage: discovery, exploration to feasibility; whereas the following 1.8 years are on average are dedicated to construction planning. Meanwhile, the last stage - construction to production - takes around 2.6 years on average.