With the rapid onset of the worldwide recession in late 2008, marked by sharp drops in commodity prices that continued well into 2009 – especially among base metals – acquisitions activity almost ground to a halt. This is one of the findings from Metals Economic Group’s (MEG) recent Strategic Report. The publication shows that the volume of large acquisitions in 2009 decreased by 66% from 2008, the third consecutive annual decrease in acquisitions spending since the historical high in 2006. Although in nominal terms the 2009 total was still the fifth-highest annual total in the past ten years, the steep year-on-year drop from 2008 is slightly more than the 65% decline from 2001 to 2002, at the bottom of the cycle.
Data analysed from MEG’s Base Metals and Gold Acquisitions services shows a 79% plunge in base metals acquisitions spending from just over $32 billion in 2008 to just under $7 billion in 2009, the largest year-on-year decline in base metals spending since 1990. In contrast, 2009 gold acquisitions decreased by a relatively mild 18%, from almost $9 billion in 2008 to just over $7 billion.
Of the 31 base metals transactions considered in 2009, Australia-Pacific was by far the richest regional target in 2009 in terms of in-situ value acquired, with seven transactions totalling almost $113 billion in in-situ value-38% of the $290,278 million total value acquired. Africa was second with five deals totalling almost $63 billion in value. Of the 43 gold acquisitions, Africa, with 28% of the $95,152 million in-situ total value acquired, had six transactions containing $26,642 million of resources in the ground.
MEG’s Strategic Report provides informed, insightful analysis for mining industry planners, analysts, executives, and exploration managers. Published since 1982, the Strategic Report draws on MEG’s wealth of knowledge and insight in a bi-monthly compilation of timely, informative, and analytical articles on critical supply-side issues facing the global mining industry. In addition to original research, articles are drawn from MEG’s flagship MineSearch database, Corporate Exploration Strategies, Reserves Replacement studies, and Acquisitions and Exploration Activity services.
