Saudi Arabia’s PIF leads bidding for $2.5bn Vale base metals stake
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is emerging as the leading bidder to acquire a stake in Vale’s multibillion-dollar nickel and copper operations, people with knowledge of the matter said.
PIF is in advanced discussions with the Brazilian miner about a deal for a roughly 10% holding in its base metals unit, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. The stake could be valued at around $2.5-billion, they said.
The wealth fund is poised to beat out rival bidders including Japanese trading house Mitsui & Co. and the Qatar Investment Authority, the people said. It may take at least several weeks to hash out a formal agreement, the people said.
PIF may do the Vale deal through a joint venture it set up in January with Saudi Arabian state miner Maaden. The JV, established to take minority stakes in iron ore, copper, nickel and lithium businesses, is part of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy from oil and secure access to strategic minerals.
Deliberations are ongoing, and talks could fall apart or another buyer could emerge. Spokespeople for PIF and Maaden didn’t immediately provide comment or couldn’t be reached. Representatives for Mitsui, Vale and QIA declined to comment.
Vale last year hired advisers to assess options for the business, amid soaring demand for metals like copper and nickel that are key to the global push to cleaner forms of energy. Vale operates nickel and copper mines in countries including Brazil, Canada and Indonesia.
Article Enquiry
Email Article
Save Article
Feedback
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
Research Reports
Projects
Latest Multimedia
Latest News
Showroom
We supply customers with practical affordable solutions for their testing needs. Our products include benchtop, portable, in-line process control...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Iritron delivers advanced automation, control, and optimisation solutions to the Mining, Minerals & Metals, Consumer Package Goods and...
VISIT SHOWROOM
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation
