Stock Symbols: AEM (NYSE)
AGE (TSX)
/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN
AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN. THE OFFER IS NOT BEING MADE TO PERSONS WHOSE
PARTICIPATION REQUIRES FURTHER PROSPECTUSES, FILINGS OR OTHER MEASURES IN
ADDITION TO THOSE REQUIRED UNDER SWEDISH AND U.S. LAW./
TORONTO, Oct. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited
("Agnico-Eagle") announced today that an additional 5,979,599 shares of
Riddarhyttan Resources AB (publ) ("Riddarhyttan") have been tendered to its
offer to acquire all the outstanding shares of Riddarhyttan not owned by
Agnico-Eagle, representing 5.7% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of
Riddarhyttan. Together with the 96,189,032 shares already owned by Agnico-
Eagle, representing 91.0% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of
Riddarhyttan, Agnico-Eagle now owns an aggregate of 102,168,631 shares, or
approximately 96.6% of the outstanding shares and voting rights of
Riddarhyttan. Settlement of shares tendered during the previous extension is
expected to be initiated on, or about, October 28, 2005.
To enable those shareholders who have not yet tendered to participate in
the offer, the offer has been extended a final time to 4:00 p.m. CET
(10:00 a.m. EDT) on November 4, 2005. Settlement of Riddarhyttan shares
tendered during the new extension of the offer period is expected to be
initiated on, or about, November 11, 2005.
Following completion of the offer, Agnico-Eagle intends to initiate the
compulsory acquisition process under Swedish law to purchase the remaining
shares in Riddarhyttan and in connection therewith the shares of Riddarhyttan
will be delisted from the Stockholm Stock Exchange.
Riddarhyttan shareholders who have questions about the offer should
contact Enskilda Securities, Nybrokajen 5, 103 36 Stockholm, Sweden,
+46 8 52 22 95 00 or SEB, Issues & Part-ownership Programmes, Rissneleden 110,
106 40 Stockholm, Sweden, +46 8 639 2750.
U.S. Information
Agnico-Eagle has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-4
containing an offer document regarding the offer. This press release does not
constitute an offer to purchase or sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell
or purchase shares of Riddarhyttan or Agnico-Eagle to any person in the United
States of America, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction
or to, or for the account or benefit of a U.S. person (as defined in
Regulation S under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended). The
offer will be made to those persons solely under the offer document that is
part of the registration statement. Investors and stockholders are advised to
read the offer document and other documents relating to the offer carefully
because they include important information regarding the offer. Investors and
stockholders may obtain a free copy of the offer document and certain other
documents relating to the offer from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Free
copies of these documents can also be obtained by directing a request to
Agnico-Eagle. YOU SHOULD READ THE OFFER DOCUMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING
TO THE OFFER CAREFULLY BEFORE MAKING A DECISION CONCERNING THE OFFER.
UK Information
This press release has been approved solely for the purposes of Section
21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by Citigroup Global Markets
Limited of Citigroup Centre, 33 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LB.
Citigroup Global Markets Limited is acting for Agnico-Eagle and no one else in
connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to any other person for
providing the protections afforded to clients of Citigroup Global Markets
Limited or for providing advice in relation to the Offer.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-
looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In this news release, the words "anticipate",
"expect", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "intend" and similar words and
expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such
statements, including statements relating to the timing, completion and
settlement of the offer and Agnico-Eagle's intent to initiate the compulsory
acquisition process under Swedish law and cause the delisting of Riddarhyttan
shares on the Stockholm Stock Exchange, reflect Agnico-Eagle's views at this
time with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the actual results to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-
looking statements, including, among others, those discussed under the heading
"Risk Factors" in the offer document filed as part of the Registration
Statement on Form F-4 and in Agnico-Eagle's Annual Information Form and Annual
Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2004. Agnico-Eagle does
not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-
looking statements.
About Agnico-Eagle
Agnico-Eagle is a long-established Canadian gold producer with operations
located in northwestern Quebec and exploration and development activities in
Canada, the United States and Mexico. Agnico-Eagle's LaRonde Mine in Quebec is
Canada's largest gold deposit. The Company has full exposure to higher gold
prices consistent with its policy of no forward gold sales. It has paid a cash
dividend for 25 consecutive years.
SOURCE Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited
CONTACT: David Smith; Director, Investor Relations, (416) 947-1212/
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