Minerals Law and Sustainable Value Chains module (CP52010)

This module will give you a global perspective on the law and governance of mining and minerals.

If covers the principles, concepts, and functions of mineral law & contracts and their interface with investment, trade, environmental, and human rights regimes and standards across global value chains.

You will also cover the multilevel law and governance framework in place to support minerals extraction, investment, trade, recycling and re-use.

The module will explain the views of various perspectives on this field: public policy, business, civil society.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• learn about the legal, regulatory and contractual regimes used in the mining sector. This will cover various jurisdictions in the context of polycentric (i.e. not just a single government actor) patterns for governance
• develop extensive knowledge of global governance standards in the mining and minerals sector. You will also learn about the debates concerning the centrality of minerals in the climate and energy transition agendas
• learn about the relationships, conflicts and trade-offs among the actors. You will learn how these are shaped and affected by mineral demand along global minerals value chains
• develop a critical awareness of mining and minerals in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). You will also learn about justice as inherent to the transformation of energy systems

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• undertake a detailed evaluation of legal mining regimes. You will also be able to do a comparative analysis with others. You will be able to see its connection with segments of the minerals value chain
• actively participate in debates on law and policy regulations and reforms. You will also be able to engage with processes of contractual drafting concerning mining and minerals
• understand the interface between domestic minerals regimes in the context of global governance standards applicable to mining and minerals
• critically review information. You will be able to analyse legal, regulatory and policy issues relating to mining. These issues will be informed by development at the forefront of the subject

Assignments / assessment

• detailed reflective analysis of the legal framework (50%)
  • This will apply to the mining sector in a specific country. It will be presented in class
• essay (50%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• lectures
• case studies
• guided discussion
• practitioners/experts' special talks, followed by discussion
• completion of comparative mineral regime table