Private equity ready for mining M&A as activity hits a lowhttps://www.afr.com/business/mining/private-equity-ready-for-mining-ma-as-activity-hits-a-low-20150514-gh1g3o
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"The greatest potential for deals is in copper, zinc and other base metals. And we expect there could be some consolidation in strategic metals (graphite, lithium, vanadium) and mineral sands, given the rapid development in energy storage and composite materials technology."
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Mr Murphy also questioned whether the time was coming for global miners to focus more on future growth options.
"Although the attention to shareholder returns are constraining investment of capital – it is the time in the cycle to create optionality to underpin a longer-term growth pipeline. That might mean you look at options to diversify.
"Do they need to be thinking more about strategic minerals (graphite, lithium, vanadium)? Is there a consolidation play with the best tier one assets in that space?"