Mining giant in 'monster' £31bn takeover approach

A SHOCK proposal for a mega-merger in the mining sector raised the prospect of one of the biggest City deals in years today, and brought with it the threat of the FTSE 100 losing one of its largest companies.

- Michael Hunter

Anglo American, the metals multinational, was the target of a £31 billion approach from BHP of Australia, which scrapped its own London listing in 2021.

The deal would bring Anglo's copper production in Chile and Peru under the control of the antipodean giant, already the biggest miner in the world. Demand is expected to soar, as copper drives the transition away from fossil fuels via increased electrification.

Anglo's earnings from copper alone hit $3.2 billion in 2023, almost a third of the total for the group, which is in the top quarter of the FTSE 100 by market value.

BHP is more dependent on iron ore and has been burnishing its position in the copper market by buying up producers. The Melbourne-based firm paid around £5 billion for local rival Oz Minerals a year ago.