Gold Fields Consider Link-up With Norilsk

South Africa?s gold producer Gold Fields negotiated with its biggest shareholder Norilsk Nickel, where it said it did not have to agree any tie-up with the Russian metals giant just to defend itself from a hostile bid by Harmony Gold, because it would be in vain, the company said.

Gold Fields would certainly consider some type of link-up with Norilsk Nickel since it had high regard for its gold assets, spokesman Willie Jacobsz said.

"If we can come to some sort of working arrangement with Norilsk Nickel that benefits all shareholders, and involves their assets and our assets, we will seriously consider it in a post-Harmony-bid world," he said.

"The important thing is that Gold Fields does not need to do a deal with anybody in order to stop the Harmony bid because the Harmony bid is already dead," he said.