Profile
Stanley Dempsey, Sr. is a mining and natural resources attorney with a wide-ranging career in industry serving as an executive and in-house counsel at multiple large mining companies. As a recognized leader in the mining sector, Stan was inducted into the National Mining Hall of Fame in 2016 for his prestigious and multi-faceted career, which includes practicing in big law for several years. Stan enjoys bringing his wealth of experience and knowledge as a mining geologist and investment banker to clients today.
Stan served as chairman and chief executive officer at Royal Gold, Inc., where he accomplished a reverse takeover of a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production firm, and later transformed it into a gold exploration and production company. Stan restructured Royal Gold, adopting a gold royalty business model for the firm. Under his leadership, Royal Gold secured funding for expansion through private placement and public offerings of common shares, and by adopting a gold royalty and streaming business model achieved a market capitalization reaching approximately $9.4 billion in 2023. He continued to serve as non-executive chairman at Royal Gold until 2014.
Prior to Royal Gold, Stan served in executive roles at AMAX, Inc. During his time as in-house counsel, he was responsible for all legal matters for AMAX’s environmental and exploration groups worldwide, which included securing land and water rights for the Henderson molybdenum mine, a new mine built west of Denver, Colorado during the period 1966-1976, obtaining all environmental clearances and securing all construction contracting. Previously, Stan worked for Climax Molybdenum Company’s mining operations in the Western United States and Canada. At Climax, his work emphasized construction contracts for major mine development, and addressed labor law issues of both organized and non-union mining operations. Stan later served as Vice President of AMAX, where he oversaw all operations in Australia.
Stan has held leadership positions in the World Gold Council, the National Mining Association, Colorado Mining Association, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation (aka The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law), and National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree by the Colorado School of Mines in 2006, the William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal Award from the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration in 2007, and the Gold Medal Award from the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America in 2011.
Concentrations
- Mining
- Environmental
- Energy and natural resources
- Banking and finance
- Mergers and acquisitions
Capabilities
Experience
- Represented Royal Gold, Inc. in a reverse takeover of a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and production firm, Royal Resources, Inc., and then transformed it into a gold exploration and production firm.°
- Led and managed gold exploration and development activities, resulting in a major gold discovery in Nevada for Royal Gold.°
- Led the sale of the discovery property to a major gold producer, retaining a significant royalty on all future production for Royal Gold, and restructured the firm to adopt the gold royalty business model for the firm.°
- Led the expansion of Royal Gold by acquiring more royalties and metal streams.°
- Secured funding for expansion through private placement and public offerings of Royal Gold common shares.°
- Market capitalization reached approximately $9.4 billion for Royal Gold.°
- Represented AMAX, Inc.’s interests in Australia, Papua New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. Included AMAX’s 25 percent interest in the Mt. Newman iron ore venture.°
- Handled all environmental legal matters of AMAX.°
- Represented AMAX in plant siting, compliance with air and water quality laws, developing reclamation programs for coal and metal mines, and environmental policy development at local, national, and international levels.°
- Led the management of all public relations, technical information, governmental relations, and environmental matters for Climax Molybdenum Company, AMAX’s molybdenum mining, conversion, and sales division.°
- Led the development of a corporate-wide environmental staff function for AMAX.°
- Developed environmental assessment techniques and programs for helping prepare environmental impact statements, compliance programs, and environmental audits; participated actively in legislative and rulemaking proceedings for AMAX.°
- Handled all legal matters for AMAX’s environmental and exploration groups worldwide, and for Climax Molybdenum Company’s mining operations in the Western U.S. and Canada.°
- Emphasis on construction contracts for major mine development, and work with labor law issues of both organized and non-union mining operations for AMAX.°
- Represented the Henderson Molybdenum Mine in securing land and water, a new mine built west of Denver, Colorado, during the period 1966-1976.°
- Was responsible for obtaining all environmental clearances for this mine and for all construction contracting for Henderson Molybdenum Mine.°
- Represented the Climax Mine regarding all legal matters rising from the operation, a large underground molybdenum mine employing approximately 2,500 people.°
- Emphasized water rights, land acquisition, construction contracting, labor matters, and development of compliance arrangements for new environmental laws for Climax Mine.°
°The above representations were handled by Stanley Dempsey Sr. prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
- Royal Gold, Inc.
- Chairman, 2008-2014
- Executive Chairman, 2006-2008
- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 1988-2006
- President, 2002-2003
- President and Chief Operating Officer, 1987-1988
- President of Denver Mining Finance Company, 1986
- Partner at Arnold & Porter, Denver, Colorado, 1983-1986
- Vice President, AMAX, Inc., 1977-1983
- Chairman, Executive Committee, AMAX Iron Ore Corporation, Perth, WA, 1981-1983
- Deputy Chairman and Director at Australia Consolidated Mines Ltd., Sydney N.S.W. Australia, 1982, Perth, WA, 1982-83
- Vice President, Director of Environmental Affairs and Deputy Director, Office of Communications and Public Affairs, AMAX Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut, 1977-1979
- Director of Environmental Affairs, General Attorney, Western Area, AMAX Inc, 1970-1977
- General Attorney, Western Operations, Climax Molybdenum Company (a Division of AMAX, Inc.), Golden and Climax, Colorado, 1968-1970
- Resident Attorney, Climax Mine, Climax Molybdenum Company, Climax, Colorado, 1964-1968
- Legal Research Assistant, Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, Boulder, Colorado, 1962-1964
- Engineer, Climax Molybdenum Company, Climax, Colorado, 1960-1961
- Independent Mine Operator, 1957-1960
Recognition & Leadership
- Induction into the National Mining Hall of Fame, 2016
- Recipient, Society of Metallurgy and Exploration, Colorado Section Lifetime Achievement Award, 2008
- Recipient, Society of Metallurgy and Exploration, William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal Award, 2007
- Recipient, Colorado Mining Association, St. Barbara Commemorative Medal, 2007
- Recipient, Colorado School of Mines, Honorary Doctor of Engineering, 2006
- Recipient, Northwest Mining Association, Distinguished Service Award -For Outstanding Professional Leadership and Service to the Mineral Industry for more than Four Decades, 2005
- Recipient, School of Law, University of Colorado, Distinguished Alumnus Award
- Recipient, Mining History Association, Rodman Paul Award
- Honorary Life Membership, Colorado Mining Association
- Recipient, Mining Foundation of the Southwest, Medal of Merit
- Honorary Life Membership, Colorado School of Mines Alumni Association
- Member, History Colorado, 1978-2007
- Member, Australian Consolidated Mines, Sydney, N.S.W., Australia, 1981-1983
- Member, Mineral Information Institute, 1983-2007
- Member, Royal Gold, Inc., Denver, Colorado, 1984-2014
- Member, AMEREF, Alaska Minerals & Energy Resource Education Fund, 1985-1986
- Member, Golden Bounty Resources N.L., Perth, Western Australia, 1986-1991
- Member, Hazen Research, Denver, Colorado, 1993-2002
- Member, Dakota Mining Corporation, Denver, Colorado, 1993-1995
- Member, Behre Dolbear, Denver, Colorado, 1994-2002
- Member, National Mining Association, 1994-2006
- Member, Colorado Historical Society Foundation, 1997-2015
- Member, Governor, National Mining Hall of Fame, 1997-2015
- Member, The Gold Institute, 1999-2003
- Member, World Gold Council, 2000-2008
- Member, Northwest Mining Association, 2001-2002
- Member, Nevada Mining Association, 2001-2003
- Member, Taranis Resources Inc., 2006-2012
- Member, CHS, Inc
- Member, Colorado School of Mines Research Institute
Credentials
- Certificate Program for Management Development, Harvard Business School, 1969
- J.D., University of Colorado Law School
- A.B., University of Colorado
- Colorado