Santiago—Chile would not block a foreign takeover of Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile SA (SQM), according to the country’s Mining Minister, Aurora Williams, speaking at the annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto on March 6. Sociedad de Inversiones Oro Blanco SA, an indirect shareholder in SQM, in December put up for sale its entire 88.62 percent stake in Sociedad de Inversiones Pampa Calichera SA, which in turn owns a 21.66 percent interest in SQM (GM Jan. 1, p. 14). According to Oro Blanco, China’s CITIC CLSA Capital Markets Ltd. indicated its intention to participate in the shareholding sale process (GM Jan. 1, p. 14). Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc., which already owns a 32 holding in SQM, has attempted to gain control of the company in the past.
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain