Rio Tinto today succeeded in its bid to acquire Hathor Exploration and will move towards completing the transaction. All of the conditions of the offer, made through an indirect wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, have been satisfied.
Approximately 94,950,089 Hathor common shares were validly tendered by shareholders or held by an affiliate of Rio Tinto, representing 70.21 per cent of the outstanding Hathor common shares on a fully diluted basis.
All common shares validly tendered by 5:00 pm (Toronto time) on 30 November 2011 have been taken up and Rio Tinto will pay for such shares on or before 5 December 2011.
Rio Tinto has also extended its offer to acquire all the common shares of Hathor for C$4.70 in cash by 10 days in order to allow the remaining Hathor shareholders sufficient time to tender their shares to the offer. The offer is now due to expire at 5:00 pm (Toronto time) on 12 December 2011, unless further extended. A notice of extension will be mailed to Hathor shareholders and filed on SEDAR. Rio Tinto intends to take up any common shares validly deposited on a daily basis and will pay for such shares within three business days of deposit.
Hathor's board of directors unanimously recommends that Hathor shareholders accept and tender their common shares to Rio Tinto's offer.
Hathor shareholders whose shares are registered in the name of an investment advisor, stockbroker, bank, trust company should contact their intermediary before the Expiry Time to ensure they meet any tendering cut-off times established by the intermediaries. Shareholders must instruct their brokers or other intermediaries investment advisor, stockbroker, bank, trust company or other nominee promptly if they wish to tender their shares to Rio Tinto's offer.
Source: www.riotinto.com