B08 Metal Ore Mining

Worried miners call for China olive branch

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 17-Sep-21

The Association of Mining & Exploration Companies is concerned about how China may react to Australia’s new defence pact, and that its response might include sanctions that hurt the mining sector. AMEC CEO Warren Pearce has urged the federal government to make efforts to rebuild its trading relationship with China. He has also urged Australia to extend an ‘olive branch’ to China by stating that it welcomes any foreign investment, so long as it is not in industries that are linked to defence. Members of AMEC include Fortescue Metals Group, OZ Minerals and Roy Hill.

CORPORATES
ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD

BHP wrestles with challenge on emissions

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 16 : 15-Sep-21

BHP has committed to a target of 2050 to reduce its scope 3 emissions to net zero. However, while this target will apply to the resources group’s direct suppliers and shippers, it will exclude the steelmakers that buy its iron ore. BHP contends that there are still a number of challenges for steel-makers in reducing their carbon footprint, and it intends to continue to partner with them to accelerate the transition to carbon neutral steel-making. The steel industry is estimated to have generated about 75 per cent of BHP’s total scope 3 emissions of 402 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2020-21.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

LNG exports, prices surge to record levels as iron slumps

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Original article by Perry Williams, David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 7-Sep-21

The price of iron ore has fallen by more than 40 per cent since reaching a record high of $US233 per tonne in May. Federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt says strong growth in the price of both LNG and coal is helping to offset the slump in the price of iron ore. The LNG price in Asia has risen to nearly $US20 a gigajoule, while the price of Newcastle coal recently reached a record high of $US173 a tonne. Queensland’s LNG export projects have ramped up shipments in response to the surge in prices.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, SCIENCE, ENERGY AND RESOURCES

Australian miners brace for fallout after Guinea coup

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 & 19 : 7-Sep-21

Alcoa of Australia has advised that it is monitoring the situation in Guinea, amid reports of a coup in the West African nation. Alumina, Alcoa and Rio Tinto have bauxite mining interests in Guinea, while Rio has two iron ore mining leases. Merriden Varrall from KPMG has warned of growing geopolitical stability in many nations, and that West African nations are becoming increasingly vulnerable to terrorism. However, Perseus Mining MD Jeff Quartermain says not all nations in the region are beset with problems, with Perseus operating gold mines in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. He notes that it has enjoyed a record year on the back of its operations in the two countries.

CORPORATES
ALCOA OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ALCOA INCORPORATED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, PERSEUS MINING LIMITED – ASX PRU, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

BHP flags improved offer for Noront

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 16 : 2-Sep-21

The board of Canadian nickel miner Noront Resources has noted that Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo Metals has not yet made a binding offer for the company, and it may never make such an offer. Noront is continuing to back the $C325m ($351.5m) takeover bid from BHP, arguing that is the only binding offer that has been made. BHP’s bid values Noront at $C0.55 per share, and the resources group has not ruled out matching or topping Wyloo’s non-binding offer of $C0.70 a share.

CORPORATES
NORONT RESOURCES LIMITED, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, WYLOO METALS PTY LTD

Forrest speech on handouts earns rebuke

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Original article by Brad Thompson, Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 2-Sep-21

Iron ore magnate Andrew Forrest says welfare and mining royalties have contributed to the "wanton destruction" of the culture and livelihoods of indigenous Australians. He has told a conference that Fortescue Metals Group is focused on giving indigenous people a hand up rather than a hand out, by providing them with training and employment opportunities. However, his comments have been criticised by Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation CEO Michael Woodley, who says Fortescue’s priority should be fair compensation for indigenous communities.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, YINDJIBARNDI ABORIGINAL CORPORATION

Cashed-up Forrest trumps BHP in nickel bidding war

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Original article by Brad Thompson, Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 & 16 : 1-Sep-21

Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo Metals has increased its takeover bid for Canadian nickel explorer Noront Resources to $C0.70 per share. Wyloo had initially offered just $C0.315 per share, before BHP upped the ante with an offer of $C0.55 per share. Wyloo holds a stake of about 25 per cent in Noront, although this could be increased to 37 per cent via a convertible loan. Forrest has indicated that Noront could potentially remain a listed company if Wyloo’s takeover bid succeeds.

CORPORATES
WYLOO METALS PTY LTD, NORONT RESOURCES LIMITED, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Fortescue best positioned to weather industry disruption – report

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Original article by
Mining.com – Page: Online : 25-Aug-21

GlobalData analysts have concluded that Fortescue Metals is best-placed to take advantage of future disruption in the mining industry. Fortescue was ranked first in a list of global mining companies, with a scorecard rating of 4.5. The rankings are based on leadership in 10 areas that matter the most to the mining sector. Australian companies in the list achieved an average score of 3.7. Newcrest Mining was ranked fifth.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, GLOBALDATA

BHP sale could hurt its credit rating

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 : 25-Aug-21

S&P Global Ratings says BHP’s proposed deal to merge its petroleum division with Woodside Petroleum will further increase its reliance on iron ore and make its earnings less diversified than rivals such as Rio Tinto and Glencore. BHP currently has a credit rating of ‘A’ from S&P, which has put it on CreditWatch negative; S&P has also flagged the possibility that the Woodside deal could prompt it to downgrade BHP’s credit rating by two notches, to ‘BBB+’.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, S&P GLOBAL RATINGS

BHP wary as nickel takeover talks proceed

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 18 : 20-Aug-21

Nickel miner Western Areas has advised that it is holding preliminary discussions with IGO Limited regarding a potential merger. IGO is keen to expand its nickel portfolio, given that its Nova project in Western Australia is nearing the end of its mine life. Further consolidation in the sector would have implications for BHP’s Nickel West division, whose Kalgoorlie smelter is highly dependent on nickel supply from smaller producers.

CORPORATES
WESTERN AREAS LIMITED – ASX WSA, IGO LIMITED – ASX IGO, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP