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Revised
Barrick Offer to Purchase Placer Dome
Exchanges:
Barrick: (NYSE, TSX: ABX) ; Placer: (NYSE, TSX, ASX:
PDG)
New
Expiry:
12:00 midnight (Toronto time) on January 19,
2006
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Hello,
my name is <insert your
name>, and I’m calling on behalf of Barrick Gold
Corporation to provide <insert shareholder
name> with an update concerning his/her investment
in
Placer Dome Inc. <wait for
response> Can we discuss the
Revised Barrick Offer briefly?
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IF
YES
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IF
NO
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Thank
you.
Barrick
Gold Corporation and Placer Dome have reached an agreement
pursuant to
which Barrick has among other things, (i) increased its offer price
to acquire Placer Dome and (ii) extended the expiry of the
Offer to
January 19, 2006. Following an extensive review of strategic
alternatives
and the opinion of its financial advisors, the Board of Directors
of
Placer Dome has unanimously recommended that its shareholders
accept the
Revised Barrick Offer. The terms of the purchase and the reasons
why you
should accept the Revised Barrick Offer are discussed in the
Notice of
Extension and Variation dated January 4, 2006 and Placer Dome's
Directors
Circular dated January 4, 2006 that has been mailed to you. These
documents can be found online at www.barrick.com/offertoplacer,
www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov.
Here
are a few reasons why you should accept the Revised Barrick
Offer:
1. The
Revised Barrick Offer represents improved value to Placer Dome
shareholders at a premium of 39% based on the average closing
price of
the last ten trading days on the NYSE prior to the announcement
of the Initial Barrick Offer. This is an increase of over 12% to the
Initial Barrick Offer and is consistent with the premium in
comparable
gold industry acquisition transactions;
2.
Placer
Dome shareholders will receive either US$22.50 (the cash alternative)
or
0.8269 of a Barrick common share and US$0.05 in cash (the share
alternative) for each common share of Placer Dome, in each
case subject to
pro ration;
3.
Additional
Reasons to Accept the Revised Barrick Offer:
· The
Placer Board has concluded that the Revised Barrick Offer is
the best
alternative available;
· Creation
of a Highly-Respected Global Gold Mining Company:
· Substantial
Anticipated Cost and Related Synergies:
· Unrivaled
Pipeline of Projects:
· Scope,
Scale and Financial Strength:
· Value
Creation for All Shareholders:
(See
Notice of Variation and Extension and Placer Dome Notice of
Change to
Directors’ Circular for more information)
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May
I please give you our toll-free number and website address
if you have any
questions?
Call
Kingsdale:
1-866-877-2571
MacKenzie:
1-800-322-2885
or
visit us online
at:
www.barrick.com/offertoplacer
Thank
you for your time.
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In
order to accept the Revised Barrick Offer, please complete
the yellow
letter of transmittal that you have previously received and
deposit it
along with the share certificate(s) in the enclosed envelope
to the
Depositary (CIBC Mellon Trust Company), along with all other
documents
required by the instructions set out in the letter of transmittal.
Alternatively, you can complete the pink Notice of Guaranteed
Delivery if
your shares are not immediately available. Please remember
that you must
tender your shares by no later than January 19, 2006. If you
have
previously tendered your shares, no further action is required.
If you are
a shareholder in the U.S., you may also accept the Offer by
following the
procedures for book-entry transfer and having your shares tendered
by your nominee through The Depository Trust Company. If you
have any questions or require further assistance in tendering
your shares,
we can be reached at [Kingsdale 1-866-877-2571] [MacKenzie
1-800-322-2885].
Thank you very much for your time. Have a nice
day/night!
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“Hello,
this message is for <insert
shareholder name>.
This is <insert
your name>,
and I’m calling to provide you with an update concerning your
investment
in Placer
Dome Inc. Barrick
Gold Corporation and Placer Dome have reached an agreement
pursuant to
which Barrick has among other things, (i) increased its offer price
to acquire Placer Dome and (ii) extended the expiry of
the Offer to
January 19, 2006. The Board of Directors of Placer Dome
has unanimously
recommended that its shareholders tender their shares to
the Revised
Barrick Offer. The terms of the purchase and the reasons
why you should
accept the Revised Barrick Offer are discussed in the Notice
of Extension
and Variation dated January 4, 2006 and Placer Dome's Directors
Circular dated January 4, 2006 that has been mailed to
you. If you
have
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questions
or require further assistance in depositing your shares,
we can be reached
at [Kingsdale 1-866-877-2571] [MacKenzie 1-800-322-2885]
Thank you very
much for your time. Have a nice
day/night!”
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J
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Remember:
Speak slowly, especially when providing a phone
number
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J
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