B08 Metal Ore Mining

Fortescue insists value trumps volume

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 14-Apr-16

Fortescue Metals Group has advised that its iron ore shipments rose by four per cent year-on-year in the March 2016 quarter, to 42 million tonnes. Fortescue has indicated that favourable weather conditions in the June quarter could allow the group to exceed its guidance of 165 million tonnes for 2015-16. The iron ore miner’s net debt fell by $A200m to $A5.9bn during the March quarter, while its cash costs were reduced by six per cent.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, VALE SA

Mentha steps in to fix Arrium

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Original article by Simon Evans, Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 7 : 14-Apr-16

KordaMentha’s Mark Mentha says he will consider every option for restructuring steelmaker and iron ore miner Arrium. Mentha was appointed as administrator of Arrium after the Australian Workers’ Union, lenders and bondholders succeeded in removing Grant Thornton from the role. Mentha says Arrium’s collapse was primarily due to a decline in relations between the group’s board and its lenders. The first creditors’ meeting is scheduled for 19 April 2016.

CORPORATES
ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD, GRANT THORNTON AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, MOLY-COP, GSO CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, ANSETT AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED

The top tasks facing Rio’s new chief

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 13-Apr-16

There is speculation that Rio Tinto will pursue acquisitions when Jean-Sebastien Jacques succeeds Sam Walsh as CEO in July 2016, while asset sales may also potentially be on the agenda. Jacques is largely an unknown quantity to most investors, so one of his first priorities will be to outline his strategy for Rio Tinto. The group will also need to diversify its operations to reduce its reliance on iron ore, while free cash flow and big data are also likely to be priorities for Jacques.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ALCAN INCORPORATED, TURQUOISE HILL RESOURCES LIMITED, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, BERNSTEIN INVESTMENT RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT

Rio’s pay delay gambit may fail

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 12-Apr-16

Mining industry sources doubt that Rio Tinto will be able to enforce its revised payment terms for contractors and suppliers. The resources giant recently advised that it will pay invoices 90 days after receipt, compared with 45 days at present, and up from 30 days in 2015. Some industry watchers have suggested that the new payment schedule is more likely to apply to Rio’s future contracts, as suppliers will need to agree to any changes to existing arrangements.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MONADELPHOUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX MND, WORLEYPARSONS LIMITED – ASX WOR, MACMAHON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MAH, AUSDRILL LIMITED – ASX ASL, NRW HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NWH, BRIERTY LIMITED – ASX BYL, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

BHP is poised to pounce: chief

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Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 12-Apr-16

BHP Billiton shareholders will receive interim dividends totalling $A848m after the group adopted a minimum payout ratio. Its half-year payout would have been about $A3.28bn if it had retained a progressive dividend policy. CEO Andrew Mackenzie says the change in policy means BHP has the capacity to undertake acquisitions if an appropriate opportunity arises. However, he adds that its focus will be on developing existing assets.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32

Vultures circle fallen Arrium

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 19 & 23 : 8-Apr-16

An unnamed investment banker says Arrium’s voluntary administrators are likely to seek new discussions with GSO Capital Partners, whose $A1.2bn bailout proposal was rejected by Arrium’s lenders. Private equity firms are likely to have strong bargaining power in any negotiations to buy Arrium’s assets, as the failed iron ore miner and steelmaker’s lenders are unsecured creditors. Arrium boasts a global workforce of 22,000, with 7,000 employees in Australia.

CORPORATES
ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, GSO CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, GRANT THORNTON AUSTRALIA, THE BLACKSTONE GROUP LP, MOLY-COP, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL

Fortescue Metals chief says iron ore price is stabilising

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 8-Apr-16

The price of iron ore for delivery to the port of Qingdao in China was trading at around $US55 per tonne in early April 2016. Fortescue Metals Group CEO Nev Power believes that the price of the steel input may be at or near its bottom and is likely to stabilise. Meanwhile, Power expects annual demand for steel in China of around 800 million tonnes and he is upbeat about the outlook for the Chinese economy. He also says the group’s blended iron ore joint venture with Vale should be finalised within 3-4 months.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, VALE SA, CREDIT SUISSE AG, McKINSEY AND COMPANY, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Buyers wait as Arrium extends trading halt

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Original article by Simon Evans, Sarah Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 & 22 : 7-Apr-16

Debt-laden steel-maker and iron ore producer Arrium owes Australia’s four major banks some $A1bn in total. South Australian Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis has urged the banks to support Arrium, warning that they will lose all goodwill with the general public if the company collapses. Lack of progress with its lenders forced Arrium to extend its shares’ trading halt on 6 April 2016. Meanwhile, US private equity groups Argand Partners and Cerberus Capital Management are said to be considering a takeover offer for Arrium.

CORPORATES
ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF TREASURY AND FINANCE, ARGAND PARTNERS LLC, CERBERUS CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP, MOLY-COP, PAMPLONA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLP, GSO CAPITAL PARTNERS LP, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BRICKWORKS LIMITED – ASX BKW

Go for gold with copper, Rio urged

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 6-Apr-16

Bernstein analyst Paul Gait says Rio Tinto should capitalise on the low price of copper and expectations of a supply deficit to pursue acquisitions in the sector. Gait has suggested that Freeport-McMoRan’s Cerro Verde copper mine in Peru should be at the top of the list of potential acquisitions when Jean-Sebastien Jacques succeeds Sam Walsh as CEO. Gait notes that Cerro Verde is a much higher-quality asset than some copper mines that have been sold recently.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BERNSTEIN AND ASSOCIATES, FREEPORT-McMORAN COPPER AND GOLD INCORPORATED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WOOD MACKENZIE, MMG LIMITED – ASX MMG, ANTOFAGASTA PLC, SUMITOMO CORPORATION, COMPANIA DE MINAS BUENAVENTURA SA, ANGLO AMERICAN PLC, AUDLEY CAPITAL, FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS LIMITED, BOLIDEN MINERAL AB

BHP targets copper lift at Olympic Dam

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Original article by Matthew Stevens, Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 6-Apr-16

BHP Billiton now expects to be able to ramp up copper production at the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia to 280,000 tonnes a year at a cost of less than $US500m ($A655m). The resources giant indicated in late 2015 that it could lift annual production to 255,000 tonnes over five years without significant capital investment. BHP expects the mine’s copper output to top 200,000 tonnes in 2015-16, and it aims for annual production of 220,000 tonnes by 2019. BHP has forecast that global demand for copper will exceed supply by 2020.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP