TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Queensland-based Macarthur Coal will offer to buy fellow Australian Gloucester Coal, in a move to add two new mines and increase coal resources.

The company, which is already the world's largest producer of low volatile pulverised injection coal, is seeking to boost production and widen its offering to take advantage of strong Asian demand for steelmaking and steam coal.

Macarthur will offer 0,84 of its own shares or A$8 a share for each Gloucester share in two separate offers, the firm said on Tuesday. The share portion is worth A$8,16 apiece based on Macarthur's closing price on Monday.

Noble Group, which is Gloucester's biggest shareholder, with 87,7%, has indicated it will support the proposal.

Further, Gloucester's independent directors said that, in the absence of a better proposal, and subject to an independent report on the fairness of the offer, they will unanimously recommend Macarthur's bid for the company.

Macarthur also said that it is in talks with Noble to buy its interest in the Middlemount mine joint venture, in central Queensland, and for a majority stake (likely 79,9%) in Donaldson Coal, which has operations in the Hunter Valley.

Noble currently owns 25,34 of Middlemount and Macarthur holds the balance.

Altogether, if the Middlemount and Donaldson transactions are completed, Macarthur will pay Noble A$175-million and 22,5-million of its shares.

Macarthur said the deals being proposed would make it Australia's leading independent coal producer, with a market capitalisation of about A$3,4-billion.

The company would have six operating mines in two states, shipping through two coal terminals.

“The proposed transactions will create a great Australian coal company,” said Macarthur chairperson Keith DeLacy.

“Gloucester and Macarthur shareholders will have exposure to high-quality producing coal miners in three separate coal basins, with strong growth potential.”

Noble, which is part owned by China Investment Corporation, said that it will take shares in Macarthur rather than cash if it accepts the Gloucester offer.

If all the transactions are completed, it will hold 23% of the merged company.

“The combination of these highly complementary assets will provide Noble with exposure to what will be the largest independent coal producer in Australia, a critical supplier to the Asian growth markets,” said Noble CEO Richard Elman.

The company acquired its majority stake in Gloucester in May this year for A$7 a share.