Deep-sea mining activities on the seabed and ocean floor beyond national waters are a risky and capital-intensive venture. The unpredictability of little-known ecosystems and environmental impacts translate into regulatory...more
In the latest article from our Striking the Balance: Permitting Reforms for Mining and the Energy Transition series, we explore the EU’s recent efforts to streamline the mine permitting process via the Critical Raw Materials...more
As outlined in the first installment of our series, "Striking the Balance: Permitting Reforms for Mining and the Energy Transition", to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, mining development is essential for providing the...more
On March 28, 2024, the federal government announced, amid market uncertainty, that it would be extending the 15 percent Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (METC) for investors in flow-through shares for one additional year, until...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
Welcome to Mayer Brown’s Critical Minerals Newsletter which focuses on some of the key legal issues and developments that have been affecting the sector over recent months....more
Readers may recall that I have penned several posts on the subject whether coal is a mineral for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission's resource extraction disclosure rules...more
On September 26, 2023, the British Columbia Supreme Court issued a ruling in Gitxaala v. British Columbia (Chief Gold Commissioner) that will affect the future of mining in British Columbia. In this case, the court found the...more
The Australian Government recently released its Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030 (CM Strategy). BACKGROUND - Australia holds some of the world’s largest repositories of cobalt, lithium and vanadium — elements critical...more
The United States - Australia Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact (the “Compact”) is a landmark formal statement of strategic intent to establish climate, clean energy and a shared energy...more
Recent policy and regulatory developments have shown that governments and businesses around the world are increasingly focused on consolidating their competitive positions in the green industrial revolution. Significant...more
Le 2 mars 2023, le gouvernement de l’Ontario a présenté le projet de loi 71, Loi de 2023 visant l’aménagement de davantage de mines, qui viendrait modifier la Loi sur les mines. Les modifications proposées ont pour but, entre...more
On March 2, 2023, the Government of Ontario introduced Bill 71, the Building More Mines Act, 2023, which seeks to amend Ontario’s Mining Act. The changes are intended to shorten timelines for starting or modifying mine...more
Critical raw materials, such as rare earths, lithium and cobalt, are essential to the energy transition and to modern and green technologies. As States compete to secure these materials, there is an increasing importance to...more
In recent months, the critical minerals sector has been at the top of government legislative and regulatory agendas and has been subject to substantial media attention. "Critical minerals" is a generic term that refers to a...more
On Friday, December 9, 2022, the federal government released the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy (the Strategy), a comprehensive multi-disciplinary government policy package designed to facilitate increased production and...more
Potash is a critical mineral used as a replenishing agricultural fertilizer. As a result, millions of farmers around the world depend on potash. The Canadian province of Saskatchewan is the world's largest potash producer,...more
Demand for rare earth and critical minerals like lithium, uranium, nickel and vanadium is growing worldwide. Recently, the government of Alberta has taken steps to position the province as a contributor to this emerging...more
We previously discussed the Court's decision in Yukon (Government of) v Yukon Zinc Corporation, 2020 YKSC 16, which opened the door to partial termination of agreements in a receivership, an action generally considered...more
On March 11, 2021, Canada unveiled its Critical Minerals List. The list includes 31 minerals considered integral to the Canadian economy, all of which are available in Canada. The list highlights focus areas in future...more
Who makes the best chocolate in the world, the Swiss or the Belgians? Either way, neither of these countries owns vast tracts of cocoa plantations. They import the raw materials to make the chocolate. Yet we would all agree...more
On Wednesday, February 1, 2017, the House of Representatives is scheduled to consider a joint resolution of disapproval of the SEC’s resource extraction rule. This resolution is provided for under the Congressional Review Act...more
According to this Reuters article and a blog by Elm Sustainability Partners LLC, an informal deal for EU conflict minerals legislation has been reached. The final text will be voted on by the member states on December 7,...more
New rules issued by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that require resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to U.S. and foreign governments for the commercial development of oil, natural gas or...more
On June 27, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) issued a new rule requiring extractive sector companies (oil, gas, and mining) to disclose the payments that they make to governments for the commercial development...more