BHP Group has rejected early offers for its Australian thermal coal business that missed the miner’s own valuation as the year-long hunt for a buyer continues, according to people familiar with the matter.
Yancoal Australia and Adani Group’s Australian unit are among those to have had approaches for the Mt Arthur mine rebuffed, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. BHP may step up its search for a buyer in the coming months, according to some of the people.
While there’s strong interest in thermal coal assets from private equity, there’s much less appetite among major miners to add production of the fuel. BHP itself is looking to exit the business as growing climate change concerns have weakened its long-term demand outlook and ratcheted up pressure from investors to ditch the dirtiest fossil fuel.