The ‘team of experts’ that comprises the mining practice group at Herbert Smith Freehills LLP is frequently instructed by high-end international mining clients across a full suite of matters, including transformative M&A transactions, project finance, and mine development, alongside dispute resolution and crisis management issues in the space. The team continues to devote much of its time to advising natural resources clients on critical ESG-related matters. Practice head Greg Mulley is vastly experienced in the space, excelling on public and private mining M&A in addition to business-critical issues including shareholder activism, financial distress and crisis management. Helen Beatty comes highly recommended for her ’long expertise in the mining & minerals sector’ and excels on major project finance matters across the mining and energy transition sectors. Laura Hulett is a key name for cross border M&A, project finance and development, joint ventures and restructurings.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Team of experts very nice to work with. Provide bespoke and useful advice to deal with difficult situations.’
‘Helen Beatty: long expertise in the mining & minerals sector.'
'Provide practical and effective solutions to legal problems. Very commercial lawyers. Reliable.'
'Deeply experienced in key mining regions and with complex projects for the world's largest mining companies.'
'In-depth knowledge and experience in the mining finance sector Great collaboration across UK, Australia and SA and ability to pull in the right expertise across teams and offices, regardless of geography Very responsive and always available.'
'Helen Beatty is an extraordinary partner and a pleasure to work with on transactions. She is able to create momentum in transactions and also always solution-driven, looking to find a way forward between borrower(s) and lenders(s). David Walton is highly experienced, and is an expert for complicated structuring issues, given his vast experience across continents.'

Key clients

Anglo American
BHP
ArcelorMittal
Ma'aden
Ecora Resources
Ferrexpo plc
Adriatic Metals plc
Greatland Gold Plc
Neometals Ltd
Dynamic Mining
Cornish Lithium
Norilsk Nickel
Orion Mine Finance
KEFI Gold and Copper Plc ("KEFI")
Kinross Gold Corporation
Petrogal, S.A.
Mercuria Energy Trading SA
Base Resources
Itochu
Hainan Mining Co. Limited

Work highlights

Advising Ferrexpo plc in relation to its crisis management response to the incursion by Russian armed forces into the territory of Ukraine.
Advising Ma’aden on various M&A matters including its announced investment in Ivanhoe Electric and mining exploration joint venture in Saudi Arabia.
Advising Adriatic Metals plc in connection with the financing for the development of its Vareš base metals project in Bosnia and Herzegovina.