It doesn’t matter how long you have worked in the mining industry, at some point you will probably have taken part in a due diligence review. You might have been asked to help create a data room. Perhaps your company is looking at a potential acquisition. Maybe you’re a consultant with a particular expertise needed by a due diligence team. It’s likely that due diligence has impacted on many of us at some point in our careers.
The scope of a due diligence can be exceptionally wide. There are legal, marketing, and environmental aspects as well as all the technical details associated with a mining project. The amount of information provided can be overwhelming sometimes.
I’m a big fan of checklists
Checklists are great and they can be very helpful in a due diligence review. A scope checklist is a great way to make sure things don’t fall through the cracks. A checklist helps keep a team on the same page and clarifies individual roles and tasks. Checklists bring focus and minimize sidetracking down unnecessary paths.
Recognizing this, I have created a personal due diligence checklist for such times. A screen shot of it is shown below. The list is mainly tailored for an undeveloped project but it still has over 230 items that might need to be considered.
Each due diligence is unique
Not all of the items in the checklist are required for each review. Maybe you’re only doing a high level study to gauge management’s interest in a project. Maybe you’re undertaking a detailed review for an actual acquisition or financing event. It’s up to you to create your own checklist and highlight which items need to be covered off. The more items added the less risk in the end; however that requires a longer review period and greater cost.
You a create your own checklist but if you would like a copy of mine just email me at KJKLTD@rogers.com and let me know a bit about how you plan to use it (for my own curiosity). Specify if you would prefer the Excel or PDF versions.
Please let me know if you see any items missing or if you have any comments.
Now that we have an idea of what information we need to examine in a due diligence, the next question is where to find it.
Previously I had written a blog titled “Due Diligence Data Rooms – Help!” which discussed how we can be overwhelmed by a poorly set up data room. My request is that when setting up a data room, please consider the people who will be accessing it.
Due Diligence isn’t for everyone
Due diligence exercises can be interesting and great learning experiences, even for senior people that have seen it all. However they can also be mentally taxing due to the volumes of information that one must find, review, and understand all in a short period of time.
Great Article Ken.
Read with deep interest.
Indeed each project requires tailoring to achieve the desired objective.
I would appreciate if you could mail me an excel verson of your Due Diigence check list.
I hope to add something more to it as we go ahead .
Best Regards
Saurabh P
Saurabh, Thank you for your feedback. I will email you the Excel version of the DD table. Regards, Ken
Hi Ken,
I enjoyed your article also, and concur that each project requires tailoring to achieve the desired objectives and commonly the process is in more than 1 stage with a higher level review to begin before a more indepth review subject to passing the high level review. always an interesting process as they are all unique. similiar to Saurabh i would appreciate an excel version copy of you DD table.
Hi Mark, Thanks for the feedback and comment. The table has been emailed to you….Ken
Hi Ken,
good to see many people in the same situation not wanting to reinvent the wheel.
While each of my projects has different criteria, and different focus, i would love to get a copy and see how it works with non diluted funding solutions for mining companies that i offer.
excel spreadsheets would be very useful.
If you could send a brief of your company and what services you specialise in i would keen to find out more.
regards Robert
Dear Ken,
Thanks for the insight on due diligence, and would appreciate it very much if you could kindly share an excel copy of your dd check list?
Regards,
Dias
I have sent a copy to you. I hope you find it helpful.
Hi Ken,
Thank you for the article. Very insightful at a time where we are considering M&A’s to execute the strategy. I will appreciate it if you can please share your excel DD checklist
Regards
Stephen
Thank you, I will send you the checklist. I hope you find it helpful. …Ken
Hi Ken, George McIsaac told me I should have a look through your website. It has been well worth it. Please send me the DD checklist. Thank you.
Happy to send it out….ken
Hi Ken
I am just starting my career in the mining industry and your article is very insightful. Our company is looking at a potential acquisition and I will really appreciate it if you can please share your excel check list with me. I think it will really help me through my learning journey. It is very helpful.
Certainly, I will email the list to you…. I’m glad you enjoy the blogs. Ken
Hi Ken,
Benefited hugely from your blogs. Indeed, DD data collection might vary from one project to another. Could you please share with me your excel checklist at your convenience if possible? I am working at the mining field but new to due diligence. I am going to engage in a due diligence project. I’d like to get some insight from your work. Thank you.
Regards,
Mata
Ken – I appreciate the time you have taken to put this content together – and if possible I would like to receive a copy of your checklists ….Kind Regards
Chris; thanks for the positive feedback. I’ll email you the due diligence checklist….regards, Ken
Hi Ken,
Thank you for your instructive materials. Please send me the checklist.
Yours,
Matt
Hi Matt; Thanks for the feedback. I will email you the checklist….Ken
Hi Ken,
Thanks for your great insighful sharing of your experience, I am new in the mining industry as I just joined a new Mining company. Can you please share me the excel file? Many thanks in advance.
No problem, I will email it to you. Ken
Hola Ken,
agradezco tan buen articulo, agradecería me pudieras compartir el archivo de excel, de antemano muchas gracias.
Ciertamente, compartiré el archivo contigo.
Hi Ken,
I am trying to better understand our mining clients business risks with acquisitions.
I would appreciate an excel copy of your due diligence checklist.
Thank you in advance,
Best Regards,
Will Berends
Sure, no problem. I will send it to you….Ken
Hi Ken,
Your article is very insightful and helpful.
I am new in the Mining Industry and currently our company is looking at a potential mining acquisition. I would really appreciate it if you kindly share the excel list to me. Thank you in advance
Best regards,
Helmi
I will send you the file..Cheers..Ken
I find due diligences on mining projects very interesting – for the interested acquirer (for ensuring all key questions have been asked) and the one to be acquired (for preparing the key information). May you please assist me with the checklist?
Kind regards
Lufuno
Hi Ken
I am interested in conducting a due- diligence for a small scale mining project in Uganda and i would appreciate if you can share your due-diligence check list with me
Hi Godfrey; I will email you the checklist….regards, Ken
Hi Ken,
I’m interested in a copy of the checklist for my own investment purposes to help not overlook what could be important considerations. Thanks
Ken,
Good Blog and like additional points on data room. Would appreciate a copy of your checklist. Currently looking at a Feasibility Check List and would be interested in what you have on your Due Diligence list. T
No problem, I will send it shortly….Ken
Just found your blog looking for a checklist like this. I have just recently started investing in mining stocks. I only bought ETF, royalty and big mining companies. I feel that an inflationary environment could start a commodity bull market and one should learn more about smaller mining companies and not-yet producers?
Does your offer of an Excel copy still stand?
The due diligence list is mainly geared for review of a project from a technical perspective, and not as an investment. That would require a somewhat different checklist, looking at non-technical factors too.