Blakes offers mining industry clients a multidisciplinary approach that draws on our extensive experience in the industry. We are counsel to major, intermediate and junior mining companies listed on various exchanges around the world, as well as investment dealers that act as advisers and underwriters to mining companies.
Blakes advises mining companies on a wide range of operational and commercial matters. We regularly advise on all aspects of tendering, negotiating and drafting of project-related contracts, including EPC/EPCM, construction, civil works, rail, road, infrastructure, supply, lease as well as aboriginal contracting. We advise on mine reclamation, decommissioning and closure issues, royalty arrangements, and mineral rights concerns.
We have expertise on corporate social responsibility matters, including aboriginal rights and issues, and have assisted with aboriginal and community consultation and aboriginal engagement, and negotiated and drafted agreements with aboriginal groups, including project support agreements or impact benefit agreements. We work with our clients to provide construction and infrastructure solutions for mine development projects, including road, rail, port and housing arrangements as well as energy infrastructure such as renewable-energy production and transmission.
We also assist clients with respect to domestic and international corporate taxation matters for entities operating in the resource industry as well as dispute resolution and arbitration.
The Firm's expertise and proven experience allow us to provide our clients with the timely, practical and strategic advice while facilitating their mandates and assisting them in realizing their business objectives. Our lawyers are highly ranked in national and international directories and ranking publications, and are involved in industry organizations such the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, the Canadian Bar Association National Environment, Energy and Resource Law Section and various committees of regulatory bodies.
Areas of Expertise
- Earn-in agreements, joint venture agreements and partnership agreements related to mining properties
- Joint ventures, options and farm-in/farm-out arrangements, off-take agreements and royalty agreements
- Regulatory advice on mining and land matters, structuring of security and title work in respect of mining rights, and due diligence in respect of mining production and exploration properties
- Environmental permitting for mining operations, pipelines and other related activities including environmental impact assessment and environmental and social impact assessments
- Regulatory compliance
- Construction and infrastructure development, including tendering, negotiating and drafting of project-related contracts, including EPC/EPCM, construction, civil works, rail, road and infrastructure matters, supply, lease and easement and aboriginal contracts
- Mine reclamation, decommissioning and closure issues, including financial assurance
- Aboriginal and community consultation
- Energy including renewable-energy production and transmission
- Dispute resolution and arbitration
- Domestic and international corporate taxation matters in respect of public and private mergers and acquisitions of entities operating in the resource industry
Representative Experience
Barrick Gold Inc. on its acquisition of the Golden Giant Mine Properties and other
properties at the Hemlo Camp in northern Ontario from Newmont Mining Corp.
IAMGOLD on
the development of a 15 MW solar power plant at its Essakane gold mine in
Burkina Faso.
Matamec Explorations Inc. on the negotiation and completion of a Property Rights Exchange
Arrangements Agreement with International Explorers & Prospectors Inc.
(IEP), Glencore Canada Corporation and Goldcorp Canada Ltd. with respect to the
sale by Matamec and IEP of certain properties located in Hoyle and Matheson
Townships in Timmins, Ontario.
Barrick Gold Corporation on the negotiation and completion of its transaction with Osisko
Mining Inc. with respect of an exploration earn-in on the Kan property located
in northern Quebec.
Barrick Gold Corporation on the negotiation and completion of its transaction with ATAC
Resources Ltd. with respect of an exploration earn-in on the Orion
Project, the central portion of ATAC’s
Rackla Gold Property located in the Yukon and in the flow-through private
placement by ATAC which formed part of a donation arrangement.
Matamec Explorations Inc. with the creation of a joint venture with Resources Québec inc. in
relation to the Kipawa heavy rare-earths deposit.
Matamec Explorations Inc. on the sale to Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. of its
royalties on the Hoyle-Matheson Royalties and Montclerg properties.
CRH Canada Group Inc. on the approval of a significant dolomite mine in Southern Ontario,
in a hearing before a joint panel of the Ontario Municipal Board and the
Environmental Review Tribunal. Significant endangered species and wetlands and
protection issues were addressed through ground-breaking public benefits and
environmental protection agreements with affected municipal governments.
A major mining company on the renewal of its water licence, the filing of a revised
closure plan and the negotiation of financial assurance for a closed site
located in Nunavut.
A major mining company with respect to the acquisition of a mining camp located in the
Labrador trough.
Bloom Lake General Partner Limited, on a defence of a major multi-year investigation conducted by
Environment Canada and defence of prosecutions under the Fisheries Act
(Canada) and the Metal Mine Effluent Regulation (Canada) related to
various several incidents including the breach of a tailings pond dam.