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Bullet briefing — Barrick faces turmoil, MP does Saudi refinery deal

Barrick Mining faces more turmoil

Turmoil continued for major gold and copper producer Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) this week after a series of company developments made headlines.

First, Reuters reported that Barrick's board is considering splitting the company into two different entities: one focused on North America, and the other on Africa and Asia.

Four sources familiar with the firm's thinking told the news outlet that Barrick's African assets could also be sold outright, as could the Pakistan-based Reko Diq mine.

This would essentially undo Barrick's 2019 merger with Africa-focused Randgold Resources.

Barrick didn't respond to requests for comment, but later in the week news hit that activist investor firm Elliott Investment Management has taken a "large stake" in Barrick.

Sources told the Financial Times that Elliott is now among Barrick's 10 top investors, meaning its stake is worth at least US$700 million. Elliott hasn't shared information about what it would like Barrick to do, but is reportedly "encouraged" by the idea of breaking the company in two.

Barrick has faced numerous headwinds recently, including the seizure of a key gold mine in Mali and the departure of CEO Mark Bristow. Bristow, who took the helm at Barrick after it joined forces with Randgold, abruptly stepped down in September after facing criticism.

Although shares of Barrick are up just over 130 percent year-to-date, the company has underperformed compared to its peers in the gold space.

Bristow is not the only person to leave Barrick lately — the last piece of news about the company this week is that two senior managers and a top executive have departed. CEO Mark Hill announced the changes in a memo seen by Bloomberg, saying the company is looking to evolve its operating model so that it's in line with the firm's strategic priorities.

MP Materials' latest rare earths deal

Rare earths miner MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and the US Department of Defense are teaming up on a strategic joint venture with Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden).

The deal, which will see the three entities collaborate on a Saudi Arabian rare earths refinery, comes after the US and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic framework on securing critical supply chains.

The refinery will process rare earths feedstock from Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, and will be able to produce both light and heavy rare earths, which are crucial to many high-tech industries.

Under the Trump administration, the US has ramped up efforts to break China's rare earths dominance, boosting its relationship with MP Materials in the process — in July, the defense department agreed to buy US$400 million worth of preferred stock in the company, a move that MP Materials called a "transformational public-private partnership."

Shares of MP Materials are up over 250 percent year-to-date.