Glencore Chief Studies Australian Deals With Rio and BHP

Glencore Xstrata Plc, the world’s fourth-biggest mining company, is studying separate deals with Rio Tinto Group and BHP Billiton Ltd. in Australia to reap cost savings at struggling coal and nickel operations.

The company is assessing a bid for BHP’s Nickel West assets in Western Australia, which are near a Glencore nickel project, Chief Executive Officer Ivan Glasenberg said yesterday. The sale also has attracted rival Mick Davis, former CEO of Xstrata Plc, whose X2 Resources has studied bidding, said a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named as it’s not public.