There is a tendency to think of data as generic, especially when it is vast, but the uniqueness of mineral data makes it the ultimate non-commodity, primed to take advantage of AI....more
This is the first article in Womble Bond Dickinson’s Energy & Natural Resources thought leadership series titled Striking the Balance: Permitting Reforms for Mining and the Energy Transition. In this series, we’ll explore the...more
The mining & metals sector, long perceived by the broader markets as an old-fashioned heavy industry, is embracing technological innovation and new forms of partnership as it seeks to harness productivity growth and the...more
In December 2023 – January 2024, we conducted a straw poll of 240 decision makers in the mining & metals sector via an online survey. While the findings are subject to the limitations of sample-based information, they do...more
Geography—as much as geology—is driving commercial activity and opportunities for mining & metals firms as decarbonization accelerates - The old adage—credited to J. Paul Getty—goes, "The meek shall inherit the Earth, but...more
Recent disruptions in the global food supply chains have highlighted Africa's urgent need to become self-sufficient in food production. Traditionally, the continent has turned to small-scale community-based agricultural...more
In the world of shifting geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the push for mineral & metal security is changing the way governments, regulators, sector participants and...more
Modern technologies in all industries require critical raw materials (CRM). From cobalt to lithium to gallium. But CRM are scarce. The EU is relying heavily on imports. Recent supply chain disruptions caused by the Corona...more
On February 24, 2023—the first anniversary of the Russian Federation’s Ukraine incursion—the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of...more
On February 24, 2023, the US government announced a new round of trade actions targeting goods and entities from Russia. The new actions, which coincide with the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine,...more
Even with the exceptional deal activity seen in 2021, the mining & metals sector saw a run of M&A transactions in 2022 not seen in a decade, resulting in a grand total of 288 deals worth US$88.2 billion for the year. Net...more
On Friday, February 24, the one-year anniversary of Russia’s further invasion into Ukraine, President Biden, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the US Department of State, and the US Department of Commerce, Bureau...more
On February 24, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced significant measures targeting the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy under Executive Order 14024....more
Geopolitical risks and inflationary pressures may have overtaken ESG as the top concerns for the mining & metals sector, but there is little expectation that ESG factors will diminish for investors and firms in 2023....more
Mining & metals companies can take advantage of low prices in the leveraged finance markets to manage their liabilities amid the expected recession. The current economic environment creates opportunities for the mining &...more
Russia's actions in Ukraine fueled an unprecedented rally in mineral and metal prices earlier this year, with multiple metals breaking historical records. However, this rally was short-lived. Within six months, metal prices...more
Key Kazakhstan legal developments and clarifications from the state authorities, case law news and legal publications have been discussed by our team. In particular, changes have been made to the methods of the valuation as...more
Participants in the mining & metals supply chain will see many challenges—but also opportunities—in playing both offense and defense in an economic downturn. Despite the heady profits reported by many in 2021 and the first...more
Financial crime flourishes in a downturn, and the mining & metals sector is not immune to it. The sector faces a number of industry-specific risks, and will need to react to the ensuing likely surge in enforcement activity....more
Softening commodity prices and economic headwinds may deter miners and metal companies from deploying the significant capital expenditure required to decarbonize....more
The global drive towards a low-carbon circular economy and increased focus on ESG are creating many new opportunities for metal recycling projects. But is scrap the answer to the growing demand for green metals?...more
Forged warehouse receipts have proved fertile ground for commodity finance disputes in recent years. In Natixis S.A. v Marex Financial and Access World Logistics (Singapore) Pte Ltd1 the Commercial Court delivered a judgment...more
Against a backdrop of record commodity prices and the pressure for miners to boost their ESG credentials, the sector is seeking to position itself as a trusted partner in fighting climate change. Will 2022 cement the mining &...more
PGMs are helping Southern African mining remain relevant and contributing to a global clean and green transition - "Among the rarest metals on earth, PGMs are well known for their catalytic properties." Platinum...more
Investors are returning to mining & metals amid an almost unprecedented rally in the US capital markets that is taking place despite the continued economic challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic - Those companies that...more