双语：中国企业非洲扩大金矿业务遇良机

2012-08-20 00:00:00来源：可可英语

　　The fallout from a costly copper deal in Africa last year by Canada"s Barrick Gold Corp. is giving China a chance to strengthen its gold mining footprint in the continent.
　　加拿大巴里克黄金公司(Barrick Gold Corp)去年在非洲的一宗巨额铜矿交易令其背上了沉重的负担，但这却将给中国提供了一个加强在非洲大陆黄金开采业务的机会。
　　Barrick said Thursday it is in talks to sell all or part of its Tanzania-focused gold operation, African Barrick Gold PLC for as much as $3.9 billion to China National Gold Group Corp., a state-owned miner and refiner.
　　加拿大巴里克周四说，该公司正在与国有采矿及精炼企业中国黄金集团公司(China National Gold Group Corp.)进行谈判，向后者出售其主要位于坦桑尼亚的非洲巴里克黄金公司的全部或部分业务，合同金额最高可达39亿美元。
　　The deal is meant to raise cash, after Barrick found itself saddled with an Africa copper operation that it bought in 2011, a deal that looks pricey in retrospect, with Barrick's investors clamoring for better returns and a more disciplined financial approach. New chief executive Jamie Sokalsky, appointed in June after the resignation of Aaron Regent, is demonstrating his resolve and the rigor of a former chief financial officer by putting up one of the company's most valuable assets for sale.
　　这一交易意在筹集现金，因为此前巴里克发现2011年收购的一项非洲铜矿业务给自己带来了沉重负担，巴里克的投资者纷纷要求获得更高的回报，同时要求公司在财务支出上更加规范。现在看来，当时的那宗铜矿交易代价太高了。该公司新任首席执行长索卡尔斯基(Jamie Sokalsky)将展示自己的决心和作为前首席财务长的严厉作风，将该公司最有价值的资产之一挂牌出售。今年6月，在前首席执行长瑞金特(Aaron Regent)辞职后，索卡尔斯基接替了他的职务。
　　Mr. Regent's sudden departure in June was seen as a response to the copper deal turning sour, as investors bemoaned that the move away from being a pure play on gold was weakening Barrick's valuation. Copper prices have plunged 20% since that deal was struck.
　　瑞金特今年6月突然离职，外界认为他是因铜矿交易表现不及预期而引咎辞职。投资者不满地说，脱离纯粹的金矿业务正在削弱巴里克的估值。自上述铜矿交易达成以来，铜价已经累计跌了20%。
　　Barrick, the world's largest gold producer, got into trouble in Africa when it went head to head against the Chinese in a bidding war over Equinox Minerals Ltd., in April 2011, a Canadian miner with big copper mines in Africa. State-backed Minmetals Resources Ltd. stepped away from that deal, despite its deep government pockets, leaving Barrick to fork out 7.3 billion Canadian dollars for the Zambia-focused copper producer. Barrick's bid was 16% richer than Minmetals's offer.
　　巴里克是全球最大的黄金生产商。2011年4月，该公司在竞购在非洲拥有大型铜矿的加拿大铜矿企业伊奎诺克斯矿业公司(Equinox Minerals Ltd.)的大战中与一家中国企业短兵相接，那之后就在非洲陷入了困境。有政府背景的五矿资源有限公司(Minmetals Resources Ltd.)尽管有着雄厚政府资金的支持，却退出了竞购。巴里克于是斥资73亿加元收购了这家业务主要集中在赞比亚的铜矿企业。巴里克的出价比五矿资源高出了16%。
　　Minmetals's Chief Executive Andrew Michelmore told The Wall Street Journal later in an interview: 'We were very disappointed we lost Equinox, but we'd be shooting ourselves in the foot now if we had paid that much.'
　　五矿资源首席执行长米安卓(Andrew Michelmore)后来在接受《华尔街日报》采访时说，我们当时对没能竞购成功很失望，但如果当时真出了那么多钱买下伊奎诺克斯，那现在我们的结果就是搬起石头砸自己的脚。
　　The interest in Barrick's Africa gold operations come after a flurry of gold deals in Australia, as cash-rich miners seek consolidation in the sector. Anglo American PLC is about to announce a tie-up with Australian gold explorer Beadell Resources, Deal Journal Australia reported this month.
　　随着资金雄厚的矿业公司寻求在采矿行业进行整合，各大企业在澳大利亚达成了一系列金矿交易后，对巴里克在非洲的金矿业务又产生了兴趣。Deal Journal Australia 栏目本月报道说，英美资源集团(Anglo American PLC)将宣布与澳大利亚黄金勘探企业Beadell Resources进行合作。
　　Another Chinese miner, Zijin Mining Group Co., closed a deal to buy a majority stake Australia's Norton Gold Fields this month, after making an offer of A$180.3 million ($190 million) in May.
　　另外一家中国矿业公司紫金矿业集团股份有限公司(Zijin Mining Group Co.)本月与澳大利亚诺顿金田有限公司(Norton Gold Fields)就收购后者的多数股权达成了一项交易。此前这家中国公司在今年5月发出了1.803亿澳元（合1.90亿美元）的收购要约。