Anglo American hires banks for coal assets sale, sources say

LONDON (Reuters) - Anglo American has hired three banks for the sale of its steelmaking coal assets, which analysts value at as much as $5 billion and is part of a broader restructuring to fend off an approach from rival BHP, two sources close to the matter said on Tuesday.

Anglo's CEO Duncan Wanblad said in May the sale of its five operating coal mines, development projects and joint ventures in Australia was soon to kick off, as part of a wider plan to divest less profitable assets and focus on expanding copper output after BHP's failed attempt to take over the company.

However the miner is still battling a fire ignited at its Grosvenor mine in Queensland state on June 29, with assessment of the damage and re-opening likely to take several months.

Signaling the next phase of the divestment, Anglo has hired Goldman Sachs (GS), Morgan Stanley (MS) and Centerview Partners - all previously brokers to the company - to help with the sale of the assets, the two sources said.

Anglo, GS and MS declined to comment. Centerview was not immediately available to comment.

Analysts said the Grosvenor mine fire had likely hit the timing of the sale process and valuation of the assets. According to Jefferies, the mine accounts for about 30% of the $4.5 billion value the brokerage attributes to Anglo's steelmaking coal business.

Anglo had in May said the restructuring, which also includes the demerger of its South African platinum assets, the divestment or closure of its nickel assets, and the demerger or sale of diamond unit De Beers, would be well advanced by the end of 2025.

Metallurgical coal, which hit a record $635 a ton in March 2022 amid concerns over global supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stood at around $250 on Tuesday.

The Grosvenor mine produced 2.797 million tons of metallurgical coal in 2023, making up 17% of Anglo's coal output, according to its annual report. In 2024, it expected the mine to produce 3.5 million tons. The company is the world's third-largest exporter of metallurgical coal.

Grosvenor had already been shut for a year in May 2020 after an explosion injured five workers and triggered a government inquiry, as it repeatedly produced more methane gas than it could remove. Safety measures were then put in place and no injuries were recorded in June.

(Reporting by Clara Denina and Pratima Desai; Editing by David Holmes)