The world’s third-biggest gold miner wants to own more Australian assets, with Agnico Eagle president Ammar Al-Joundi saying the Fosterville mine in Victoria would not by itself warrant his Canadian company persisting with an Australian presence long term.

Fosterville is Australia’s third-biggest gold mine by volume and the most lucrative apart from the gold mines that produce copper byproducts, and it was inherited by Agnico last month when it finalised a $US27 billion ($36.5 billion) merger with Kirkland Lake Gold.