Equinox to buy Premier Gold in US$480M all-stock deal

Equinox Gold (TSX: EQX; NYSE-AM: EQX) is buying fellow miner Premier Gold Mines (TSX: PG), which will spin out its Nevada assets in a new U.S.-focused gold miner to be called i-80 Gold Corp. The all-stock deal valued at $612 million (US$480 million) hands Equinox Gold Premier’s interest in the Hardrock project in Ontario, the Mercedes Mine in Mexico and the Hasaga and Rahill-Bonanza properties in Red Lake, Ont. Premier’s South-Arturo and McCoy-Cove properties will be held by i-80 Gold, which will also complete Premier’s previously announced acquisition of the Getchell project, all in Nevada. Equinox said that it would undertake a $75 million equity financing fully underwritten by its chairman, Ross Beaty, to help fund the deal. The proposal will see Premier shareholders receive 0.1967 of an Equinox Gold share and 0.4 of a share of i-80 Gold for each Premier share held. Equinox shares closed at $13.10 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Dec. 15, while Premier shares closed at $2.52. Continue reading at www.northernminer.com.