Bumi Resources Minerals to Settle Debt Owed to Credit Suisse
Bumi Resources Minerals, an Indonesian (non-coal) mining company, targets to settle its USD $350 million debt to Credit Suisse AG in November 2016. The miner will use funds generated through the sale of its 24 percent stake in Newmont Nusa Tenggara (to Amman Mineral Internasional). Herwin Hidayat, Investor Relations Head at Bumi Resources Minerals, informed that the miner is currently still in talks with Credit Suisse and Amman Mineral Internasional regarding the debt repayment.
These negotiations are conducted through Bumi Resources Minerals' subsidiary Multi Daerah Bersaing (which holds the 24 percent stake in Newmont Nusa Tenggara). This stake in Newmont Nusa Tenggara, the miner that owns and operates the Batu Hijau copper and gold mine on the island of Sumbawa in the eastern part of Indonesia, actually served as guarantee to obtain the loan from Credit Suisse back in 2010.
On 30 June 2016 Multi Daerah Bersaing and Amman Mineral Internasional signed an agreement for the sale of the 24 percent stake in Newmont for the price of USD $425 million (although the exact amount is still subjected to the fulfillment of the terms and conditions of the agreement). After the final agreement is signed then Bumi Resources Minerals can immediately repay its debt to Credit Suisse. This should be completed in November 2016, Hidayat said.
Amman Mineral Internasional was acquired by Indonesian oil & gas company Medco Energi Internasional in late June 2016 when the latter bought a 82.2 percent stake in Amman for the price of USD $2.6 billion. This acquisition was approved by Medco's stakeholders at the extraordinary general meeting (EGM) in September.
Bumi Resources Minerals is currently also looking for a strategic partner to work together on the projects of subsidiary Dairi Prima Minerals, an underground zinc mining project located in North Sumatra. This is part of the miner's expansion strategies.