Business Development

In addition to its primary exploration activities, Agnico-Eagle actively pursues joint ventures with junior exploration companies, partnerships with other mining companies, and strategic acquisitions of properties to accelerate the company's growth.

Recent activities include:

• Agnico-Eagle acquired a 14% interest in Riddarhyttan Resources AB in early 2004, and in 2005 acquired the outstanding shares it did not already own. Riddarhyttan is the 100% owner of the Suurikuusikko gold deposit in northern Finland.
• In 2005, the company entered into an option agreement with Industrias Peñoles SA de CV (one of Mexico's largest mining companies) to acquire the Pinos Altos project in northern Mexico. In March, 2006, Agnico-Eagle completed the acquisition of 100% of the project.
• In 2007, we acquired Cumberland Resources and its expansive, 100%-owned Meadowbank gold project in Nunavut, Canada. 
• In 2008, we acquired a 15.6% interest in Comaplex Minerals Corp.,which has significant interests in two Meliadine gold projects located in the same region as our Meadowbank project.
  

We have a number of exploration agreements in place in Canada, the United States and Mexico, and continuously evaluate new opportunities that meet our criteria of pro-mining environments with low political risk, projects that are well matched to our technical skills, regions with long-term mining camp potential, and excellent nearby infrastructure.