Alamos Gold to buy Aurizon mines

14th January 2013 By: Henry Lazenby - Creamer Media Deputy Editor: North America

TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Toronto-listed Alamos Gold on Monday said it would buy Aurizon Mines for about C$780-million in cash and shares in an attempt to access Aurizon’s Quebec-based assets, including the operational Casa Berardi mine, in the north of the province.

Under terms of the offer, which expires at 17:00 Eastern Standard Time on February 19, Alamos proposes to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Aurizon for C$4.65 per Aurizon share, or for a combination of cash and Alamos shares.

The offer represented a premium of about 40% based on the closing price of C$3.33 for the Aurizon shares on the TSX last Wednesday.

Alamos, which had been buying Aurizon shares in recent days, said it currently held 16% of the issued and outstanding shares of Aurizon. The company believeed it would create a combined company with an estimated market capitalisation of $2.6-billion on closing the transaction.

Aurizon on its website said it expected the Casa Berardi mine, which has been operating for six years, to produce about 137 000 oz of gold in 2012. Aurizon has eight properties in Quebec.

“We believe the combined companies will form one of the strongest and lowest-risk production and growth profiles in the gold sector today. The offer, combining the world-class assets of the two companies, demonstrates Alamos’ ability to identify and pursue opportunities,” Alamos president and CEO John McCluskey said in a statement.

Alamos added that the offer will be fully financed and will not require approval by Alamos shareholders.

Dundee Capital Markets acts as Alamos’ financial adviser.

Alamos’ TSX-listed stock declined by 9.4% to C$15.33 apiece on Monday, while that of Aurizon rose sharply by 33.14% to C$4.54 apiece.