Market rumours point at South32 as the most likely buyer, since the miner decided last month to ditch its $200 million acquisition of Peabody Energy’s coal mine in New South Wales.
The tragic accident was the result of "incompetence, mismanagement, bureaucratic bungling, deceit, ruthlessness... and cynical indifference," an official report said.
Gold is trading slightly down from its Friday spot price close of $1,227.90, as investors digest the outcome of the recently-decided French presidential election.