Newmont, Kinross likely to buy Barrick’s US gold assets

The president of the world’s largest bullion producer, Kelvin Dushnisky, only said he expected the imminent deal to close before the end of the year, but declined to put a value on the asset package, which includes Bald Mountain, Round Mountain, Spring Valley, Ruby Hill, Hilltop and Golden Sunlight assets.

According to analysts and investment bankers, however, the mines up for sale could bring in between $500 million and $700 million.

The amount will be used towards Barrick’s goal of raising at least $3 billion this year to reduce its $12.9 billion debt.

In an interview ahead of this week’s Denver Gold Forum, Dushnisky told Bloomberg that Barrick is already 90% through its debt-reduction plan.

Last week, the Toronto-based miner announced the closing of its Salt Lake City office, which along with the unwinding of its copper business will help Barrick save US$2 billion by the end of 2016.

After supporting the Barrick’s core Nevada operations for nearly two decades, the Salt Lake office, which employs about 110 staff, will close in November. It follows the shutdown of Barrick’s Perth bureau and job cuts in its Santiago office.

The firm’s standalone copper unit, established after the firm bought pure copper company Equinox Minerals in 2011, will no longer be a distinct division within Barrick. The copper unit’s managers and staff will be laid off and the overhead expenses related to the separate business will be cut.

Barrick’s stock is trading around Cdn$9 a share, a low not seen since 1989.