Mining sector giant, Xstrata has said set 20 November as the date on which it will ask its shareholders to vote on the deal to merge the company with commodities trader Glencore.

The members of the board of Xstrata are backing the merger and will release advertisements to publicly endorse the deal. London-listed Xstrata is convincing shareholders that the offer from Glencore is worthwhile for the company. Glencore had improved its offer in October raising the offer to 3.05 new shares per Xstrata share from the 2.8 it offered in February.

The combining of the two companies will create world's fourth-largest mining company by combining Glencore's global trading operations with Xstrata's coal, copper, and zinc production. The joint entity will have more than
130,000 employees in more than 40 countries around the world.

Glencore chief executive Ivan Glasenberg had recently expressed surprised over the actions of Qatar Holdings, which increased its stake in Xstrata to 11.88 per cent and has almost caused a collapse of a takeover of Xstrata by Glencore.

Glencore is a major commodities trading player that buys and sells commodities like metals, crops and fuels in the financial markets and invests in mining companies.