Canada has rejected BHP Billiton’s $39bn bid for PotashCorp, dealing a potentially fatal blow to the Australian miner’s 10-week pursuit of the Saskatchewan-based fertiliser producer.

加拿大否决了必和必拓(BHP Billiton)对加拿大钾肥公司(PotashCorp)的390亿美元收购计划，该澳大利亚矿商费时10周追逐加拿大萨斯喀彻温省化肥生产商的行动，至此受到了潜在的致命打击。

Tony Clement, Canada’s industry minister, said late on Wednesday that “at this time, I am not satisfied that the proposed transaction is likely to be of net benefit to Canada,” as required by Ottawa’s foreign investment law.

加拿大工业部长托尼•克莱门特(Tony Clement)周三晚表示，“目前，他们没有让我相信提议的这起交易可能给加拿大带来净效益，”而这是加拿大外国投资法所规定的必须条件。

However, Mr Clement appeared to keep the door ajar to a revised offer by BHP noting that, under the legislation, “BHP Billiton has 30 days to make any additional representations and submit any undertakings.”

不过，克莱门特似乎并没有对必和必拓把门关死，保留了接受修订的收购方案的可能性。他表示，根据法规，“必和必拓可以在30天之内，作出进一步的陈述，提出新的承诺。”