Aug 16 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1000 GMT on Wednesday:
** Swiss chemicals maker Clariant AG CLN.S and U.S.-based Huntsman Corp HUN.N said U.S. regulators had asked for more information on their proposed merger, but they were confident of still closing the deal by the end of this year. Private equity house EMR Capital has purchased an 80 percent stake in a Zambian copper mine from African Rainbow Minerals ARIJ.J (ARM) and its partner for $97.10 million, ARM said. Canadian miner Crystallex is seeking to seize shares in a subsidiary of Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA that owns U.S. refiner Citgo as part of a dispute over Venezuela's 2008 takeover of the Las Cristinas gold mine, according to court filings. Hedge fund Elliott Management has upped the stakes at BHP BHP.AX , BLT.L , gaining powers to push for change by raising its holding in the miner's London-listed arm to 5 percent. Mergers among offshore oil drillers are raising hopes that consolidation could bring relief to a sector struggling to emerge from an industry downturn triggered by low crude prices. Britain's Prudential PRU.L sold its broker-dealer network in the United States for $325 million to LPL Financial LPLA.O , the insurer said.