* Market talk of 2,200 pence per share bid from Chinalco
* Bid would value Anglo at about $45.6 bln
* Chinalco spokesman said firm unaware of bid talk
(Adds comment, updates shares)
LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - Shares in miner Anglo American, a bid target, pared opening losses on Tuesday as dealers cited market talk of interest from Aluminum Corp of China (Chinalco).
Traders said the market talk was for a 2,200 pence per share bid for Anglo American from Chinalco, which would value the group at about 27.7 billion pounds ($45.6 billion).
A Chinalco spokesman in Shanghai said the company was unaware of the bid talk, while Chinalco representatives in London and officials from Anglo American declined to comment.
Anglo American shares were down 2.1 percent at 1,662 pence by 0838 GMT, having fallen as low as 1,610 pence earlier.
Anglo rejected a merger proposal from rival Xstrata late on Monday.
The approach has brought both companies into play, with Brazilian miner Vale and China seen as potentially interested parties.
"We see some merit in recent press speculation that the Chinese may turn their attention to Anglo American," said Nomura in a note. "We expect both Anglo and Xstrata to remain at the epicentre of the next wave of sector consolidation."
Nomura said it saw more merit in a Vale/Xstrata combination as opposed to Vale/Anglo. (Reporting by Dominic Lau, Joanne Frearson, Simon Falush and Julie Crust; Editing by Dan Lalor) ($1 = 0.6070 pound)