Large Medium Small |
BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's biggest mining company, lobbied Australia last year to stop Aluminum Corp of China's proposed $19.5-billion investment in Rio Tinto Group, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing a former government official.
BHP executives, including Chairman Don Argus, met officials including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Treasurer Wayne Swan to discuss the proposed investment, the newspaper said. E-mails from BHP were circulated throughout the government, the Herald cited former Treasury official Stephen Joske as saying.
|
Meanwhile, BHP has agreed to buy United Minerals Corp for $188 million, countering a bid by a Chinese firm to take a stake in the iron ore explorer.
The bid is conditional on China Railway Materials Commercial Corp not completing the purchase of an 11.4-percent stake in United announced last month.