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Mining & Metals

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As the mining and metals industry strives to satisfy unprecedented demand, it also continues to confront a number of challenges, including heavy regulatory diligence in most regions of the world, differing demands from a rapidly expanding base of stakeholders, antitrust, and national security issues, as well as health, safety, and environmental issues.

With more than 400 lawyers advising regularly on natural resource-related matters, Vinson & Elkins has developed distinctive capabilities to assist mining and metals industry participants to meet their unique business challenges. We provide clients with advice related to a full spectrum of complex mining and metals transactions, including joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, project development and finance, environmental, antitrust, tax, regulatory issues, and dispute resolution (including cross-border litigation).

V&E possesses extensive experience across the energy industry value chain in nearly every energy-producing region in the world. We have significant English law capabilities, including dual-qualified lawyers who advise on both English and U.S. legal matters. Our clients in the mining and metals sector have included energy and mining companies, state-owned companies, private equity investors, and project sponsors.

Transactions & Projects

  • Ramaco Resources, Inc. in its $81 million initial public offering of common stock

  • Underwriters to Smart Sand, Inc. in its $148 million initial public offering of common stock

  • Natural Resource Partners in the $310 million acquisition, and related debt and equity financing, of interests in OCI Wyoming, a producer of soda ash, and operator of a trona ore mining operation and a soda ash refinery in Wyoming, from subsidiaries of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation

  • Quintana Energy Partners in the $127 million combination of its portfolio company, Kopper Glo, a TN-based coal producer, with affiliates of Corsa Coal Corp., a Canadian publicly traded coal company, and the acquisition by Quintana of control of Corsa Coal Corp., parent company after the combination

  • A large international mining company in connection with the development and financing of a multibillion dollar integrated iron ore and rail project in west Africa

  • Mubadala Development Company in the $18 billion development and construction aspects of an aluminum smelter (EMAL Aluminium Smelter Project at Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi); the world’s largest greenfield aluminum smelter

  • Underwriters to CNX Coal Resources LP in its $83 million initial public offering of common units

  • Black Stone Minerals, L.P., a mineral interest MLP, in its $428 million initial public offering of common units

  • Foresight Energy LP in its $350 million initial public offering of common units

  • FMSA Holdings Inc. in its $400 million initial public offering of common stock by a selling stockholder 

  • Representing a major international mining company in a class action case arising from a smelter, located near a small Oklahoma community, that operated for almost 60 years; involves allegations of soil and groundwater contamination and claims of nuisance, trespass, and strict liability; remedies sought include damages to real property and injunctive relief in the form of additional environmental cleanup

  • Represented clients in managing and resolving historic liabilities associated with a number of historic mining operations across the United States

  • Represented a major industrial facility in developing a compliance strategy to address the requirements of EPA’s regional haze regulations and the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for sulfur dioxide; this engagement involved commenting on proposed EPA regulations, advising the client regarding compliance and air modeling issues, and appellate litigation challenging certain regulatory actions

  • Advised a metal technology company in MSHA investigations into serious injuries related to an accident

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