MINING CORPORATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Miner’s spin-off has bumpy birth

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 20-Aug-14

BHP Billiton has reported a 2013-14 underlying profit of $US13.4bn, which is 10 per cent higher than previously but lower than most analysts had expected. Meanwhile, UK investors have responded negatively to the group’s proposal to spin off non-core assets into a new listed company. A large sell-off of the new company’s shares is expected, as UK investors are concerned by the fact that it will be listed in Australia and South Africa, rather than the UK

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, BILLITON PLC

A leaner BHP is taking shape

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Original article by Barry FitzGerald, Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 17 : 18-Aug-14

BHP Billiton CEO Andrew Mackenzie is rolling out his "four pillars" strategy of concentrating on the core iron ore, coal, copper and petroleum divisions. A potential hiving-off of other assets into a separately-listed entity will be discussed at the 2013-14 results presentation on 19 August 2014, at which BHP is also tipped to unveil a profit rise of 27% to $US13.8bn ($A14.8bn). The 12-month distribution is forecast to be lifted to above $US1.20 from $US1.16 previously. However a stock repurchasing scheme worth up to $US5bn is now less likely, due to the spin-off move

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, PENGANA CAPITAL LIMITED

Mineral Resources guilty over sparkie’s death

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 13-Aug-14

Simon Ridge, resources safety executive director at the Western Australian (WA) Department of Mines & Petroleum, has welcomed a decision by Mineral Resources. The listed group has pleaded guilty to failing to provide a safe working environment, after its Crushing Services International off-shoot suffered a fatal accident at the Christmas Creek iron ore mine in WA of client Fortescue Metals Group. An electrician working for the contractor had been crushed. The parent’s stock on 12 August 2014 rose 3.1% to close at $A10.96

CORPORATES
MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CRUSHING SERVICES INTERNATIONAL PTY LTD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF MINES AND PETROLEUM

Stokes happy with BC Iron takeover bid

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 12-Aug-14

Australian businessman Kerry Stokes will be the largest shareholder of BC Iron if its $250m cash and scrip bid for Iron Ore Holdings (IOH) succeeds. Stokes has a 25 per cent stake in the target, and the offer of $A0.10 per share plus 0.44 shares in BC Iron for every IOH share would give him a 19 per cent stake in BC. IOH shares rose by $A0.37 to $A1.35 on 11 August 2014, while BC Iron was down $A0.32 at $A2.99

CORPORATES
BC IRON LIMITED – ASX BCI, IRON ORE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX IOH, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, SHANGHAI BAOSTEEL GROUP CORPORATION, AQUILA RESOURCES LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, NEXUS ENERGY LIMITED – ASX NXS

In their cups, miners talk up big asset sales

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 18 : 7-Aug-14

Discussions on the sidelines of the "Diggers & Dealers" forum held in early August 2014 in the Western Australian city of Kalgoorlie were marked by speculation about asset sales as well as acquisitions in the mining sector. The deals most spoken about were the divestment by BHP Billiton of its Nickel West smelter, and that by US group Cliffs Natural Resources of the Koolyanobbing iron ore mine. Meanwhile, junior mining companies are set to follow the lead of Northern Star Resources and engage in renewed mergers activity. Among those looking for targets are Sandfire Resources, Regis Resources, Independence Group and Evolution Mining

CORPORATES
NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, SANDFIRE RESOURCES NL – ASX SFR, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, CLIFFS NATURAL RESOURCES INCORPORATED, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM, PANORAMIC RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX PAN, JINCHUAN NON-FERROUS METALS IMPORT AND EXPORT COMPANY, APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT LLC, GLENCORE XSTRATA PLC, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, AQUILA RESOURCES LIMITED, SHANGHAI BAOSTEEL GROUP CORPORATION, AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, MOUNT GIBSON IRON LIMITED – ASX MGX, BC IRON LIMITED – ASX BCI, HOT CHILI LIMITED – ASX HCH, COMPANIA MINERA DEL PACIFICO SA

ASIC: Newcrest fine a warning

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Original article by Nassim Khadem
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 7-Aug-14

The Australian Securities & Investments Commission will undertake a review of analysts’ research reports in the wake of the scandal over Newcrest Mining’s selective briefings. ASIC commissioner John Price says the gold miner’s record $A1.2m fine demonstrates the need for companies to ensure that they comply with continuous disclosure requirements and make market-sensitive information available to all financial market participants

CORPORATES
NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALASIAN INVESTOR RELATIONS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH

Goldminers unite against WA royalty rise

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Original article by Barry FitzGerald
The Australian – Page: 22 : 6-Aug-14

The Western Australian (WA) Government signalled in its 2014-15 Budget papers that it may review the mining royalties regime for gold tenements in the state. This has sparked fears of a major increase, possibly from the current 2.5% to 5%, among producers. The new Gold Royalties Response Group lobbying alliance has been set up by companies including Doray Minerals, Northern Star Resources, Norton Gold Fields, Regis Resources, Newmont Mining and Silver Lake Resources. They have launched a radio and social media advertising campaign to draw attention to the issue, at the "Diggers & Dealers" forum in Kalgoorlie in early August 2014

CORPORATES
SILVER LAKE RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX SLR, DORAY MINERALS LIMITED – ASX DRM, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, NORTON GOLD FIELDS LIMITED – ASX NGF, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, ASSOCIATION OF MINING AND EXPLORATION COMPANIES, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Lynas shares slide as fears mount over debt burden

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 18 : 1-Aug-14

The stock of Australian-listed rare earths group Lynas Corporation closed 17% lower at $A0.17 on 31 July 2014. The market reacted to concerns that the company may struggle to make a repayment of $US35m ($A37.5m) on its debt by the 30 September deadline, as well as to data in its output report for the June quarter. While Lynas unveiled an increase of 117% year-on-year to 1,882 tonnes in shipments from its Malaysian plant, the price achieved fell by over $US4 to $US18.25 a kilogram

CORPORATES
LYNAS CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX LYC, SOJITZ CORPORATION, JAPAN OIL GAS AND METALS NATIONAL CORPORATION, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Ore reserves up but exploration down

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 18 : 31-Jul-14

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) energy, utilities and mining industry leader Jock O’Callaghan says resources groups in Australia have significantly reduced their spending on exploration work. The first annual mining benchmarking study by PwC shows that such activities in 2013-14 accounted for just 6% of total capital expenditure by the sector. While ore reserves did still increase during the year, there are now fears not enough new projects will be prepared for the post-2025 period

CORPORATES
PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

Woodside buyback in doubt

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 & 23 : 31-Jul-14

Woodside Petroleum shareholders will vote on a proposed share buyback at an extraordinary general meeting on 1 August 2014. The deal to buy $US2.68bn ($A2.85bn) worth of shares from Royal Dutch Shell must be supported by 75 per cent of votes, but a number of superannuation funds are expected to oppose it. There is concern that the selective buyback treats Shell more favourably than other Woodside shareholders

CORPORATES
WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED, PLATO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED, ALPHINITY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, ISS PROXY AUSTRALIA, OWNERSHIP MATTERS PTY LTD, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION, WESTFIELD CORPORATION – ASX WFD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 300 INDEX