May
- Opinion
- Mining
BHP is betting self-interest trumps politics on Anglo American
Convincing South Africa’s government its $60 billion takeover bid for the mining multinational is politically palatable is part of BHP’s challenge in a particularly complex deal.
- Jennifer Hewett
- Analysis
- Mergers & acquisitions
How BHP’s ‘Meticulous Mike’ prepared for Anglo American rebuff
Dubbed “Meticulous Mike” by the Australian media, the Canadian executive must have carefully planned his move for Anglo, down to the inevitable initial rejection.
- Tom Wilson and Nic Fildes
March
BHP stands down contractors at West Musgrave nickel and copper project
But the mining major says that does not mean it has decided to mothball the $1.7 billion development it acquired with the purchase of OZ Minerals last year.
- Peter Ker
January
Lithium’s M&A frenzy is the wildcard ahead of confession season
Lower lithium and nickel prices clearly present an impairment indicator for company directors to consider. But big takeover bids could save the day.
- Updated
- Peter Ker
October 2023
The five wizards of OZ Minerals storm the C-suite
The former members of the senior leadership team have won CEO roles elsewhere since the BHP takeover, as rivals try to tap into the former copper miner’s unique culture.
- Peter Ker
August 2023
Metals Acquisition Corp posts bumper drilling results, market yawns
The New York-listed company posted an impressive set of numbers by anyone’s count on Monday, but the update failed to rouse the market.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
July 2023
‘Bloody crazy’ policies slowing critical minerals projects
Developers of South Australian copper projects say it’s getting harder to bring mines to life as BHP and unions brawl over productivity.
- Peter Ker and David Marin-Guzman
BHP warns of $3b hit from labour hire laws
BHP Australia boss Geraldine Slattery has warned the Albanese government’s ‘same job, same pay’ for labour hire threaten the country’s ability to exploit critical minerals for the energy transition.
- David Marin-Guzman
Green metals blowouts top $6b as South32 slashes flagship project
Critical minerals project costs are exploding at ASX miners, after South32 wrote-off $US1.3 billion ($1.9 billion) from its Arizona zinc-lead-silver deposit.
- Updated
- Elouise Fowler and James Thomson
June 2023
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Meet the copper miner promising to fill OZ Minerals’ big shoes
Investors that believe in the electrification of just about everything have been forced to buy into offshore stocks or miners heavily exposed to iron ore.
- Anthony Macdonald
Hard to see the ‘shrinking ASX’ reversing: Goyder
Leading company directors say a surge of consolidation, the rise of super funds, private equity and heavier red tape for listed companies are behind the sharemarket shrinking by $43 billion. “It is hard to see the trend reversing.”
- Patrick Durkin
- Updated
- Workplace culture
BHP admits to $430m in underpayments over more than a decade
The mining group says it wrongly deducted annual leave from its employees for more than 10 years and now faces a monster round of reimbursements.
- Updated
- Peter Ker and David Marin-Guzman
April 2023
New Sandfire boss says good copper assets hard to find
Brendan Harris says copper miner Sandfire focused on its growth portfolio but has to at least look at other options.
- Brad Thompson
BHP appoints South Australian copper tsar
Michelle Ash will follow OZ Minerals’ mines to new owner BHP, where she will drive the development of a copper province in South Australia.
- Elouise Fowler
OZ Minerals boss Andrew Cole won’t follow his mines to BHP
The company’s shares are expected to trade for the last time on Tuesday, when the copper miner will submit the court orders supporting the transaction.
- Peter Ker
Caspin Resources shareholders out $20m on BHP-OZ Minerals deal
The ASX-listed group is the rump of a company that once owned a half stake in the West Musgrave nickel and copper project now held by the mining giant.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
BHP and OZ deal sealed as traditional owners aim for unity
OZ Minerals investors have backed BHP’s takeover bid, as the relevant native title group signalled it wanted unity too.
- Peter Ker
Heavyweights back BHP’s bid for OZ but native title cracks widen
Big Norwegian and American investors will back the acquisition of OZ Minerals, but escalating native title tensions will complicate BHP’s copper growth plans.
- Peter Ker
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Who will win the race to replace BHP’s $9.8b target OZ Minerals?
Copper M&A’s hot, Sandfire Resources M&A plans may not be. Some investors would prefer the copper miner to get its existing assets firing before making more big acquisitions.
- Anthony Macdonald
Big banks to miss ‘future facing’ commodities mining boom
Australian banks scaled back their mining and resources teams after the last boom, eroding their in-house skills.
- Elouise Fowler