Filed
by
Barrick Gold Corporation
This
communication is filed pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act of 1933,
as
amended.
Subject
company: Placer Dome Inc.
Commission
File Number: 333-130864
Date:
January 5, 2006
PRESS
RELEASE - January 5, 2006
Barrick
Files Revised Offer for Placer Dome
Barrick
Gold Corporation announced today that it has filed with the securities
regulators in Canada and the United States, a notice of variation and extension
which amends the terms of Barrick’s offer to acquire all of the outstanding
shares of Placer Dome Inc. as agreed with Placer Dome in the Support Agreement
dated December 22, 2005. The notice of variation and extension has been
delivered to the depository, CIBC Mellon Trust Company, and is being mailed
to
all Placer Dome shareholders, together with the amended Placer Dome directors’
circular recommending that shareholders accept the offer. The offer expires
at
midnight (Toronto time) on January
19, 2006. For purposes of U.S. tender offer rules, Barrick hereby discloses
that
as of January
3, 2006, 2,703,056 Placer Dome shares have been tendered and not withdrawn
under
the
offer.
About the Offer
Barrick's
offer was announced on October 31, 2005. Barrick's take-over bid circular and
related documents were filed with the securities regulatory authorities in
Canada and the United States on November 10, 2005. Placer Dome shareholders
are
advised to read the take-over bid circular as it contains important information
including the terms and conditions of the offer and the procedures for
depositing shares. Additional information about the offer or copies of the
take-over bid circular may be obtained from shareholders' investment advisers,
from RBC Dominion Securities Inc. or Merrill Lynch Canada Inc., who are acting
as Barrick's Canadian dealer managers, RBC Capital Markets Corporation, or
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, who are acting as
Barrick's U.S. dealer managers, or Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. for
Canada (Toll Free 1-866-877-2571) or MacKenzie Partners, Inc. for the United
States and other locations (Toll Free 1-800-322-2885) who are acting as
Barrick's Information Agents.
On
November 10, 2005, Barrick filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "SEC") a Registration Statement on Form F-10 which includes Barrick's
offer
and take-over bid circular. Investors and security holders are urged to read
the
disclosure documents filed by Barrick from time to time with the SEC regarding
the proposed business combination transaction because they contain important
information. The offer and take-over bid circular have been sent to shareholders
of Placer Dome Inc. Investors may also obtain a free copy of the offer and
take-over bid circular and other disclosure documents filed by Barrick with
the
SEC at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. The offer and take-over bid circular
and the other disclosure documents may also be obtained free of charge by
directing a request to Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. or Mackenzie Partners
Inc. at the toll free numbers set out above.
For
further information:
|
INVESTOR
CONTACT:
|
MEDIA
CONTACT:
|
|
James
Mavor
|
Vincent
Borg
|
|
Vice
President,
|
Vice
President,
|
|
Investor
Relations
|
Corporate
Communications
|
|
Tel:
(416) 307-7463
|
Tel:
(416) 307-7477
|
|
Email:
jmavor@barrick.com
|
Email:
vborg@barrick.com
|
BARRICK
GOLD CORPORATION PRESS
RELEASE