* Lenders talk to OZ despite Minmetals deal rejection
* Minmetals in new bid excluding Prominent Hill - reports
* Canada's Barrick no comment on Prominent Hill interest
(Recasts with OZ Minerals, Minmetals, Barrick comments)
SYDNEY, March 30 (Reuters) - Australian miner OZ Minerals Ltd is still talking to its lenders to extend A$1.3 billion ($900 million) in debt due on Tuesday, amid reports its Chinese suitor has revised a bid that Australia blocked last week.
OZ desperately needs the extension to avoid collapse while it tries to reach a new deal with Minmetals or sell its best asset, the Prominent Hill copper-gold mine.
Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan said on Friday that Minmetals could not have the mine as it is next to a sensitive defence site, Woomera, but it would be willing to consider proposals from the Chinese company for other OZ assets and businesses.
"None of the banks have rejected an extension as a result of what happened on Friday and we are continuing to work towards reaching an agreement with them," OZ Minerals general manager, business development, Bruce Loveday told Reuters.
OZ Minerals and Minmetals declined to confirm newspaper reports on Monday that Minmetals had put a revised offer to OZ excluding Prominent Hill.
Both companies reiterated comments from last week saying they would work to find a solution that met all stakeholders' needs.
"We will be working with Minmetals to try and find an alternative structure in light of the Treasurer's statement," Loveday said.
OZ shipped its first loads of concentrate -- metal bearing ore -- from Prominent Hill last month, ending a long development period that saw construction costs exceed A$1 billion.
In the current market, analysts have estimated that Prominent Hill on its own could fetch anywhere between A$850 million and $1 billion and possibly enough to pay off OZ's debt in full.
BHP Billiton , with its nearby Olympic Dam, is rumoured to be interested in the mine, but has made no comment.
The Australian Financial Review reported Canadian gold miner Barrick Gold had appointed Morgan Stanley to advise it on a bid for Prominent Hill. A Barrick spokesman in Toronto declined to comment.
Citi downgraded OZ to "hold" with a target price of A$0.60 a share, in light of the uncertainty over the fate of the company.
OZ shares, suspended since Friday, last traded at A$0.56. The original Minmetals offer valued OZ at A$0.825 a share.
($1=1.444 Australian Dollar)
(Reporting by James Regan and Sonali Paul, editing by Ian
