Evolution Mining Limited (ASX:EVN), Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX:NST) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX:RRL) are three of the groups believed to be in a data room considering a deal to buy Bellevue Gold Limited (ASX:BGL), sources say. Exactly how serious the parties are remains to be seen, with sources suggesting most would look at the business to assess what was on offer as an educational -exercise at the very least. However, of those, Northern Star was thought to be the most likely buyer.
Offshore groups were also taking a look. Given that Bellevue Gold was out of the money on its hedge book, it made a deal difficult to stack up, market experts say. Already, Bellevue, advised by UBS, has said it has had informal approaches, and rather than running a formal sale process, it is offering certain parties access to a data room.
The $1 billion gold company that has the Bellevue Gold Project in Western Australia is considering a sale after downgrading its production guidance, closing out part of its goldmining hedge book, raising equity and flagging changes to the group's board and executive team. Australian peers are now interested in buying Bellevue to secure more production at a time when gold's price increases show no sign of abating, rather than for synergies. The management of Regis Resources is conservative and is bidding for the EMR Capital-backed Ravenswood goldmine near-by.
It would have capacity to buy one or the other, but not both. Northern Star would be one of the only Australian groups with synergies, because it could shut down the Bellevue Gold mill and feed ore into its WA Thunderbox gold facility, which is under--utilised, say experts. Northern Star's challenge is that it has just purchased De Grey Mining.
