Mining and Resources.

The mining and resources sector delivers economic wealth, jobs, high wages, investment and tax revenues to Australia.

The mining and resources sector continues to underpin the Australian economy, with the country being one of the world’s largest exporters of commodities. Even as we move towards a net zero economy, Australia will remain an important destination for foreign capital looking to strategically acquire access to battery and other critical minerals.

The mining and resources sector delivers economic wealth, jobs, high wages, investment and tax revenues to Australia. The resources sector (including mining services) makes up over 8 per cent of Australia’s economy (source).

Our Mining and Resources team is a strategic and commercially focused team that combines its industry experience, market knowledge and technical skills to advise resources companies throughout their project lifecycle, with the ability to draw on legal practice area specialists to provide practical expertise in every state and territory in Australia.

Experience.

*Some of the above representations were undertaken while at previous firms

Calidus Resources

Advised Calidus Resources in relation to their mining services contract, constructions contracts for the processing facilities, power purchase agreement, gas supply agreement and general procurement contracts for their open pit gold mine in WA.

Sheffield Holdings

Advised Sheffield Holdings, LP in relation to its acquisition of a 50% interest in the Beetaloo Basin unconventional gas assets from Origin Energy Limited.

Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd

Acted for Mitsubishi Development Pty Ltd in relation to their BMA joint venture with BHP, including in relation to divestments, acquisitions, establishment of IROC and restructuring.

Peabody Energy

Advised Peabody Energy in relation to its Red Mountain JV with BHP, involving complex infrastructure arrangements associated with the Millennium and Poitrel Mines.

Idemitsu

Advised Idemitsu Australia Resources in relation to their port and rail access arrangements.

Acted for a major Canadian consortium in respect of litigation relating to a major EPC subcontract relating to a lithium battery project.

CIMIC Group Limited

Acted for CIMIC Group Limited on its completion of the sale of 50% of Thiess, the world’s largest mining services provider.

Advised a syndicate of banks in relation to the financing of the Yancoal Australia group, with a particular focus on project and corporate financing relating to Yancoal’s joint venture coal mining in NSW.

Bellevue Gold

Advised Bellevue Gold in relation to the mining services contract, construction contracts and procurement contracts in relation to the underground Bellevue Gold Mine.

QGC

Advised QGC on its acquisition of Petroleum Exploration Australia and subsequent joint venture arrangements with Central Petroleum Limited.

Whitehaven Coal Limited

Advised Whitehaven Coal Limited in relation to acquisition of the Winchester South Project as well as its bid for RioTinto’s other assets as it exited the coal industry, including Hail Creek and Kestrel.

Jellinbah Group

Advised Jellinbah Group in relation to acquisition of a 50% interest in the Boonal joint venture.

Advised several ASX Listed mining companies on their mining contracts, including in relation to power supply, gas supply, mining services, off-take and general supply and construction contracts.

Our experience encompasses the full project value chain, including land access and approvals, offtake and supply agreements, government support agreements or grant funding, financing, construction and operation.

We advise clients acquiring, divesting and otherwise dealing in resources assets (both exploration and producing projects) whether by direct acquisition, JVs, farm-ins/outs, and other strategic arrangements. As part of that advice, we assist our clients in navigating all aspects of the transaction including due diligence, compliance, licensing and regulatory matters, permitting, environmental, safety and security issues and contract disputes.

Our general areas of expertise include advising on:

Public and private M&A
Listings and secondary capital raisings
JORC and ASX listing rules compliance
Joint venture advice and farm-in/farm-out agreements
Project and corporate finance
Power supply requirements, including PPAs and gas sale and transportation arrangements (trucked and pipeline)
Royalty grant, acquisition and financing
Land access and native title
Dispute resolution
FIRB advice and applications
Negotiation and drafting of:
- Off-take and commodity agreements
- Refinery and processing agreements
- Port lease and port services agreements
- Development and construction agreements
- Operation and maintenance agreements
- Supply agreements
- Transportation agreements

Our team has deep industry experience advising mining and resources companies focused on all types of natural resources including:

Hard rock mining covering all commodities, including base metals (copper, zinc, nickel, lead, tin etc), precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium etc), battery minerals (lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, vanadium etc), rare earths, minerals sands, iron ore and coal
Offshore and onshore oil and gas, including conventional and unconventional gas exploration and development
Petroleum, gas and water pipelines
Water processing and storage

We advise mining and resources companies, including both publicly listed (in Australia and overseas) and private companies, investors, underwriters, lead managers and mining services companies.

We regularly advise on various cross-border transactions, including companies with assets based in Africa, Canada, the United States, South America, Asia and Europe, as well as foreign companies looking to invest in Australian projects or list (or dual list) on the ASX.

Our team provides agile and pragmatic advice and is supported by experienced practitioners that seamlessly provide related corporate advisory, project finance, employment, taxation and disputes services to assist clients in the resources space.