The Financial Post reports in its Wednesday edition Barrick Gold has hinted its Zaldivar copper mine in Chile is on the block, but the asset is one of the Barrick's best cash-flow generators so a sale does not look likely any time soon. The Post's Jonathan Ratner, writing in Trading Desk, says TD analyst Greg Barnes believes management will instead focus on selling non-core gold assets for now. Mr. Barnes estimates Zaldivar generates about $200-million per year in net cash flow (after capex and taxes) at a copper price of $3 (U.S.) per pound, along with nearly $400-million in annual EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization). Projected production at Zaldivar is 240 million to 260 million pounds of copper in 2015, at a cost of $1.65 (U.S.) to $1.95 (U.S.) per pound. Mr. Barnes thinks Zaldivar could be sold for anywhere between $1.3-billion and $2-billion. Although copper prices are down lately, looming deficits in 2017 and 2018 should produce higher prices down the road. "As a result, there is a good likelihood that existing mines in good jurisdictions and with the possibility of extension of mine lives should attract premiums to net asset value," the analyst said.