Saudis in talks with Pakistan on Reko Diq

Saudi Arabia is in ongoing talks with Pakistan to buy part of the government’s stake in a $7-billion copper project jointly owned with Barrick Gold, according to the head of the mining company. Saudi Arabia may acquire partial ownership in Reko Diq — one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and gold deposits — through an equity purchase with Pakistan’s government, Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said last week.