The history of reporting mineral resources and reserves is intricately linked to the growth of the mining industry globally. Over the past century, the increasing demand for minerals and the growing complexity of mining projects have highlighted the need for a transparent and standardized system for reporting mineral resources and reserves. In the late 19th century, the mining industry was rapidly expanding, especially in the West. However, the absence of unified standards for reporting mineral resources and reserves often left investors relying on incomplete and unclear information. This led to financial losses and increased distrust among stakeholders, creating a pressing need for a cohesive system. During this time, one of the first professional organizations in the United States, the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME), was founded in 1871. Initially established to serve mining and metallurgy engineers, the organization provided a platform for knowledge exchange. As mining activities expanded in the U.S., SME became a key player in developing guidelines for mining practices and, subsequently, for reporting mineral resources and reserves. In Australia, by the mid-20th century, the mining sector had become a vital part of the country's economy. However, inconsistent reporting of mineral reserves led to volatility and financial instability in mining investments. To address this issue, the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) was established in 1971 by three key Australian entities: the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG), and the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA). The committee's objective was to create a standard code for reporting exploration results, mineral resources, and reserves. The JORC code was introduced in 1989 and is considered a significant achievement in the mining and mineral industries. This code ensured that all public reports on mineral resources and reserves were presented transparently, consistently, and meaningfully. JORC was rapidly adopted in Australia and gained global recognition due to its transparency and reliability, serving as a foundation for developing similar standards in other countries. At this time, South Africa, with its rich mineral resources, also recognized the importance of creating its own reporting standards. In response, the South African Mineral Resources Committee (SAMREC) was established in 1998. The SAMREC code was developed based on the principles of the JORC code but was tailored to meet the unique needs of the South African mining industry. Similar to JORC in Australia, SAMREC collaborated closely with stock exchanges to ensure that listed mining companies adhered to these standards. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) played a significant role in implementing these standards, ensuring that mining companies provided clear and reliable information to investors. With the advancement of globalization and the expansion of mining projects across continents, the need for a harmonized international system became increasingly evident. This need led to the formation of the Committee for International Reporting Standards for Mineral Resources (CRIRSCO) in 1994. CRIRSCO's mission was to establish an international framework to align various national standards, ensuring that reports on mineral resources and reserves were reliable anywhere in the world. CRIRSCO effectively integrated the global reporting landscape for mineral resources, bringing together various national codes like JORC in Australia and SAMREC in South Africa. Over time, the CRIRSCO model became the cornerstone of global reporting standards, ensuring that companies listed on global exchanges presented their information based on principles of transparency, relevance, and credibility.

While JORC and SAMREC focused on the reporting of mineral resources and reserves, another important aspect of the mining industry required review: the assessment and valuation of resources, reserves, and mineral assets. In 1995, the VALMIN code was introduced in Australia to establish standard methods for assessing and valuing mineral assets for public reporting. This code ensured that evaluations were conducted transparently and based on logical assumptions, particularly concerning mergers, acquisitions, or listings on stock exchanges. During this period, VALMIN and JORC functioned complementarily, with VALMIN focusing on the financial aspects of mining project evaluations, while JORC was responsible for the technical reporting of resources and reserves. In Russia, a country with abundant mineral resources and specific practices, the importance of aligning with international standards gradually increased. This led to the establishment of the NAEN code by the National Association of Underground Evaluation (NAEN) in the early 2000s. The NAEN code was designed to align with CRIRSCO, allowing Russian companies to report their mineral resources and reserves according to recognized international principles. Similarly, Europe, with its diverse geology and extensive mining operations, sought to unify its reporting standards. Consequently, the Pan-European Reporting Committee (PERC) was established in 2006 to create a single standard across European countries. PERC subsequently became recognized as the European member of CRIRSCO, aligning its standards with other global codes such as JORC and SAMREC. By the early 21st century, CRIRSCO's vision for establishing a global framework for reporting mineral resources and reserves had largely been realized. Today, the JORC, SAMREC, NAEN, PERC, and other similar standards are recognized worldwide, providing investors, governments, and the public with a clear and reliable means of understanding the mineral assets of companies and countries. Each of these codes shares common principles of transparency, relevance, and credibility, ensuring that the information provided across borders is reliable, consistent, and harmonized. This global network of reporting standards has significantly contributed to the flourishing of the mining industries and enabled stakeholders to make more informed decisions with greater confidence. With ongoing advancements in new technologies, including artificial intelligence and sophisticated geological software, the field of mineral resource reporting continues to evolve. CRIRSCO and its associated organizations are at the forefront of these developments, striving to prepare the industry to face new challenges, such as the increasing demand for critical minerals essential for renewable energy and technology. In this ever-changing landscape, the foundations laid by JORC, SAMREC, CRIRSCO, and other relevant organizations continue to serve as pillars of trust and transparency in the global mining industries.