The　digital　economy　has　become　a　pivotal　force　in　global　economic　expansion.　Mineral　resource-based　enterprises,　heavily　reliant　on　natural　resources,　face　the　necessity　to　undergo　digital　transformation　(DT)　to　modernize　and　upgrade　their　operations,　ensuring　sustainable　development　in　the　digital　era.　Despite　the　recognized　importance　of　DT　for　business　development,　specific　drivers　for　DT　in　mineral　resource-based　enterprises　remain　underexplored,　particularly　the　impact　of　the　legal　environment.　This　study　investigates　the　influence　of　the　legal　environment　on　the　DT　of　mineral　resource-based　enterprises　by　analyzing　sample　data　from　A-share　listed　companies　in　China　from　2007　to　2022.　A　fixed-effects　model　is　employed　to　assess　the　relationship　between　the　legal　environment　and　DT,　incorporating　control　variables　such　as　enterprise　age,　shareholding　ratio　of　the　largest　shareholder,　board　size,　and　financial　indicators.　The　findings　reveal　that　an　optimized　legal　environment　significantly　promotes　DT　in　mineral　resource-based　enterprises.　This　positive　effect　is　more　pronounced　in　the　western　region　of　China,　among　enterprises　engaged　in　coal　and　non-ferrous　metal　industries,　and　in　small　and　medium-sized　enterprises.　Mechanism　tests　indicate　that　the　legal　environment　facilitates　DT　by　improving　technological　innovation,　alleviating　financing　constraints,　and　developing　factor　markets.　The　study　concludes　that　a　favorable　legal　environment,　characterized　by　strong　legal　protection　and　enforcement,　is　crucial　for　promoting　DT　in　mineral　resource-based　enterprises.　The　study　recommended　to　strengthen　legal　protection　and　enforcement　mechanisms,　providing　tailored　support　policies　for　different　regions　and　industries.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd