The Brazilian mining and energy magnate has seen his net worth surge 17.6 percent this year to $26.5 billion, making him the 11th richest person on Earth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world's wealthiest.

The Mubadala sale would imply a value of $33.5 billion for his remaining stake in EBX, potentially launching him to 10th place on the index when the deal is completed on April 20.

Batista, in an interview earlier this month, reiterated his goal to overtake Carlos Slim, currently the world's richest man with a net worth of $70.7 billion, by 2015. Batista's fortune fell $375 million yesterday after shares of oil driller OGX Petroleo & Gas Participacoes SA (OGXP3) , his largest holding, fell 2.4 percent in Sao Paulo trading.

Under the terms of yesterday's deal, Mubadala will receive a 5.63 percent indirect stake in each of his publicly traded and closely held companies, Batista said in the interview. The fund will also own that stake in any of EBX's new ventures, he said.

"There are other funds who are interested in coming in," Batista said, without naming them. "I don't want to dilute myself, I just want to have enough cash to do everything my dreams take to. We want to be extremely comfortable."

Batista is raising money to start businesses in industries ranging from fertilizers to precious metals...

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/billionaire-batista-talks-sell-1-014348150.html;_ylt=AsuRUB3jjBnqiPHMdnuE3K.iuYdG;_ylu=X3oDMTQ0bjVycGwyBG1pdANGaW5hbmNlIEZQIFRvcCBTdG9yeSBSaWdodARwa2cDMGYxODMyYjYtNmNkOS0zNmVjLWI5NjAtMzY1MTRkNTM1YTAyBHBvcwM1BHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzY3YjBmYzQwLTc4MDQtMTFlMS05MzJlLTQyNDRjNDcyZjQ0Yw--;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

I know some on this board think it is nonsense that Batista would consider investing in SFMI, but he does seem driven to become the richest man on earth. And if WEM has the richest amount of gold in the U.S. then you would think he would give it some consideration, no? Like I said, maybe just wishful thinking..