RE:RE:Statement from Mitsubishi (translated from Japanese) Oakie,
I have lived in Japan for 3 and 1/2 decades. I think it is safe to say that Mitsubishi Materials will not go it alone. They are a smelter and end producer. They need a major to join forces with. Mitsubishi Materials is a much better bet than Sumitomo and JX Steel as MM is so diversified yet dependent on copper. Sumitomo and JX do mining but not hungry for copper to the same extent. Mitsubishi produces the Miev and has its own subsidiary connected to copper products.