Mega-miners will find good things in small packages

Wealth Minerals

27/12/2017 24:36

(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions 
expressed are her own.) 
    By Clara Ferreira-Marques 
    SINGAPORE, Dec 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - They still 
depend on moving tonnes cheaply. But with green energy changing 
demand, big producers must increasingly think like small ones. 
For companies like Rio Tinto and BHP that will require a change 
of mindset - and in some cases, leadership. 
 
    Full view will be published shortly. 
    On Twitter https://twitter.com/claramarquesrtr 
    
     
    CONTEXT NEWS 
    - Mining group Rio Tinto, Canada's Wealth Minerals and 
Chinese private equity firm GSR Capital are considering a bid 
for Chilean lithium miner SQM, Reuters reported on Nov. 21. 
    - Rival Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton said on Nov. 16 
that it hopes to fully divest its troubled U.S. onshore shale 
business in around two years and is also seeking a buyer for its 
nickel business in Australia. 
    - An exit from the shale business is one of the main demands 
of activist shareholders led by New York-based Elliott, which 
has a 5 percent stake in BHP's UK-listed shares, and has pressed 
for a change of strategy. 
    - For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can 
click on  MARQUES/  
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BHP Billiton AGM speeches    http://www.bhp.com/-/media/documents/investors/shareholder-information/2017/171116_bhplimited2017agmspeeches.pdf 
Rio Tinto, China's private equity prepare to bid for lithium 
producer SQM     urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1NR4FM 
BHP turns to drill bit to meet electric car copper consumption   
   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1N68EO 
Mining's new normal: tackling growth in the shadow of austerity  
   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1LH4FX 
BREAKINGVIEWS-Rio Tinto distracted by shiny new thing    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1NS19V 
BREAKINGVIEWS-Booming metal markets test mettle of memories    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N1N81QZ 
BREAKINGVIEWS-Rio Tinto's new problem: What to do with its cash  
   urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N1KM4OD 
Graphic: BHP vs metals and rivals Image    http://reut.rs/2CVZrjl 
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 (Editing by John Sinclair Foley and Kate Duguid) 
 ((clara.ferreira-marques@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: 
clara.ferreira-marques.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: MINING RESULTS/BREAKINGVIEWS