Barrick Gold's (NYSE,TSX:ABX) quest to find a buyer of the Kalgoorlie "Super Pit" has taken another intriguing turn. Over the past couple of days rumours have been swirling that a Chinese company with deep pockets has put in an offer for Barrick's 50% stake in the Australian gold mining operation. The bid is reportedly $540 million above any other competing offer. Newmont Mining (NYSE:NEM) owns the other half and Barrick handed over operational control of the iconic mine to Newmont in May of last year. The Super Pit is expected to be depleted of ore by 2019 but underground mining could continue after that. [I]f it goes through, the transaction would put an end to earlier dalliances between Barrick and Newmont, the natural buyer of the stake since it already owns half the mine.