Minerals
Leaving no stone unturned
Minerals Service
What lies beneath the surface can add significant value and our experienced professionals understand how this specialist sector works.
Over 100Mt of mineral reserves managed
We have been active in this area for 25+ years
We represent 100’s of landowners across the UK More than 100,000 acres
Our Minerals Department is part of our wider Property Management and Consultancy division. Our team of experts have over 60 years minerals experience between them and offer a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of geology and mineral property issues.
Mineral extraction can provide a very valuable source of income for landowners. In addition, the void created can offer opportunities for landfill or other forms of development.
Our minerals services include:
Negotiation of options and leases
Rent reviews
Valuations
Land search
Quarry design and development
We have experience in many of the extractive industries including sand and gravel, hard rock, salt, coal, clay and cementitious materials. Minerals and mineral products represent the largest material flow in the economy at around one million tonnes per day in a typical year. They are a finite resource and can only be sold once, so it is essential to understand the market value. Quarry operations are also temporary, so looking to the future for beneficial after uses is also key. Working closely with our estate management team we can help ensure profitable after uses.
Geological site investigations
Sale and purchase negotiations
Compulsory purchase claims
Mineral Reserve Assessments
Planning and site promotion to mineral plan process
Mineral compensation and sterilisation claims
After use and restoration advice
Land quality assessment
Sustainable re-use of soils
Waste disposal assessment
Ensure that you’re fully informed when dealing with the complexity of minerals by speaking to the FG Minerals Department. We are here to help you get the best value at every stage of the mineral development process, from discovery to restoration and after use.
Minerals Team
Our team of experts have over 60 years minerals experience between them and offer a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of geology and mineral property issues.
William Gagie
William is Head of Minerals (Partner) at FG and specialises in mining and quarrying matters, developing a minerals capacity for FG to support both existing and new clients including private landowners, utility companies and independent operators. He handles all aspects of mineral property issues, including their management, valuation, sale, letting, royalty reviews, and structuring agreements in the most tax efficient way.
Tom Giddings
Tom is a Partner within the FG Minerals Department. As a Chartered Geologist and Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying, he specialises in quarry design modelling, reserve reporting, site search, option & lease negotiation, and manages mineral assets across a broad portfolio of clients.
Tom worked in the global cement and aggregates sector for 19 years before joining FG. Previously working for a large quarrying plc, he was responsible for the management of its substantial reserve portfolio across
Ross Smith
Ross is a Senior Associate within the Fisher German Minerals team and has a wealth of experience in the management and sustainable re-use of materials during construction. As a Chartered Scientist with a background in geology, Ross
William has 30 years’ experience in estate management and minerals, having previously worked at one of the major plc quarry companies where he was responsible for the management of its substantial property portfolio. He was also involved in acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold property, including developing an innovative mineral sale and leaseback structure.
western Europe and a team of geologists, hydrogeologists and land surveyors. He was involved in acquisitions of freehold and leasehold minerals, quarry development plans and mineral planning applications.
He has experience with all aspects of geological support from creating quarry working schemes, overseeing site investigation and reporting, drone and topographic surveys, 3D quarry design, undertaking land search projects and managing mineral assets.
joined Fisher German with over ten years’ experience in consulting, specialising in ground investigation, contaminated land site assessment, materials management, earthworks and remediation.
Asset Management
Lathbury Quarry, Milton Keynes
Key Project Data
Client: Quarry at Lathbury
Location: Milton Keynes
Contract period: 2016 to date
Works:
Quarry Asset Management
Project summary
Fisher German (FG) was instructed to market and manage a uniquely placed quarry asset near Milton Keynes, from the greenfield inception stage, through to the full management of the mineral asset on behalf of the owners.
Solution
Using our expertise and combined 50 years of industry knowledge, FG carried out the promotion and marketing of the site in order to secure a suitable operator. Following this, the successful negotiation of an option for mineral lease took place with the chosen operator.
After advising the client during the start-up of the operation, FG began by collecting and remitting mineral and landfill royalties to the landowners. A highly complex land ownership, with four separate parties, each with different proportions of the minerals at different datums required analysis of topographic surveys and quarry design models to ensure that the correct mineral royalty was remitted to each owner. FG also to carried out regular quarry site
inspections and provided update reports for the landowners on the operation.
The FG Minerals Department carried out assessments of mineral reserves and regular volumetric checks using an industry standard 3D modelling software called McCarthy Taylor LSS to ratify operator volumes. Throughout the contract delivery, FG acted as minerals agent, providing the interface between operator and landowner.
Annual royalty rent reviews in accordance with the lease terms were implemented throughout the term. We also reviewed the Environment Agency Landfill permit, ensuring the operator adhered to the conditions.
Outcomes
• Client reassurance that the mineral and landfill royalties are accurate
• Regular updates for the landowners
• Ensuring lease terms are implemented
• Distributions of mineral royalties to owners ratified by the use of 3D modelling software.
25 Year Quarry Development Plan
Dove Holes Quarry, Derbyshire
Key Project Data
Client: CEMEX UK
Location: Dove Holes
Quarry, Derbyshire
Contract period: ongoing
Works:
• Creation of 25 year extraction programme to support ROMP submission
• Quarry Asset Management
Project summary
Fisher German (FG) was instructed to carry out work for CEMEX on a major redesign of the company’s flagship Dove Holes Quarry. The redesign of excavation was to allow for the safe and efficient release of 5.5 million tonnes of limestone per annum over the next 25 years of the quarry’s life.
Solution
Utilising their decades of experience working within the construction materials sector, the FG Minerals Department used the industry standard 3D terrain modelling software ‘LSS’ to create a phased sequence of excavation designs that update the quarry development plan (QDP). Working closely with the CEMEX operational quarry team and mineral planners to ensure a workable and practical scheme was created, the excavation design needed to consider both a phased extraction of the carboniferous limestone but also the restoration of the rollover slopes as the depth of the quarry increased.
The excavation designs were subsequently used in a Derbyshire County Council and Peak Park review of mineral planning permissions or ‘ROMP’ process that affected Dove Holes Quarry in 2022.
Using LSS software also allowed for 3D visualisations and fly-throughs of the complex designs to be produced, an output which is more easily understood by non-technical stakeholders.
Outcomes
• FG was able to understand to the requirements of the project due to their industry experience
• Design created in accordance with the Quarries Regulations 1999 and the sites excavation and tipping rules
• A safe and efficient working scheme for the next 25 years of Dove Holes Quarry was produced in a variety of different formats depending on the stakeholder
• The method of working scheme had to allow for an output of 5.5Mt per annum
• FG’s input and continuing support for one of the largest quarries in Europe.
Restoration of ex-UK Coal Mining Portfolio
Northumberland, Durham & the Midlands
Key Project Data
Client: Harworth Group
Location: Northumberland, Durham & the Midlands
Contract period:
2016 - Present
Works:
• Advice & implementation of restoration schemes
• Cost management & budgeting
• Disposal programme
Project summary
Fisher German (FG) was instructed by Harworth Group in June 2016 to provide advice and cost budgeting on the restoration process of eight former open cast sites, inherited from UK Coal across Northumberland, Durham and the Midlands.
Solution
Initially the project involved assessing the outstanding restoration liabilities at the point of transfer from UK Coal and assisting with the commercial negotiations between the parties. A full planning appraisal of each site was carried out, including verifying compliance with existing conditions.
Upon transfer of the properties to Harworth, FG’s role evolved into addressing the outstanding planning conditions and implementing the outstanding works, alongside a progressive sales programme.
Annual reports were prepared for planning authorities in line with the planning requirements, and revised cost assessments for budgeting as works were completed. Where possible
costs were recovered from bonds held by local authorities and schemes varied to reduce costs.
The FG team forged strong relationships with the individual planning authorities to ensure due diligence on sales could be successfully completed, thus ensuring swift completion of sales and maximising value.
Outcomes
• In three and a half years the majority of the assets have been sold above book prices
• Expenditure on works has been kept to a minimum
• No enforcement action has been taken by local authorities for non-compliance
• Restoration schemes have been varied in several cases to minimise expenditure
• Substantial sums have been recovered from bonds held by local authorities
• Successful completion of aftercare periods has now been achieved on some sites.
Case study
Land Quality and Materials Management
HS2 Curzon Street Station, Birmingham City Centre
Key Project Data
Client: Laing O’Rourke Murphy JV
Location: Birmingham City Centre
Contract Period: 2017 to 2023
Works:
• Land Quality Assessment
• Remediation / Earthworks
• Sustainable Re-Use of Soils
Your key contacts
Project summary
Ross Smith supported Laing O’Rourke Murphy JV in the completion of enabling works at the new High Speed 2 passenger terminus in Birmingham City Centre, Curzon Street Station.
Works involved demolition, clearance and de-risking of the site ready for construction of the new approach viaducts and station building.
Successful delivery of the works included the re-use of 160,000m3 of Made Ground during earthworks and transport and re-use of a significant quantity of surplus soils elsewhere within the HS2 scheme.
Solution
Forefront to successful completion of the site works was early engagement with Regulators, delivery of a detailed ground investigation and production of interpretative land quality reporting.
Ross acted as lead remediation engineer during the earthworks which comprised the re-use of a significant quantity of Made
Ground under the Definition of Waste Code of Practice (DoWCoP) and production of secondary aggregates from crushed concrete and masonry under a Quality Protocol. This, coupled with the transport and re-use of surplus soils elsewhere with the scheme reduced the projects carbon footprint and supported key sustainability goals. Constraints encountered during the earthworks included a significant network of asbestos cement drainage pipework, asbestos in soils and previously unidentified underground fuel tanks.
Outcomes
• Robust early works and Remediation Strategy to prevent programme slippage once mobilised
• Sustainable re-use of soils including production of secondary aggregates
• Reduce requirement for import and export of materials
• Earthworks integrated with historic environment investigations, utilities and future station construction requirements
We are a national team of property professionals, chartered surveyors, planners, estate agents, utility project managers and sustainable energy experts – all working for you.
With close to 800 people operating from 26 offices, Fisher German has unrivalled experience in identifying and developing business opportunities for our clients.
William
