MINING CORPORATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Nickel group eyes better off-take deals

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 30-Aug-19

Independence Group has posted a 2018-19 net profit of $76.1m, which is 44 per cent higher than previously. The nickel and gold producer’s revenue rose by two per cent to $792.9m, while shareholders will receive a final dividend of $0.08 per share. Independence Group has allocated $66m for exploration in 2019-20, with the aim of extending the mine life of its Nova nickel project and finding new deposits in Western Australia’s Fraser Range.

CORPORATES
INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, GLENCORE PLC, NICKEL WEST, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI LIMITED – ASX AGG, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

OZ confident of bouncing back from trade war hit

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 29-Aug-19

Copper and gold producer OZ Minerals has posted a 2019 interim net profit of $43.9m, which is 65 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by factors such as a fall in the copper price, lower sales volumes and increased investment in exploration. OZ has ramped up investment in its Carrapateena mine, which is slated to commence production of copper concentrate in the final quarter of 2019. OZ shareholders will receive an interim dividend of $0.08 per share.

CORPORATES
OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, SANDFIRE RESOURCES NL – ASX SFR

Northern Star buys explorer, eyes Superpit

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 28-Aug-19

Gold miner Northern Star Resources has posted a 2018-19 net profit of $154.7m, down from $194.1m previously, while EBITDA was eight per cent higher at $479.7m. Meanwhile, Northern Star Resources has offered $0.33 per share to take full control of Echo Resources, in which it has a 21.7 per cent stake. Echo’s assets include the Yandal gold project in Western Australia and the Bronzewing processing plant. Northern Star Resources has also indicated that it may be open to bidding for the Kalgoorlie Superpit.

CORPORATES
NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, ECHO RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX EAR, BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION, NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION

Forrest reaps $1bn in dividends

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Original article by John Stensholt, Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 27-Aug-19

Fortescue Metals Group has posted a record net profit of $US3.2bn ($4.7bn) and revenue of $US10bn for 2018-19. The pure-play iron ore miner’s net debt was $US2.1bn at the end of the financial year, while its cash holdings totalled $US1.9bn. Shareholders will receive a final dividend of $0.24 per share and a full-year payout of $1.14 a share. Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest will be paid $1.24bn in dividends for the full year, including about $261m from the final dividend. Fortescue expects its iron ore shipments for 2019-20 to be within the range of 170-175 million tonnes, at an average price of $US13.25-$US13.75 per tonne.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, VALE SA

FMG’s dilemma as record profit meets price fall

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 26-Aug-19

Fortescue Metals Group is forecast to post a record underlying profit of $US3.03bn ($4.49bn) for 2018-19, following a rally in the iron ore price during the financial year. Some analysts expect the pure-play miner to announce a final dividend on 26 August, despite the recent fall in the iron ore price and the fact that Fortescue’s interim dividend was well within its stated target of paying 50-80 per cent of its net profits in dividends.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU

South32 poised to exit S African coal assets as profit plunges

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 20 : 23-Aug-19

Diversified miner South32 has posted a 2018-19 statutory net profit of $US389m, which is 71 per cent lower than previously. The result was marred by a $US504m impairment charge associated with its South African thermal coal assets. Underlying earnings fell by 25 per cent to $US992m. Meanwhile, South32 is set to sell its South African coal mines to Seriti Resources, and CEO Graham Kerr has ruled out buying any more thermal coal assets, including BHP’s Mt Arthur mine.

CORPORATES
SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, SERITI RESORCES, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Potash bull sees upside in BHP push at Jansen

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 22-Aug-19

BHP expects to have a capital expenditure budget of about $US8bn for fiscal 2021, and CEO Andrew Mackenzie has indicated that less than $US500m will be allocated to the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia and the Jansen potash project in Canada. A decision on whether to proceed with the Jansen project is likely within 18 months. Getting it to the production stage is slated to cost between $US5.3bn and $US5.7bn, and Tal Lomnitzer of Janus Henderson says rising global demand for food means the project will deliver long-term benefits for BHP and its shareholders.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC – ASX JHG, ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

BHP takes Rio’s iron ore heavyweight title

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 21 : 21-Aug-19

BHP has become the world’s lowest-cost iron ore producer, after its average unit cost of production fell to $US11.89 a tonne in the second half of 2018-19. Meanwhile, BHP expects iron ore shipments from the Pilbara to top 286 million tonnes in 2019-20. However, BHP does face some challenges; it recently advised that the iron content of its Jimblebar Fines iron ore product will fall from 61 per cent to 59.5 per cent during 2019-20, while two autonomous haulage trucks at the Jimblebar mine remain out of action following a collision in March.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

BHP grade issues at Pilbara mines cloud the outlook for iron ore

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Original article by Nick Toscano
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 19-Aug-19

BHP recently advised that the iron content of its ‘Jimblebar Fines’ iron ore product will fall from 61 per cent to 59.5 per cent during 2019-20. Jimblebar Fines accounts for around 15 per cent of BHP’s iron ore sales from Western Australia, with most of its Pilbara output being exported to China. Industry observers indicate that the iron content downgrade is partly the result of problems with BHP’s fleet of autonomous trucks, which has required it to mine in pits with lower-quality ore.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

BHP to release a dividend smash hit

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 19-Aug-19

The consensus of analysts polled by Bloomberg is that BHP will post a 2018-19 underlying profit of $US9.91bn on 20 August. UBS is more bullish, forecasting a profit of at least $US10bn. UBS also expects shareholders to receive a final dividend of $US0.82 per share, with a full-year payout of $US2.39. Citigroup in turn anticipates a final dividend of $US0.79 a share and a total dividend of $US2.36 for the year. BHP paid out $US8.6bn ($12.7bn) worth of dividends earlier in 2019.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO