LONDON (Reuters) - Kazakh miner ENRC (>> Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation) said on Wednesday its first-half underlying core profit dropped 17 percent, in what could be its final set of earnings as a listed company.

Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) totalled $944 million (611 million pounds) for the six months to the end of June, weighed down by a poor pricing environment, higher finance costs and an impairment at Boss Mining.

That compares to a consensus forecast of almost $970 million according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

ENRC is in the final throes of a $4.6 billion buyout by its founders and the Kazakh government, a move that will take the company private and draw a line under almost six turbulent years in London, marred by boardroom rows and corruption probes.

The buyout is widely expected to succeed after rival and top shareholder Kazakhmys (>> Kazakhmys plc) backed the offer, despite what it said was a lower than desired price. ENRC's independent board members have told minority investors to seriously consider the offer, due to a lack of alternative options.

(Reporting by Clara Ferreira-Marques and Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton)

Stocks treated in this article : Kazakhmys plc, Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation