Birmingham law firm Cobbetts has helped bring mining entrepreneur Robert de Crespigny to the UK.

Graham Muth and Charles Bond advised on one of the more complex, cross border mergers to hit the market with Greenwich Resources' reverse takeover by Australian listed companies, Buka Minerals and Danae Resources.

Mr de Crespigny, Australia's 'Mr Gold', who was founder and chief executive of Normandy Mining before its acquisition by Newmont Mining in 2002 for about £2 billion, will be heading up the company, which will be renamed Scarborough Minerals.

Scarborough, which is named after a ship in the first British fleet

to sail to Australia in 1778, will have a market capitalisation of £76 million after raising £22 million before expenses.

It will be listed on the London Stock Exchange's main market.

Mr De Crespigny says Scarborough "intends to get active in early stage projects". He went on: "Our aim is not to do our own exploring but there will be more corporate activity."

Andrew Wright, head of public markets at Cobbetts, said: "The enlarged group is very significant and will quickly become a big name in the world of mining and exploration. Graham and Charles had to operate in five jurisdictions. We have developed an excellent

reputation in the mining and minerals sector and it is a testament to our industry expertise that we were appointed to work on such a high-profile transaction."

Scarborough will have interests in Australia, Greece and Kazakhstan in the mining of gold, copper, zinc and zircon, and a gold-fields opportunity in Uzbekistan.