SolGold rejects Jiangxi takeover bid amid copper deals frenzy

Core Viewpoint - SolGold has rejected a preliminary takeover offer from Jiangxi Copper Co, which has led to a significant increase in its share price, indicating strong confidence in its standalone prospects [1][2]. Company Summary - SolGold is focused on the Cascabel copper-gold project in northern Ecuador and has received two takeover offers from Jiangxi Copper in less than a week [1][2]. - Jiangxi Copper, which holds a 12% stake in SolGold, proposed a price of 26 pence per share, but the board of SolGold unanimously rejected this offer [2]. - The board of SolGold has advised shareholders to take no action while it considers its next steps regarding the takeover proposals [2]. Industry Context - SolGold has been viewed as a potential acquisition target for major Western miners like BHP and Newmont, which hold stakes of 10.4% and 10.3% respectively [3]. - Interest from these major miners has diminished due to disputes over funding the Cascabel project and changes to its scope [3]. - The renewed interest from Jiangxi Copper coincides with increasing attention on copper assets, driven by forecasts of a supply crunch related to global electrification [4].