What Global Mining Guidelines Group does

Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) is a Canadian not-for-profit organization, founded in 2012 (with roots in a 2000 informal effort formalized as SMART in 2005), that operates as a global, multi-stakeholder collaboration platform for the mining industry. Headquartered in Ormstown, Quebec, with a staff of 11–50, GMG facilitates the development of operator-driven guidelines, white papers, case studies, and technical standards that address safety, sustainability, and productivity challenges across mine operations.

GMG's core outputs are organized around nine Working Groups covering Data and AI, Autonomous Mining, Asset Management, Cybersecurity, Data & Interoperability, Mineral Processing, Sustainability, Electric Mine, and Underground Mining. Notable deliverables include the Open Mining Format (OMF) — a 3D data interoperability specification — and the Foundations of AI in Mining White Paper V2. All publications are freely accessible; GMG does not sell products. The organization has published over 21 guidelines and white papers and convenes more than 7,000 volunteers globally.

GMG is funded primarily through a three-tiered membership model (Leadership, Collaborator, General) that ranges from large multinationals to smaller firms. Leadership-tier members include BHP, Caterpillar, Codelco, Rio Tinto, Vale, Epiroc, Sandvik, Ivanhoe Electric, and Nutrien. The organization operates as an independent entity since November 2021, having spun off from the CIM Surface Mining Society, and is governed by a Board of Directors with representatives from Epiroc (Chair), Vale Base Metals (Vice-Chair), Komatsu, Codelco, Freeport-McMoRan, and Antamina.

Name

Global Mining Guidelines Group

Legal name

Global Mining Guidelines Group

Website

https://gmggroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) is a Canadian not-for-profit that facilitates global, multi-stakeholder collaboration to develop operator-driven guidelines, white papers, and standards (including OMF and AI-in-Mining resources) for the mining industry, funded by tiered membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ormstown

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: GMG operates as a not-for-profit organization that facilitates global, multi-stakeholder collaboration. The organization has a three-tiered membership approach enabling participation from small firms to multinational companies. Specific membership fee structures are not publicly disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) is a not-for-profit organization that facilitates global, multi-stakeholder collaboration to accelerate the implementation of new and best practices, technologies and processes in mine operations. Through a three-tiered membership model and nine operator-driven working groups, GMG develops and freely publishes guidelines, white papers, case studies, and industry landscapes covering areas such as autonomous mining, battery electric vehicles, AI, cybersecurity, and sustainability.

Product overview

Global Mining Guidelines Group (GMG) is a not-for-profit organization that does not offer commercial products but rather serves as an open, collaborative platform for developing and publishing industry guidance. GMG's primary offerings are freely accessible publications including Guidelines, White Papers, Case Studies, and Industry Landscapes, produced through Working Groups. The Open Mining Format (OMF) provides a technical standard for 3D data interoperability between mining software applications. The Foundations of AI in Mining White Paper V2 serves as an educational resource for AI implementation. All GMG publications are openly accessible, reflecting the organization's not-for-profit, open-access mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 volunteers participate in GMG activities globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• The Open GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2025The Open Group and GMG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to foster collaboration between the organizations on industry standards.
• Electric Mine ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2023GMG signed an MoU with the Electric Mine Consortium to collaborate on advancing the electric mine initiatives.
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIM is a key partner organization that helped establish GMG (originally GMSG). CIM provided seed funding and has a representative on the GMG Governing Council.
• Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME became a partner organization in 2012, providing three years of seed funding and a representative on the GMSG Governing Council.
• Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAusIMM joined as a partner organization in 2013, providing two years of seed funding and a seat on the Governing Council.
• Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAIMM joined as a partner organization in 2013, providing two years of seed funding and a seat on the Governing Council.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Mining Association of Canada (MAC): MAC is the national industry association for mining in Canada and develops industry guidelines (e.g., Towards Sustainable Mining). It is comparable as a mining-industry association but operates primarily in Canada.
• Global Mining Association of India (GMAI): GMAI is a regional mining industry association serving India; it is comparable as a peer mining-industry body but operates in a distinct geography from GMG's global footprint.

Direct peers

• Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM): AusIMM is a GMG partner organization and the leading mining professional society in Australasia, publishing industry guidance and standards — directly comparable as a regional mining-standards body.
• Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM): CIM is one of GMG's founding partner organizations and a leading mining professional society that also develops industry standards and guidelines; it is the closest direct comparable as a peer mining-industry collaborative body.
• International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM): ICMM is a global mining industry leadership organization that convenes major mining companies and OEMs to develop sustainability and operational frameworks — comparable to GMG as an industry-wide collaborative standards and guidance body.
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO/TC 82): ISO Technical Committee 82 develops international standards for mining; GMG's chair Tim Skinner chaired the relevant subcommittee. ISO/TC 82 is a directly comparable standards-development body in the mining space.
• Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME): SME is a core GMG partner and a major U.S.-based mining professional society that publishes technical standards and guidelines for the mining industry, making it a directly comparable standards/guidelines body.
• Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM): SAIMM is a GMG partner organization and a leading mining professional society in Southern Africa that publishes industry guidance — a directly comparable peer in mission and structure.

Emerging players

• The Open Group: The Open Group signed an MoU with GMG in 2025 and develops cross-industry standards (e.g., TOGAF, O-PAS); it is an emerging peer that overlaps with GMG on enterprise and industrial standards development.
• Electric Mine Consortium: Electric Mine Consortium has an MoU with GMG and focuses specifically on mine electrification — a comparable emerging peer that overlaps with GMG's Electric Mine Working Group.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3BChCRrw0KLFONRqgnUt1A/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/GlobalMiningGuidelinesGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-mining-guidelines-group
• Xx.com/gmgorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Global Mining Guidelines Group