Saint Barbara

What Saint Barbara does

Saint Barbara is an independent UK-based consultancy firm, founded in 1992 and operating as part of the Metals Consulting International (MCI) Group, that provides specialist advisory services to the global metals, minerals, and mining industries. The firm is headquartered in Buckhurst Hill, Essex, United Kingdom, led by Principal David Duckworth, and supported by a bench of approximately 20 named senior experts covering geology, mining engineering, mineral processing, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, refining, shipping, environmental compliance, and commodity market analysis across all major metals and minerals (aluminium, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, zinc, lithium, tungsten, uranium, industrial minerals, fertilisers, and others).

The firm's service portfolio comprises seven core practice areas: (1) Technology Research, Design & Audit (flowsheet development, process troubleshooting, efficiency studies); (2) Expert Witness & Dispute Resolution (litigation and arbitration support); (3) Due Diligence & Valuation (competent persons' reports, bankable documentation for loans and stock exchange listings); (4) Marketing & Techno-Economic Studies; (5) Environmental Protection; (6) Insurance Risk Assessment; and (7) Handling and Transportation Advisory (maritime and bulk cargo risk control). Delivery is project-based, leveraging senior individual experts on a per-engagement basis, with the firm holding formal credibility credentials including UK Register of Expert Witnesses memberships and MCI's Recognised Practice status at the UK Institute of Consulting.

Saint Barbara's commercial model is professional services fee-for-engagement, with pricing on a quote basis (rates not publicly disclosed). Its client base spans major mining companies (BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Glencore, Codelco), investment and development banks (Barclays Capital, Standard Chartered, EBRD, World Bank), law firms (Clifford Chance, Clyde & Co), insurance carriers (Munich Reinsurance), and competing consultancies (SRK, SNC Lavalin, CRU). Geographic coverage spans Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East, with project work documented across jurisdictions including the UK, Finland, Germany, Peru, Malaysia, South Korea, Central Africa, the CIS, and Asia. Marketing is minimal, relying on industry reputation, referrals, and a content-led website rather than active sales or paid acquisition.

Name

Saint Barbara

Legal name

Metals Consulting International Limited

Website

https://saintbarbara.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Saint Barbara is a UK-based, MCI Group-affiliated boutique consultancy providing specialist advisory, expert witness, due diligence, and shipping dispute services to the global metals, minerals, and mining industries, led by Principal David Duckworth and a bench of 20+ senior experts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Buckhurst Hill

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting fees for specialist advisory services to the metals, minerals, and mining industries. Services include technical consulting, expert witness testimony, due diligence studies, and environmental assessments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Saint Barbara is an independent UK-based consultancy firm that provides specialist advisory services to the global metals, minerals and mining industries. The firm delivers seven service lines covering the full mining value chain: technology research, design and audit; expert witness and dispute resolution; due diligence and valuation; marketing and techno-economic studies; environmental protection; insurance risk assessment; and handling and transportation advisory. Engagements are led by Principal David Duckworth and a roster of 20+ named domain experts and are tailored per client requirement.

Product overview

Saint Barbara is an independent UK-based consultancy firm that offers specialist advisory services to the metals, minerals and mining industries. The company provides seven core consulting service areas: Technology Research, Design & Audit; Expert Witness & Dispute Resolution; Due Diligence & Valuation; Marketing & Techno-Economic Studies; Environmental Protection; Insurance Services; and Handling and Transportation Advisory. These services cover the full mining value chain including geology, mining, mineral processing, smelting, refining, leaching, SX/EW, fabrication, and environmental compliance across commodities such as aluminium, antimony, cobalt, copper, gold, iron ore, lead, lithium, molybdenum, tin, tungsten, uranium, zinc, and industrial minerals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technology Research, Design & Audit
• Expert Witness & Dispute Resolution
• Due Diligence & Valuation
• Marketing & Techno-Economic Studies
• Environmental Protection
• Insurance Services
• Handling and Transportation Advisory

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metals Consulting International Limited (MCI)coreOthersSaint Barbara is part of the MCI Group of companies. Metals Consulting International Limited is the parent company, providing the overarching corporate structure for Saint Barbara's consultancy operations in the metals and mining sector.
• SteelonthenetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSister website providing steel industry news and information. Part of the MCI Group network serving the broader metals sector.
• Steel Expert WitnessminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSister website providing steel sector litigation support. Complements Saint Barbara's expert witness services for the steel industry.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC-Lavalin): Global engineering, procurement, and construction firm with mining and metallurgy consulting practice. Saint Barbara lists SNC Lavalin as a past collaborator, indicating comparable mineral processing and engineering consulting work.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: International engineering and project management consultancy with mining and metals industry capabilities spanning environmental, processing, and feasibility work. Broader scope than Saint Barbara but overlaps on environmental and mining consulting services.
• Hatch: Engineering and project management consultancy with extensive mining and metals practice covering smelting, processing, and environmental services. Operates at much larger scale than Saint Barbara but is comparable on metallurgical consulting and engineering design services.
• Wood Mackenzie: Global research and consultancy firm covering metals, mining, and energy with commercial due diligence, market studies, and asset valuation. Overlaps with Saint Barbara's due diligence and techno-economic services but at significantly larger scale and broader commodity coverage.

Direct peers

• Behre Dolbear: International mining consultancy specialising in due diligence, feasibility, valuation, and expert witness services for mining projects. Closely comparable niche consultancy in mining advisory with overlapping service portfolio and client base.
• CRU Group: International metals and mining market analysis and consultancy firm providing techno-economic studies, commodity market research, and due diligence. Saint Barbara's principal David Duckworth previously worked at CRU, indicating direct familiarity and overlapping offerings.
• SRK Consulting: Global mining consultancy providing due diligence, feasibility studies, competent persons' reports, and expert witness services to mining clients. Directly comparable to Saint Barbara across service lines and target clients; Saint Barbara even lists SRK as a past collaborator.
• CSA Global (now part of ERM): International mining consultancy providing geological consulting, competent persons' reports, resource estimation, and due diligence. Closely comparable to Saint Barbara's mining-focused advisory offerings with similar client base of mining companies and financial institutions.
• Optiro: Independent mining consultancy providing geological, resource estimation, and competent persons' reports. Comparable small specialist firm with similar profile and mining-focused advisory services.
• Roskill (now Wood Mackenzie): Specialist metals and minerals market research and consulting firm; Saint Barbara's principal David Duckworth spent four years there as a Senior Research Associate. Roskill's commodity-by-commodity market reports and consultancy directly overlap with Saint Barbara's techno-economic and marketing studies practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saint-barbara-llp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saint Barbara