I agree with you.
My recollection was that to get around the 20% / 3% provisions that once you made a takeover offer you could buy on market.
However, in this case MIN do not seem to want to spend any actual $$ and have other commitments as well.
So yes, MIN can by on market.
Are they?
I dont think so, but dont have any basis for this apart from they dont want to spend any $$.