In an admirable move to try and help those in London who work in the financial sector in particular who have to deal with mining matters, MinSouth (London and Southern Counties Minerals Industries Institute), in conjunction with the Association of Mining Analysts and corporate law firm Simmons & Simmons has been conducting a series of free ‘Masterclasses’ in mining technology and mining finance for those who do not have a mining sector background. The next Masterclass will be held at Simmons & Simmons in the City of London on December 8 and will deal with what is probably the most important factor facing the industry at the current time – Mining Finance.
Finance is now the most pressing factor in the development of mines. During this decade debt and equity finance have been the driving force in financing mines and exploration. Although the current climate makes this route difficult the demand for metals and minerals is still strong and commodity prices are still factorially higher than a few years ago. This masterclass will examine investment options for the mining sector.
It will, in an informed yet informal way, examine the present world-wide financial crises. The class will be led by five experts in the financing of mining projects who will illustrate the options now available to those companies in the process of exploration and development.These experts will include executives from financial institutions whose expertise include debt financing, equity financing, private placements and other more innovative forms of finance.
The presentations will not only focus on UK funds but also on foreign investment funds. Each of the experts will give an overview of their financial market and offer suitable advice for companies developing projects.
Leading the masterclass is Nick Williams, Partner at Simmons & Simmons. He has many years of experience advising on project agreements and how getting them right is critical to raising finance.
The Masterclasses are designed to illuminate technical and financial subjects in the mining sector and are presented by experts in their field. They are free to attend for those who have a professional interest in mining technology and finance, although the class size is limited by the size of the auditorium. Lunch will follow the presentations and a Q&A session.
Registration forms are available on the http://www.minsouth.org.uk/ website.
