ConsMin tries to identify mystery 17.7% shareholder

Takeover target Consolidated Minerals Ltd has asked the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to help it uncover the ultimate beneficial owner of 17.7 per cent of its shares, registered in the name of ANZ Nominees Ltd.

The full text of a ConsMin announcement is pasted below

Consolidated Minerals Limited (ASX: CSM, AIM: CNM, FSE: CMN) advises that it has become aware of a holding of approximately 40.6 million ordinary shares in CSM (constituting a 17.7% interest in the total issued share capital of CSM) registered in the name of ANZ Nominees Limited.

Despite repeated attempts, through the issue of tracing notices pursuant to the Corporations Act, CSM has to date been unable to ascertain the identity (or identities) of the ultimate beneficial owner (or owners) of this interest. What has been ascertained is that the ultimate beneficial owner (or owners) has used at least four different custodians in Australia and continental Europe. The response to the most recent tracing notice issued by CSM indicated that the shareholding is held by Euroclear Bank for ING Bank in Prague.

CSM has not received any substantial holder notices from any party (or parties) in relation to this shareholding.

In light of the size of this shareholding and the fact that CSM is already the subject of competing takeover proposals from Pallinghurst and Palmary Enterprises (each of which has been the subject of previous announcements to the market), CSM wishes to identify the beneficial holder (or holders) of this shareholding as a matter of urgency.

To this end, and in light of the fact that CSM's efforts to identify the ultimate beneficial holder through tracing notices has not yet been successful, CSM has referred the matter to ASIC for further investigation and action.

CSM also reserves its right to pursue further action through the Takeovers Panel in relation to this holding.

CSM will keep the market informed of any further developments in relation to this matter.