MINING CORPORATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Tinkler says family to quit $40m coal stake

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 6 : 18-Nov-16

Nathan Tinkler and members of his family paid about $A6.6m for a 37 per cent stake in Australian Pacific Coal in 2015. Tinkler has advised that his family intends to divest its entire holding, which is now worth some $A40m, due to APC’s long delay in finalising a deal to acquire the Dartbrook coal project in the Hunter Valley. Tinkler has also rejected speculation that APC could be a potential buyer of Anglo American’s Drayton South project if it gains environmental approval.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PACIFIC COAL LIMITED – ASX AQC, ANGLO AMERICAN PLC, BENTLEY RESOURCES PTE LTD, TREPANG SERVICES, NEW SOUTH WALES. PLANNING ASSESSMENT COMMISSION

BHP upbeat on China iron, coal demand

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 20 : 18-Nov-16

Malcolm Broomhead, Carolyn Hewson and Lindsay Maxsted are said to be the leading internal contenders to succeed BHP Billiton chairman Jac Nasser, who intends to step down by mid-2017. Meanwhile, CEO Andrew Mackenzie says demand for Australian iron ore and coal has been boosted by the Chinese Government’s efforts to make its steel mills and coal mines more efficient. However, he adds that BHP is taking the view that a likely increase in global supply means the current price of iron ore will not be sustained. In contrast, Deutsche Bank has lifted its forecast for the iron ore price by 21 per cent in 2017, to $US55 per tonne.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Sacked Rio exec set for legal stoush

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 12 : 18-Nov-16

Bold Baatar will succeed Alan Davies as CEO of Rio Tinto’s energy and minerals division, after the latter was dismissed following an internal investigation into a scandal regarding the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea. Davies has criticised Rio’s handling of the investigation, and he intends to take legal action over his dismissal. Rio has also sacked its head of legal affairs, Debra Valentine. The $US10.5m payment to a consultant in Guinea has been referred to regulatory authorities in Australia, the US and the UK.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, THE MELBOURNE MINING CLUB, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

Legal row over WA lithium discovery

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 22 : 15-Nov-16

Australian-listed Kidman Resources has rejected claims by Marindi Metals that it has a binding agreement to acquire the Earl Grey lithium deposit. Marindi engaged in email discussions with Kidman in April 2016 regarding the acquisition of the latter’s lithium rights at its tenements in Western Australia, and it alleges that these discussions constitute a binding contract. Kidman subsequently commenced a drilling program which resulted in the Earl Grey discovery.

CORPORATES
KIDMAN RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX KDR, MARINDI METALS LIMITED – ASX MZN, ROX RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RXL, TECK CORPORATION

Fortescue in $US473m deal for ships funding

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 15-Nov-16

Pure-play iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group will finance its new fleet of bulk cargo vessels primarily via a $US473m loan from the China Development Bank Financial Leasing Company. Fortescue CEO Nev Power says it could potentially lead to more Chinese banks arranging structured financing deals in Australia. The fleet of eight very large ore carriers will cost $US556m in total, with delivery of the final one scheduled for mid-2018.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CHINA DEVELOPMENT FINANCIAL LEASING COMPANY LIMITED, PATERSONS SECURITIES LIMITED

Chaney lashes WA Nats’ iron tax plan

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Original article by Paul Garvey, Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 23 : 11-Nov-16

Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney has criticised a proposal by Western Australian National Party leader Brendon Grylls to increase the state’s iron ore levy. He argues that BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto already make a significant contribution to government revenue from taxes and mining royalties, and the existing arrangement for sharing GST revenue means WA’s income will not rise anyway. He adds that the levy increase would also result in job losses and reduced investment in WA, while Brazil would gain a greater share of iron ore exports at Australia’s expense.

CORPORATES
WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Email trail led to Rio’s bribery investigation

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Original article by James Chessell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 & 26 : 11-Nov-16

Francois de Combret has been named as the consultant who received a $US10.5m ($A13.7m) payment from Rio Tinto in connection with its Simandou iron ore project in Guinea. Rio Tinto executive Alan Davies has been suspended in the wake of revelations that the resources group is investigating the payment. It has also been revealed that former Rio Tinto CEOs Tom Albanese and Sam Walsh were involved in email discussions with Davies regarding the payment. Walsh was the head of the group’s iron ore division at the time.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, UNITED STATES. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF JUSTICE, GREAT BRITAIN. SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE, BSG RESOURCES LIMITED, INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR SETTLEMENT OF INVESTMENT DISPUTES, LAZARD LLC, UBS AG, VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC

Iron ore price hits Hancock profits

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 24 : 11-Nov-16

Hancock Prospecting has revealed that its revenue fell from more than $A2bn in 2014-15 to $A1.72bn in 2015-16, while its net profit from operations was 33 per cent lower at $A443m. Hancock Prospecting has attributed the revenue and earnings deficit to a fall in the iron ore prices during the financial year. The group also notes that construction of the Roy Hill iron project resulted in its total debt rising to $A8.9bn.

CORPORATES
HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, ROY HILL IRON ORE PTY LTD, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, HOPE DOWNS IRON ORE PTY LTD

BHP urges suppliers to join tax fight

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 & 30 : 10-Nov-16

BHP Billiton executive Mike Henry has warned that mining services firms would be adversely affected by the Western Australian National Party’s proposed increase in the state’s iron ore levy. He says the mining services sector should lobby against the policy, arguing that they will receive less work if the levy is increased from $A0.25 per tonne to $A5, while employment in the sector will fall. Henry also says there should be greater collaboration between resources groups and mining services firms.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ORICA LIMITED – ASX ORI

Twiggy slams BHP, Rio for ‘high-grading’ ore

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 23 : 10-Nov-16

Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest had criticised BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto for focusing on the production of higher-grade iron ore and overlooking lower-grade ore that needs some processing before shipment. He argues that this merely reduces the value of an orebody and shortens a mine’s life. Fortescue itself uses a beneficiation process to upgrade the quality of lower-grade iron ore. Meanwhile, Forrest does not expect the financial market volatility in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential election win to be sustained.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, DEXUS PROPERTY GROUP – ASX DXS, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA