OZ MINERALS LIMITED

Miners hit middle ground

17 May 2012 | Joanna Heath

PRINT: 17 May 2012 | PAGE 4 | Miners hit middle ground

The falling Australian dollar is good news for some locally listed resource companies, but falling commodity prices may negate any positive impact.

OZ looks at timeline to sell Sandfire stake

16 May 2012 | Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald

PRINT: 16 May 2012 | PAGE 18 | OZ looks at timeline for Sandfire stake

Ever since OZ Minerals picked up its 19.9 per cent stake in Sandfire Resources in June 2010, speculation has been rife as to what the endgame would be.

Wealth firms in impact zone

08 May 2012 | Bianca Hartge-Hazelman

PRINT: 08 May 2012 | PAGE 2 | Wealth firms in impact zone

A number of companies are expected to come under pressure as a result of the federal government’s commitment to fiscal tightening in the budget.

OZ Minerals boss calls for fair go on diesel rebate

27 April 2012 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 27 April 2012 | PAGE 2 | OZ chief calls for fair go on diesel rebate

OZ Minerals chief executive Terry Burgess says the company could lose up to $20 million a year if the federal government stops miners from accessing the diesel fuel rebate.

OZ Minerals seeks copper, gold mines in Chile, Peru

19 April 2012 |

OZ Minerals is interested in buying copper and gold mining assets and is actively looking for potential targets in Chile and Peru in the company's first foray into South America.

Awaiting the Aussie’s decline

17 April 2012 | Sarah Thompson and Anthony Macdonald

The chatter on trading desks right now seems to centre around the possibility of a fall in the Australian dollar.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

11 April 2012 | Bianca Hartge-Hazelman

Commonwealth Bank has maintained its “buy” recommendation on OZ Minerals but has cut its price target for the stock from $15.85 to $13.74.

Company briefs

30 March 2012 |

PRINT: 30 March 2012 | PAGE 20 |

Mineral Resources founder and executive director Chris Ellison has sold 3.4 million shares for $41.4 million, continuing a run of recent share sales by directors of the mining and mining services company.

Company briefs

28 March 2012 |

PRINT: 28 March 2012 | PAGE 22 |

Rio Tinto has completed a $US7 billion ($6.7 billion) on-market buyback of its London-listed shares a few days ahead of schedule.

OZ Minerals withdraws from mine bid

27 March 2012 | Luke Forrestal

OZ Minerals has withdrawn from the bidding for Romanian state-owned copper miner SC Cupru Min SA Abrud after the price rose above what it thought the business was worth.

Eyebrows raised as OZ bids for Romanian mine

27 March 2012 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 27 March 2012 | PAGE 21 | Eyebrows raised as OZ bids for Romanian mine

OZ Minerals has intrigued investors and analysts with its bid for Romanian state-owned company SC Cuprumin SA Abrud, owner of the Rosia Poieni copper and gold mine in the eastern European country.

Down Under shows its upside

09 March 2012 | Dominic White

PRINT: 09 March 2012 | PAGE 23 | Down Under shows its upside

Those 50 of Australia’s top executives that jetted to Citi’s annual Australia & New Zealand investment conference this week must have felt truly at home.

OZ Minerals hoses down rumours of Sandfire buy

08 March 2012 | Dominic White

PRINT: 08 March 2012 | PAGE 32 | OZ Minerals hoses down rumours of Sandfire buy

OZ Minerals has played down talk that it may seek to buy the 80 per cent of Sandfire Resources it does not own as it elaborated on how it plans to spend its $750 million mergers and acquisitions war chest.

Miners shrug off Chinese slowdown

08 March 2012 | Dominic White

PRINT: 08 March 2012 | PAGE 32 | Miners shrug off Chinese slowdown

Some of Australia’s biggest mining companies have dismissed fears that the slowing Chinese economy could have damaging repercussions for their own growth prospects.

BHP may regret Zambian copper exit

25 February 2012 |

PRINT: 25 February 2012 | PAGE 21 | BHP may regret Zambian copper exit

Could BHP Billiton one day come to rue its decision to withdraw from its exploration joint venture with Blackthorn Resources on the Mumbwa copper project in Zambia?

OZ Minerals (OZL)

21 February 2012 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 21 February 2012 | PAGE 22 |

For OZ Minerals shares to break out of the band in which they have been trading there needs to be a jump in the copper price or the company must make an acquisition that addresses its lack of short-term growth options.

OZ Minerals passes on non-core gold assets

20 February 2012 | Luke Forrestal

OZ Minerals will become the largest shareholder in Renaissance Minerals after signing a deal worth up to $40.3 million to sell its Cambodian gold exploration assets to the Perth-based junior.

Reporting season off to a slow start

20 February 2012 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

It’s still early days in reporting season, but so far there has been more bad news than good.

OZ Minerals profit falls with impairment

15 February 2012 | Luke Forrestal

Updated | Copper and gold miner OZ Minerals has reported a 53 per cent drop in net profit after tax to $274.5 million for the 2011 financial year.

Thiess wins $1bn OZ Minerals contract

07 February 2012 |

Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has won a $1 billion mining contract to extend the life of OZ Minerals' South Australia Prominent Hill copper and gold mine.

Reporting season – right or wrong

04 February 2012 | Bianca Hartge-Hazelman

PRINT: 04 February 2012 | PAGE 31 | Model helps to predict downgrades

Qantas is headed for an earnings downgrade during this February reporting season, at least that is the view of analysts who have developed a new model to predict which stocks will surprise on the upside and which won’t.

Breaking fresh ground in mining

04 February 2012 | Andrew White

PRINT: 04 February 2012 | PAGE 3 | Breaking fresh ground in mining

Amy Wilson landed a job in the mining industry almost by accident when she returned home to Port Augusta from Darwin two years ago.

Discovery and MOD may be sharing the pay dirt

03 February 2012 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 04 February 2012 | PAGE 33 | Discovery and MOD may share the pay dirt

The two Australian miners, who have adjacent prospects in Botswana, are poised for a major copper-silver find.

Exclusive | Aboriginal jobs surge

28 January 2012 | Peter Kerr

PRINT: 28 January 2012 | PAGE 1 | Aboriginal jobs surge

The mining boom is reshaping Aboriginal employment with the potential to start closing the historic gap in the jobs market between indigenous and other Australians.

Discovery Metals (DML)

25 January 2012 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 27 January 2012 | PAGE 24 |

As Discovery Metals closes in on first production from its Boseto copper project in Botswana, its share price has been pushing new highs.

Takeover talk on special at Discovery Metals

20 January 2012 | Sarah Thompson, Christine Lacy and Stephen Shore

PRINT: 20 January 2012 | PAGE 20 | Takeover talk on special at Discovery

There’s more movement on the share register at Botswana-focused Discovery Metals, with $49.88 million worth of stock changing hands in a special sale on Thursday.

Companies briefs

19 January 2012 |

PRINT: 19 January 2012 | PAGE 33 |

The Kerry Stokes-controlled Iron Ore Holdings has named ex-Wesfarmers executive Christian Johnstone its chief financial officer, while former FerrAus and Rio Tinto executive Brett Hazelden becomes general manager for project development.

OZ Minerals spends to expand in 2012

18 January 2012 |

In 2011, OZ Minerals fulfilled production targets, with total copper production of 107,744 tonnes and gold production of 160,007 ounces – down from 2010 figures. But in 2012 it’s spending up to ensure greater results.

Global equities rise on China stimulus hopes

18 January 2012 | Brendon Lau

Before the Bell | Markets in the US and Europe have risen overnight, with investors shrugging off recent EU downgrades and embracing signs that China may boost stimulus ■ Dow up 0.5pc ■ SPI down 9pts ■ BHP iron ore production jumps ■ Broker Watch: QBE, PDN, SPT.

All eyes will be on miners’ quarterly production

16 January 2012 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 16 January 2012 | PAGE 22 | Miners’ quarterly production reports centre stage

The mining sector will be keeping investors busy this week, with a number expected to hand in their quarterly production reports.

NT hit by transport dilemma

04 January 2012 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

PRINT: 04 January 2012 | PAGE 15 | NT hit by

The train derailment north of Katherine has led to corporate questions about the vulnerability of the transport infrastructure in the Northern Territory.

OzMinerals loses $8m of copper in derailed train

29 December 2011 |

OZ Minerals says about $US8 million of copper concentrate may have spilled from a train that derailed in the Northern Territory because of floodwater.

China policy swing lifts fortunes of ore

01 December 2011 | Joanna Heath

PRINT: 02 December 2011 | PAGE 31 | China policy lifts fortunes of ore

China’s decision to cut the amount of capital its banks must hold in reserve has boosted hopes that its strong demand for Australia’s resources can be maintained.

OZ Minerals pulls out of Toro uranium venture

18 November 2011 |

OZ Minerals has pulled out of a uranium exploration joint venture with Toro Energy in South Australia, saying no economic uranium has yet been found at the Mount Woods project.

Macquarie discovers there is life outside Africa

01 November 2011 | Sarah Thompson, Christine Lacy and Stephen Shore

PRINT: 01 November 2011 | PAGE 25 | Macquarie discovers there is life outside Africa

Macquarie has ended a long run as the largest shareholder in African miner Discovery Metals, but it doesn’t appear a predator has pounced on the stake.

Conditions ripe for M&A activity

22 October 2011 | Anna Raissis

PRINT: 22 October 2011 | PAGE 32 | Conditions ripe for M&A activity

Many companies are sitting on a mountain of cash, valuations are low and this weekend’s European “rescue package” has the potential to return some confidence to investors.

OZ Minerals loses shine for UBS

20 October 2011 | Sarah Thompson, Christine Lacy and Stephen Shore

UBS cuts OZ Minerals to ‘neutral’ after the miner’s third quarter production report.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

20 October 2011 | claire Stewart

Deutsche Bank has reiterated its “buy” recommendation for OZ Minerals but reduced the target price, saying lower gold grades are expected to affect gold production levels in the future.

Companies briefs

20 October 2011 |

PRINT: 20 October 2011 | PAGE 26 |

MAp Airports and Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather expects a rise in international capacity over the northern hemisphere winter will offset union disruption.

Stocks to watch at close on Wednesday

19 October 2011 |

Stocks to watch on the Australian stock exchange at close on Wednesday: BHP Billiton, CSL, Lend Lease, MAp, OZ Minerals, Petsec, Qantas, Virgin Blue, Webjet.

OZ Minerals has all that it needs

18 October 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

An evaluation of OZ Minerals’ recently acquired Carrapateena copper project in South Australia has convinced Citi that the miner doesn’t need to another deal to address concerns about its growth profile.

Hopes high for third-quarter results

11 October 2011 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 11 October 2011 | PAGE 24 | Hopes high for third quarter

The market is bracing for a wave of quarterly updates from the resources sector and investors should expect some volatile numbers.

Nine steps to high yields

17 September 2011 | Tony Featherstone

PRINT: 17 September 2011 | PAGE 25 | nine steps to high yields

Investors have come to expect single-digit returns as chaos in global financial markets continues, but plenty of quality companies offer double-digit yields.

Revenue exposure to Europe won’t affect miner

13 September 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 13 September 2011 | PAGE 19 | Revenue exposure to Europe won’t affect miner

OZ Minerals has rejected suggestions it is overly dependent on Europe and would suffer if the sovereign debt crisis hit metals demand.

Buybacks, better dividends return

13 September 2011 | Sue Mitchell

PRINT: 13 September 2011 | PAGE 5 | Buybacks, better dividends return

What a difference a year makes. This time last year Australian boards were flush with funds but loath to spend it on acquisitions or share it with shareholders.

Spectre of debt-laden Europe looms over miners

07 September 2011 | Sarah Thompson, Christine Lacy and Stephen Shore

PRINT: 07 September 2011 | PAGE 20 | Spectre of debt-laden Europe looms over miners

Broken China might keep most mining investors awake at night, but the spilt milk of Europe debt is another scenario to be worrying about (if not yet crying over).

BHP sat tight as other companies moaned

01 September 2011 | Mathew Dunckley

PRINT: 01 September 2011 | PAGE 60 | BHP sat tight as other companies grumbled

BHP Billiton briefed US embassy officials during 2009 that its Olympic Dam expansion was on hold because of a slowing global commodity market.

Mid-tier copper producers in short supply

31 August 2011 | Brendon Lau

Copper miners are well supported today as the price of the red metal climbed to its highest level since the latest market meltdown in early August.

Discovery fits the bill for OZ takeover bid

18 August 2011 | Sarah Thompson, Christine Lacy, Khia Mercer and Stephen Shore

PRINT: 18 August 2011 | PAGE 27 | Discovery fits the bill for OZ takeover bid

It didn’t take long for the market to start guessing at OZ Minerals’ next takeover target after boss Terry Burgess reaffirmed it was on the lookout for opportunities.

Capital management buzz overdone: GS

17 August 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

Goldman Sachs pours cold water on the excitement surrounding capital-management initiatives amid rumours health giant CSL is planning a large buyback.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

17 August 2011 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 17 August 2011 | PAGE 30 |

The drop in OZ Mineral’s half-year earnings on Tuesday and its weak growth profile sent the stock tumbling 3.6 per cent to $11.90.

OZ counts on shaky market

16 August 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 16 August 2011 | PAGE 47 | Miner banks on market turbulence

Updated | Copper and goldminer OZ Minerals has reported a big fall in first-half net profit despite higher commodity prices driving a 7 per cent revenue increase.

RBS Morgans mines opportunities

10 August 2011 | Stephen Shore

The team at RBS Morgans reckons a high $A will continue to hurt Australian miners, but the latest pull-back has created an opportunity to cherry-pick some quality businesses.

Production ramp-up sets Sandfire ablaze

27 July 2011 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 27 July 2011 | PAGE 31 | DeGrussa ramp-up stokes Sandfire

Mid-tier copper and goldminer Sandfire Resources jumped to a three-month high in early trade.

No growl for Tigers Realm Coal IPO

26 July 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Khia Mercer

PRINT: 26 July 2011 | PAGE 24 | No growl for Tigers Realm Coal IPO

After a lengthy management roadshow, investors have finally received a timetable and price for the Owen Hegarty-backed Tigers Realm Coal initial public offering.

Carbon price hits profits

22 July 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 22 July 2011 | PAGE 1 | Carbon price hits profits

Australia’s largest goldminer, Newcrest Mining, said the federal government’s proposed carbon tax would slice up to 3 per cent a year from its profits.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

20 July 2011 | Joanna Heath

Precious metals miner OZ Minerals surpassed expectations with its June quarter production results, but that has not been enough to prompt brokers to move from their “neutral” ratings on the stock.

Toro to go public with Wiluna uranium plan

20 July 2011 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

Toro Energy is edging closer towards going ahead with its Wiluna uranium project in Western Australia, announcing plans to release publicly its environmental management plan for the venture next Monday.

US debt talk optimism spurs equities, $A

20 July 2011 | Joanna Heath

Before the Bell – Positive responses to a new plan to cut the US deficit are fuelling Wall Street and the greenback ■ Obama likes what he sees ■ Dow, S&P gain 1.63pc ■ Apple sales smash forecasts ■ SPI futures up 49 points ■ $A surges to $US1.0723

Growth options unclear for OZ

20 July 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 20 July 2011 | PAGE 46 | Growth options unclear for OZ

OZ Minerals has delivered another stellar quarterly performance from its Prominent Hill copper and gold mine in South Australia and is on track to meet its full-year guidance for copper production.

Bandanna sale tempts AMCI and Samtan

20 July 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Khia Mercer

PRINT: 20 July 2011 | PAGE 20 | Bandanna sale tempts AMCI and Samtan

With an outcome in the sale process of Bandanna Energy expected in the first week of August, it seems there have been some intriguing developments.

OZ Minerals maximises copper production

19 July 2011 | Luke Forrestal

OZ Minerals has reported an increase in copper and gold production from its Prominent Hill mine in South Australia in the June quarter and flagged developments that might extend the operation beyond 2018.

Corporate news this week

18 July 2011 |

OZ Minerals ■ Woodside Petroleum ■ Western Areas ■ BHP Billiton ■ Woolworths ■ Newcrest ■ PanAust ■ Santos.

Investors nervous at commodities crunch time

18 July 2011 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 18 July 2011 | PAGE 24 | Investors nervous at commodities crunch time

Investors will get further insight into the outlook for commodity prices this week as a raft of resources companies, including BHP and Newcrest, release their quarterly reports.

MMG gears technology toward takeovers

13 July 2011 | Paul Smith

PRINT: 13 July 2011 | PAGE 54 | MMG gears technology toward takeovers

Minerals and Metals Group, the local arm of China government-owned Minmetals Resources, is embarking on a company-wide technology transformation.

Toro seeks Asian help on uranium

12 July 2011 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

PRINT: 11 July 2011 | PAGE 21 | Toro seeks Asian help on uranium

Uranium explorer Toro Energy expects to agree to a strategic alliance with a partner in Asia that will help fund its $265 million Wiluna project.

Mid-caps offer the best risk and return

04 July 2011 | Claire Stewart

PRINT: 04 July 2011 | PAGE 19 | Mid-caps offer the best risk and return

For Concise Asset Management, it’s the mid-cap space that offers a good combination of risk and returns, delivering a total return of 7 per cent in 2010.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

27 June 2011 | John McDuling

PRINT: 24 June 2011 | PAGE 25 |

Shares in OZ Minerals are trading near their lowest levels since September, taking into account the fact it recently went through a 1-for-10 share consolidation.

Mincor receives vote of approval

22 June 2011 | Luke Forrestal

Mincor Resources has registered a vote of confidence in its ageing nickel operations in Western Australian by announcing plans to buy back up to 10 per cent of its shares.

Companies briefs

22 June 2011 |

PRINT: 22 June 2011 | PAGE 50 |

OZ Minerals will begin a buyback of up to $200 million worth of its shares on August 17 as part of its capital management strategy.

Plenty of risk and reward in gold

15 June 2011 | John McDuling

PRINT: 15 June 2011 | PAGE 26 | Plenty of risk and reward in gold

Investing in gold-related shares is often fraught with danger, but picking the right stock can still deliver immense returns.

Talisman to tap ‘corridor of riches’

07 June 2011 | John McDuling

PRINT: 07 June 2011 | PAGE 25 | Talisman to tap corridor of riches

Investors are betting that more treasure could be unearthed in Western Australia’s Bryah Basin, and that one explorer active in the region – Talisman Mining – could be onto something big.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

03 June 2011 | Brendon Lau

UBS has upgraded OZ Minerals to “neutral” from “sell” due to its recent share price weakness and as the implementation of its share consolidation kicks in.

OZ Minerals gets UBS upgrade

03 June 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

OZ Minerals’ attempts to improve shareholder value have earned the company a rating upgrade from UBS.

Fortune favours the brave

01 June 2011 | John McDuling

PRINT: 01 June 2011 | PAGE 24 | Fortune favours the brave

Unsettled financial markets may have reduced some investors’ appetites for equities but some company directors haven’t pulled in their horns.

OZ Minerals boss attacks adviser fees

27 May 2011 | Patrick Durkin

PRINT: 27 May 2011 | PAGE 4 | OZ boss attacks adviser fees

OZ Minerals chairman Neil Hamilton has criticised the fee structures of investment banks, accountants and advisers working on major corporate deals.

Switch to OZ from Equinox: CBA

25 May 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

CBA Institutional Equities thinks the likely success of Barrick’s takeover bid for Equinox will spur buying in fellow copper miner OZ Minerals.

Broker picks list of losers in dollar upgrade

20 May 2011 | JOANNA HEATH

PRINT: 20 April 2011 | PAGE 29 | Broker picks list of losers in dollar upgrade

Investors have been warned that the persistent strength of the $A is expected to cause more headaches for corporate earnings.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

19 May 2011 | Claire Stewart

Shareholders in OZ Minerals have approved capital return and share consolidation indicated by the company in February.

Road to resolution tests OzMinerals

19 May 2011 |

PRINT: 19 May 2011 | PAGE 40 | OZ Minerals’ rocky road to resolution

Oz Minerals’ AGM in Melbourne yesterday was moving along swimmingly when the fifth resolution of the meeting was raised for discussion.

Oil leads commodities higher, $A steady

19 May 2011 | Anna Raissis

Before the Bell – A rebound in oil, copper and gold is helping underpin global equites, which were buoyed by the US central bank’s policy plan ■ SPI up 24pts ■ US crude futures up near 3pc ■ US oil supplies fall ■ Fed officials favour higher rates ■ Broker Watch: Billabong, QBE, Gloucester Coal

OZ to return more cash with buyback

19 May 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 19 May 2011 | PAGE 18 | OZ to return more cash with buyback

Cashed-up copper and gold miner OZ Minerals says it intends to proceed with a share buyback of up to $200 million as part of its capital management program.

Macquarie bullish on mining stocks

18 May 2011 | John McDuling

Wild gyrations in commodity prices over the past fortnight induced fear among many investors but Macquarie reckons industrial metals prices are set to rise, and mining stocks offer good value.

Market doubts aside, value stocks remain

18 May 2011 | John McDuling

PRINT: 18 May 2011 | PAGE 1 | Market doubts aside, value stocks remain

With the broader sharemarket and many widely owned stocks trading lower so far in 2011, picking the right stocks has never been more important.

Housing and building markets under scrutiny

16 May 2011 | Anna Raissis

PRINT: 16 May 2011 | PAGE 24 | Housing and building groups under scrutiny

A plethora of company meetings will keep investors occupied this week, including a key board meeting for Leighton Holdings and annual meetings for miners.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

12 May 2011 | Claire Stewart

Deutsche Bank is becoming more positive on OZ Minerals’ longer-term prospects following the release of the maiden resource for the Carrapateena project.

Oil slides taking $A and global equities lower

11 May 2011 | Anna Raissis

Before the Bell – Concerns about global growth, in particular the outlooks for China and the US, have hammered oil prices and taken global equities lower ■ Wall St crumbles ■ SPI down 56pts ■ Dow down 1.02pc ■ $A falls to below $US1.07 ■ Broker Watch: DJs, Westfield, Virgin

OZ Minerals settles class actions for $60m

10 May 2011 | James Eyers

PRINT: 10 May 2011 | PAGE 48 | OZ settles class actions for $60m

Updated | OZ Minerals’s alleged failures to classify debts during the financial crisis have prompted a $60 million payment to aggrieved shareholders.

$A, commodities steady after upbeat US jobs data

09 May 2011 | Anna Raissis

Before the Bell – Commodities steadied on Friday and equities rebounded after better than expected US jobs data ■ Oil slips further ■ Gold and copper steady ■ $A edges higher in early trading ■ Incitec misses forecasts ■ Broker Watch: Woodside, Equinox, QR National

OZ transfer of licences approved

02 May 2011 |

OZ Minerals received approval from the South Australian government for the transfer of exploration licences.

Company briefs

02 May 2011 |

PRINT: 02 May 2011 | PAGE 17 |

OZ Minerals has received approval from the South Australian government for the transfer of exploration licences covering the Carrapateena project, which it acquired in March.

Fed, rates weigh on shares

27 April 2011 | Anna Raissis

PRINT: 27 April 2011 | PAGE 26 | Fed, rates weigh on shares

Shares fell on the first day of trading following the extended Easter break, as investors grappled with higher than expected domestic inflation and global markets displayed caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve’s outlook for its massive asset purchase programs.

$A storms past $1.07 as Wall St soars

20 April 2011 | John McDuling

Before the Bell – The $A has powered through the $1.07 barrier as strong US corporate earnings pushed markets higher across the northern hemisphere ■ SPI futures up 47 points ■ Broker Watch: Qantas, Wesfarmers, BHP ■ Company news: Origin Energy, Atlas Iron, St Barbara

Credit Suisse keen on Oz after site visit

20 April 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Stephen Shore

Oz Minerals may well be wishing it had taken analysts to Prominent Hill sooner after a recent site visit triggered a change of heart for Credit Suisse.

Minmetals capital raising falls short

20 April 2011 | Luke Forrestal

Minmetals Resources, the Chinese company in a $C6.3 billion takeover bid for Equinox Minerals, blames market volatility for only being able to raise $US500 million.

Gold breaks $US1500 as stocks get earnings boost

20 April 2011 | John McDuling

Before the Bell – Global equities rallied overnight as investors appeared to refocus on US earnings ■ Gold reaches $US1500.50 ■ J&J beats expectations ■ Dow ends up 0.5pc ■ SPI up 31pts ■ Broker Watch: Perpetual, Leighton, Woodside

Rising risk tarnishes copper outlook

18 April 2011 | Claire Stewart

Some fund managers are not convinced the downside risks of investing in small- to mid-cap copper explorers and developers are worth the potential for above-market returns.

Cost pressures hit OZ earnings

15 April 2011 | Dan Hall

Analysts have warned that cost pressures will have an impact on gold and copper producer OZ Minerals’ bottom line in 2011 after the company released an annual operational update.

Shortage of stocks leads to over-valuation

15 April 2011 | Luke Forrestal

Perpetual Global Resources portfolio manager James Bruce has compared copper miners OZ Minerals and Antofagasta to illustrate his view that Australian resources stocks are overvalued compared with those on overseas exchanges.

Eyes on China inflation as G20 mulls recovery risks

15 April 2011 | John McDuling

Before the Bell – Renewed concerns about the global economic outlook, and what China’s latest inflation data will be, are pressuring equities ■ SPI up 4 pts ■ Wall St ends mixed ■ Google drops on results

Companies briefs

15 April 2011 |

PRINT: 15 April 2011 | PAGE 45 |

Mining and civil contractor NRW Holdings has launched an $80 million capital raising.

OZ Minerals going for gold despite drop

14 April 2011 |

OZ Minerals says it expects to achieve forecast gold production targets for the year even though total gold production fell in the March quarter.

Obama budget brings $US relief

14 April 2011 | John McDuling

Before the Bell ■ Bank of Queensland reports 45 per cent fall in NPAT to $50.4 million ■ Obama unveils budget plan ■ RBA’s Stevens wary of low rates ■ Macquarie tips $A to force Reserve Bank’s hand ■ $A up 0.65pc

Oil slumps as Goldman says sell commodities

13 April 2011 | John McDuling

Before the Bell – A pullback in the price of oil on concerns about global demand is leading commodities and shares of resources companies lower ■ Wall St down almost 1pc ■ SPI futures down 26 pts ■ $A down 0.4pc against yen ■ Broker Watch: Fortescue, Rio, Aristocrat

Equinox board tipped to seek higher bid

05 April 2011 | James Eyers

Analysts at RBC Capital Markets say the Minmetals offer for Equinox has been made at too low a premium, but competing bids might be difficult to flesh out.

Minmetals offers cash for Equinox

04 April 2011 | Jamie Freed and Dan Hall

Minmetals Resources announces a $6.3 billion all-cash offer to acquire dual-listed copper producer Equinox Minerals.

Lundin looks at options to counter Equinox

31 March 2011 | Jamie Freed and Khia Mercer

PRINT: 31 March 2011 | PAGE 24 | Lundin looks at options to counter Equinox

Now that Lundin Mining’s friendly tie-up with Inmet has collapsed, it is set to throw open a data room and offer itself to the highest bidder.

Bears and bulls await the fallout

23 March 2011 | Philip Baker

PRINT: 23 March 2011 | PAGE 27 | Bears and bulls await the fallout

Long view | It’s hard to predict whether the bad news is a buying opportunity or just a sign of more trouble to come.

M&A takes focus from Japan, Libya

22 March 2011 | Gillian Tan

Before the Bell – All you need to know about overnight trading and what’s in store for the local session ■ SPI up 30 pts ■ Dow up 1.5pc ■ AT&T fuels merger optimism ■ Yen drops ■ Oil up on Libya

SA minister backs uranium mine growth

21 March 2011 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

Australia’s uranium industry is here for the long term, with eight significant uranium projects underway in South Australia, minister Tom Koutsantonis said.

Investors brace for further volatility

21 March 2011 | Gillian Tan

Before the Bell – New! Don’t miss the Financial Review’s new pre-open markets coverage – all you need to know about overseas trading and what’s in store for the local session ■ Progress on nuclear crisis ■ US, European action in Libya ■ Dow up 0.7pc ■ SPI down 18 points

Equinox pitch at Lundin a thrill, but OZ is safer

14 March 2011 | Jamie Freed

PRINT: 14 March 2011 | PAGE 56 | Equinox pitch at lundin a thrill for risk seekers, but oz is safer

Call it a tale of two copper miners. Equinox Minerals has a market value of $4.5 billion and produced 147,000 tonnes of copper last year, while OZ Minerals has a market value of $4.8 billion and produced 112,000 tonnes of copper and 196,000 ounces of gold.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

10 March 2011 | Jamie Freed

OZ Minerals’ $US250 million purchase of the Carrapateena copper-gold-uranium prospect in South Australia has received a mixed reception from brokers.

Analysts at odds over OZ’s Carrapateena deal

10 March 2011 | Dan Hall

Brokers are divided over OZ Minerals’ agreement to purchase the Carrapateena Copper Gold project in South Australia, with some hoping for more near term growth options.

Carrapateena a long, costly project

09 March 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

OZ Minerals’ $250 million Carrapateena acquisition has huge potential, but analysts reckon the road to production will be long and costly.

OZ Minerals buys Carrapateena for $US250m

09 March 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 09 March 2011 | PAGE 17 | OZ digs deep for Carrapateena

The purchase will give OZ Minerals another major project in the Gawler Craton of South Australia, but could cost more than $1 billion to develop.

Investors patient about reserves, but not for long

08 March 2011 | Jonathan Shapiro

PRINT: 08 March 2011 | PAGE 5 | Investors patient about reserves, but not for long

The term “lazy balance sheet” might be creeping back into current corporate-speak, but boards are still not ready to return excess capital to shareholders and increase their debt levels in a big way.

Miners’ dilemma is how to disperse the cash

08 March 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 08 March 2011 | PAGE 5 | Miners’ dilemma is how to disperse their surplus cash

The lessons of the financial crisis might still be helping to contain the optimism within the mining sector, but few factors lthreaten to curtail this new era of extraordinary profitability.

Consider risks, but future looks positive

08 March 2011 | Philip Baker

PRINT: 08 March 2011 | PAGE 9 | Consider the risks, but the future looks more positive

Roundtable | While shareholders might be annoyed at companies not distributing more of their profits this reporting season, industry experts understand the cautious approach, with caveats.

Sandfire in trading halt ahead of update

04 March 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

Sandfire Resources entered a trading halt on Friday ahead of releasing a pre-feasibility study for its Doolgunna project in Western Australia.

Heavy hitters are fast movers

04 March 2011 | Justin Bailey

PRINT: 04 March 2011 | PAGE 28 | Heavy hitters are fast movers

The end of reporting season has encouraged fund managers to pick up the pace of their buying, according to notices filed with the Australian Stock Exchange.

Equinox, OZ Minerals take different paths

02 March 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

PRINT: 02 March 2011 | PAGE 21 | Equinox and OZ Minerals take different paths

There’s a number of chief executives out there who will tell you there’s few quicker ways to erode shareholder value than through an aggressive M&A strategy.

More agile miners stand to gain from move to Africa

15 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

PRINT: 15 February 2011 | PAGE 22 | More agile miners stand to gain from move to Africa

While much of the crowd at last week’s Indaba mining conference in Cape Town focused on the risks of operating in Africa, the sizeable Australian contingent was busy talking up deals.

OZ Minerals’ Sandfire stake shrinks, despite purchase

14 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

OZ Minerals’ $14.2 million purchase of more shares in copper developer Sandfire Resources has not stopped OZ’s major shareholding from being diluted.

Profit in keen duo deals

14 February 2011 | Brendon Lau

PRINT: 14 February 2011 | PAGE 19 | Profit in keen duo deals

The reporting season could throw up a number of interesting pairs trading ideas.

Passport wants stamp on WA’s Sandfire

11 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

PRINT: 11 February 2011 | PAGE 29 | US fund wants a passport stamp on WA’s Sandfire

Fresh from recording a tidy profit on the sale of a portion of its stake in Rio Tinto takeover target Riversdale Mining, US fund Passport Capital is believed to have found its next great Australian resources play.

Boards beware of walking the plank

11 February 2011 | Tansy Harcourt

PRINT: 11 February 2011 | PAGE 29 | Boards beware of walking the plank

Profit season is in full swing and so far few companies have been creative in how they use the record cash sitting on balance sheets across the country.

Fine line to tread on share buybacks

10 February 2011 | Katja Bührer

PRINT: 11 February 2011 | PAGE 27 | Fine line to tread on share buybacks

Australia’s biggest companies are abandoning thrift by increasing distributions and share buybacks.

Still enough OZ Minerals firepower to snare Sandfire

10 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

PRINT: 10 February 2011 | PAGE 26 | Still enough OZ Minerals firepower to snare Sandfire

The decision by OZ Minerals to return almost $600 million of its huge cash stockpile to shareholders does not mean the company’s long-mooted bid for copper up-and-comer Sandfire Resources is dead.

Burgess dampens Sandfire a little

10 February 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 10 February 2011 | PAGE 16 | Burgess dampens sandfire a little

It surely wasn’t intentional, but Terry Burgess’ comments on Sandfire Resources yesterday appeared to do the stock no favours.

Companies ready to leverage up again

09 February 2011 | Jonathan Shapiro

OZ Minerals’ decision to return almost $600 million to shareholders through a special dividend is the clearest evidence yet that companies are shedding their conservatism.

OZ return pours cold water on Sandfire speculation

09 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

The announcement this morning of a $590 million capital return by OZ Minerals is bad news for the investors who had bet on a takeover bid by OZ for Sandfire Resources.

OZ buyback a start but investors want more

09 February 2011 | Luke Forrestal

PRINT: 10 February 2011 | PAGE 16 | OZ buyback a start but investors want more

OZ Minerals yesterday delivered to shareholders one of the main things they have been plumping for since the 2009 fire sale of assets that ensured the company’s survival: a capital return of up to $590 million.

Citi sounds note of caution on OZ Minerals

08 February 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

Analyst Craig Sainsbury has cast doubt on the company’s ability to extend the life of its sole producing asset.

OZ Minerals (OZL)

07 February 2011 | Dan Hall

Goldman Sachs brokers are bullish on copper and have set a “buy” recommendation on copper producer OZ Minerals before the company’s annual results on Wednesday.

Earnings to highlight two-speed arena

05 February 2011 |

PRINT: 05 February 2011 | PAGE 17 | Earnings to highlight two-speed arena

Evidence of the two-tiered profit conditions is expected to come to the fore in the first key week of the reporting season.

Mid-tiers aim for world stage

03 February 2011 | damon frith

The next generation of Australian mid-tier miners has the opportunity to make it on the world stage, writes Damon Frith.

Mining minnows worth a look

02 February 2011 | Justin Bailey

PRINT: 02 February 2011 | PAGE 33 | Mining minnows worth a look

Cast your eye beyond BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and other big names in the Australian mining market and you will discover a number of promising junior resources stocks.

Breakaways profit from disciplined decisions

31 January 2011 | Stephen Shore

PRINT: 31 January 2011 | PAGE 19 | Breakaways benefit from disciplined decisions

When Barclays Global Investors took over Barclays Investment Management, five refugees set up their own Australian equities shop.

Miners prove mettle with star earnings

31 January 2011 | Jo Clarke

PRINT: 31 January 2011 | PAGE 15 | Miners prove mettle with star earnings

Miners are expected to dominate earnings season with a series of record-breaking earnings, new capital management programs and a positive outlook driven by strength in emerging markets.

’Tis the season for reassurance

31 January 2011 | CommentPhilip Baker

PRINT: 31 January 2011 | PAGE 15 | ’Now’s the time for reassurance

It’s crunch time. This reporting season investors need to see that the rebuilding phase is over. They need to see signs of sustainability in earnings.

Macquarie bearish ahead of reporting season

27 January 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

Positive earnings surprises will centre on the better managed resources stocks and some industrial global cyclicals.

If only there were an Olympic gold for delays . . .

25 January 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

PRINT: 25 January 2011 | PAGE 16 | If only there were an Olympic gold for delays . . .

Investors eagerly seeking a bit more clarity on the timing and structure of BHP Billiton’s $US30 billion-plus expansion of its Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine will have to wait several weeks longer.

RBS calls for OZ dividend

21 January 2011 | Sarah Thompson and Paul Garvey

Cashed-up copper miner OZ Minerals should forget its acquisition hunt and opt for a $500 million special dividend instead.

Copper glows on poor substitute aluminium

21 January 2011 | Jo Clarke

PRINT: 21 January 2011 | PAGE 22 | Copper casts a glow on poor substitute aluminium

The copper price is so high that many analysts anticipate a reversal of fortune in aluminium, the base metal underachiever.

Copper enjoys boom

20 January 2011 | Jo Clarke

The copper price is so high that many analysts are looking for a reversal of fortune in the base metal underachiever aluminium.

OZ to be more Prominent

20 January 2011 | Jo Clarke

PRINT: 20 January 2011 | PAGE 45 | OZ to be more Prominent

OZ Minerals is banking on exploration at its Prominent Hill mine in South Australia for growth, after managing director Terry Burgess yesterday revealed copper and gold production beat targets in 2010.

Challenging year for Sandfire boss

15 January 2011 | Yvonne Ball

PRINT: 15 January 2011 | PAGE 17 | Challenging year for Sandfire boss

Karl Simich has his work cut out opening the De Grussa project copper-gold project in Western Australia as OZ Minerals looks on hungrily.

Credit Suisse prefers Kula Gold, Mount Gibson

10 January 2011 | Angela Macdonald-Smith

Recently listed Papua New Guinea gold explorer Kula Gold has topped Credit Suisse’s list of preferred Australian gold and copper stocks – and Mount Gibson Iron remains its favourite pick among iron ore miners.

Looking for shares of the action in Ivanhoe carve-up

20 December 2010 | KHIA MERCER

PRINT: 20 December 2010 | PAGE 32 | Looking for shares of the action in Ivanhoe carve-up

Now that Ivanhoe Mines has released the prospectus for its $US1.2 billion rights offering, investors’ attention will turn to its promise to dispose of the company’s non-core assets.