SYDNEY -(Dow Jones)- Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board rarely rejects applications outright, but several takeover attempts have been abandoned in recent years while the regulator was reviewing the case, or after it demanded modifications. *In 2001, then-Treasurer Peter Costello blocked Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSB.LN)'s attempt to take over Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (WPL.AU), citing concerns that Shell could control the North West Shelf offshore gas field, leading to diminished production from the field. *In 2008, state-owned Sinosteel Corporation abandoned a bid to acquire 100% of iron ore miner Murchison Metals Ltd. (MMX.AU) after FIRB extended its review of the application. The regulator later approved Sinosteel purchasing a 49.9% stake in the miner, but Sinosteel did not take up the offer. *In 2009, Treasurer Wayne Swan ordered that state-owned China Minmetals Non-Ferrous Metals Co Ltd could only takeover OZ Minerals Ltd. (OZL.AU) if it excised the Prominent Hill copper-gold mine, which lies inside the Woomera Prohibited Area, a weapons testing range. Minmetals took over all OZ Minerals' other assets to form Minerals and Metals Group Ltd., now Minmetals Resources Ltd. (1208.HK), while Prominent Hill was left as the only asset held by OZ Minerals. *In 2009, state-owned China Nonferrous Metals Mining Co. Ltd. walked away from an offer for Lynas Corp. Ltd. (LYC.AU) after FIRB indicated it would only accept a bid for less than 50% of the company. Internal documents later indicated concerns about China's control of the global market in the rare earths mined by Lynas. *In 2009, state-owned Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (ACH) walked away from a bid to double its stake in Rio Tinto PLC (RIO.LN), the company's U.K. listing, to 19% amidst political opposition to the deal within Australia. The deal would have raised Chinalco's holding in the company's Australian listing Rio Tinto Ltd. (RIO.AU) to 14.9%. Swan had approved Chinalco raising its stake in the U.K. listing to 14.99% the previous year, but the deal was abandoned before an application for the renewed bid was completed. -By David Fickling, Dow Jones Newswires; +61 2 8272 4689; david.fickling@dowjones.com
