As Anglo American shareholders are left weighing up the pros and cons of a takeover bid versus an internally driven restructure, one thing is already certain – the South African platinum business will get the chop.
For BHP, which has made an unsolicited takeover bid for Anglo, there is no desire to bring platinum group metals into their portfolio. It certainly does not help that metal prices have plunged in its platinum business, nor does it help that the asset is located in South Africa, where it must grapple with a power crisis and sensitive community issues.
For Anglo, the plan to divest from the platinum division also comes as no surprise.