Mining & Critical Minerals

Overview

For decades, we have worked on Australia’s most complex mining, metals and critical-minerals transactions, from iron ore and coal to lithium, rare earths and battery metals. Clients come to us for advice that is fast, practical, and right the first time.

We don’t waste time getting up to speed. We’ve seen these projects from every angle and we know what works in practice. 

Why clients trust us

We see it early

Decades inside the sector means we know how issues unfold, technically, commercially and politically. We don’t just identify risks, we tell you which ones matter and what to do next.

We move as one team

Our mining projects team brings together development, environment, M&A, employment, safety and disputes partner, who have worked side by side for over 25 years. You get joined-up advice with no internal handovers or delay.

We’re built for pressure

We have delivered board papers in an hour, found hidden liabilities others missed, and given advice in 30 minutes that has protected hundreds of millions of dollars. Clients call us because we have seen how these issues play out and we know how to get ahead of them.

What you can count on

Advice that holds up under board and regulator scrutiny

No waffle. No surprises. Just solutions that work in the real world, and stack up when challenged.

Negotiation power, grounded to market reality

We know what will work and what won’t, because we’ve done the deals that set market precedent.

Foresight others miss

We map legal decisions to long-term economics, closure and stakeholder exposure, so today’s fix does not become tomorrow’s risk.

Value beyond the brief

From royalty gaps to legacy drafting triggers, we catch what others miss and you avoid the costly blow-outs.

Experience

Our mining projects team is ranked #1 globally in mining M&A by deal value for 1H2025. We support clients through every phase of the project lifecycle.

Recent transactions include advising: 

• VOC Group: on its US$3.2 billion sale of 25% interest in Rhodes Ridge Iron Ore Project to Mitsui, one of the largest iron ore transactions in recent years.

• Nippon Steel Corporation: on its US$720 million agreement to acquire a 20% interest in the Blackwater mine in Central Queensland from Whitehaven Coal Limited, including associated offtake arrangements.

• Mandalay Resources: on its merger with ASX listed Alkane Resources, which will create a combined diversified gold and antimony producer valued at over A$1 billion. The merger brings together portfolios across three producing assets. Mandalay’s Costerfield mine in Victoria and Björkdal mine in Sweden, as well as Alkane’s Tomingley operations in New South Wales. The combined entity is expected to produce 160,000 gold-equivalent ounces in 2025, increasing in 2026 to over 180,000 ounces.

• Wyloo: on the formation of a joint venture with Hastings Technology Metals Ltd (ASX: HAS) (Hastings) for the Yangibana Rare Earths and Niobium Project. The transaction also involved Wyloo acquiring a 19.99% equity interest in TSX-listed Neo Performance Materials Inc. (Neo), making Wyloo its largest shareholder. A critical project for the global EV supply chain.

• LG Energy Solution Ltd. (LGES): an advanced commercial electronics and electric vehicle battery maker and subsidiary of South Korean multinational conglomerate LG Corporation (KRX:003550) on a strategic partnership with Western Australian lithium exploration and mining company Liontown Resources Limited (ASX:LTR) via a USD 250 million convertible notes issue.

• Central Asia Metals: on its proposed scheme of arrangement to acquire all shares in ASX-listed exploration and development company New World Resources Limited (ASX: NWC) for a value of approximately A$185 million.

• Exxaro Resources Limited: on its conditional acquisition of a 19.99% interest in ASX-listed Jupiter Mines Ltd (ASX:JSM). This forms the Australian component of Exxaro's broader acquisition of various investee companies held by Ntsimbintle Holdings Proprietary Limited and OMH (Mauritius) Corp, for a maximum closing price of approximately R14.64 billion (A$1.25 billion).

• Ardea Resources Ltd: on its joint venture with a consortium consisting of Mitsubishi Corporation and Sumitomo to develop Goongarie and the entry into a Shareholders' Agreement with the consortium for Goongarrie.

• Osisko Bermuda Limited: on US$150m copper and silver stream transactions with Metals Acquisition Limited, to assist Metal Acquisition Corp's US$1.1bn acquisition of Glencore's CSA mine in New South Wales

• Idemitsu: on the sale of its Ensham mine (operated in joint venture with LG) to Sungella.

• Grosvenor Mine: the consortium of Nippon Steel Corporation, Mitsui & Co., Ltd, Nippon Steel Trading Corporation, Shinsho Corporation and JFE Mineral Co., Ltd on their acquisition of a minority interest in Anglo American's Grosvenor Mine, which resulted in the equalisation of interests across the Moranbah and Grosvenor mines. 

• Mitsui: on the sale of its interests in the BHP Mitsui Coal Joint Venture.