The world's biggest steel maker ArcelorMittal said on Jan. 19 it had opened talks with Australian miner BHP Billiton on a venture that would combine their iron ore mining and infrastructure assets in Liberia and Guinea in west Africa.
"The iron ore interests of the two companies in Liberia and Guinea are proximate and could be significantly more competitive if brought together in a combined operation," ArcelorMittal said.
It added that the parties would assess the merits of such a partnership "over the coming months" in consultations with the two governments.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2010
