BHP offer for Dia Met.(friendly takeover offer for Dia Met Minerals Ltd.)(Brief Article)

BHP Ltd has made a friendly takeover offer for Dia Met Minerals Ltd of Canada, its main partner on the Ekati[TM] diamond mine in the Northwest Territories. The offer values the whole of Dia Met at C$687 million and, if successful, would raise the Australian company's interest in Ekati[TM] from 51% to 80%. The offer comprises C$21.00/share in cash for each class `A' or class `B' share, and compares with a closing price of C$19.50/share of class `A' last Friday (March 30), the last trading day before the announcement.

An offer from BHP or another major mining company has