How regulatory scrutiny and geopolitical risk are reshaping deals
Richard Fridman was featured in a recent Lexpert article titled “Scarce Assets and Strategic Minerals Drive Mining M&A,” which explores Canada’s mining sector and how 2026 deals are being shaped by strong commodity prices, competition for quality assets and concerns about security of supply pushing miners towards consolidation.
Despite increasing uncertainty due, in part, to regulatory scrutiny and geopolitical risk, and new resources becoming more difficult to find in lower-risk jurisdictions, deals are still being made. Richard describes the current mining M&A environment as “frothy,” characterized by fewer but larger transactions and more mega-deals, and notes that strong commodity prices are part of the equation, particularly in precious metals. They can leave producers with stronger balance sheets while boosting share prices, giving companies valuable acquisition currency. In terms of new resources being difficult to find, Richard notes that acquisitions offer another route if and when brownfield exploration and other efforts fail.
Richard also highlights the growing role of critical minerals in mining M&A, observing that unlike traditional precious-metals dealmaking, critical-mineral investment is increasingly shaped by government policy, geopolitics and supply-chain security considerations.
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