ACA Acacia Mining Plc

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN, INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 18 September 2019

RECOMMENDED SHARE OFFER

for

ACACIA MINING PLC

by

BARRICK GOLD CORPORATION

intended to be effected by means of a scheme of arrangement under Part 26 of the Companies Act

De-listing and cancellation of trading of Acacia Shares

Further to the announcement made by Acacia Mining plc ("Acacia") and Barrick Gold Corporation on 17 September 2019 that the Scheme had become effective in accordance with its terms, Acacia today announces that the listing of Acacia Shares on the premium listing segment of the Official List and the admission to trading of Acacia Shares on the London Stock Exchange's Main Market were each cancelled with effect from 8.00 a.m. (London time) today.

Capitalised terms in this announcement, unless otherwise defined, have the same meanings as set out in the scheme document sent to Acacia Shareholders on 12 August 2019.

Important notices relating to Financial Advisers

J.P. Morgan Securities plc, which conducts its United Kingdom investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove (“J.P. Morgan Cazenove”), is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is acting as financial adviser exclusively for Acacia and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Acacia for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to in this announcement.

RBC Europe Limited (trading as RBC Capital Markets), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority in the United Kingdom, is acting for Acacia and no one else in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than Acacia for providing the protections afforded to clients of RBC Capital Markets, or for providing advice in connection with the matters referred to in this announcement.

Lazard & Co., Limited (“Lazard”), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting exclusively for the Transaction Committee of Acacia and for no one else in connection with the matters set out in this Announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than the Transaction Committee of Acacia for providing the protections afforded to clients of Lazard nor for providing advice in relation to the matters referred to in this Announcement. Neither Lazard nor any of its affiliates owes or accepts any duty, liability or responsibility whatsoever (whether direct or indirect, whether in contract, in tort, under statute or otherwise) to any person who is not a client of Lazard in connection with this Announcement, any statement contained herein or otherwise.

Further Information

This announcement is for information purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute or form any part of, an offer to sell or an invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of the securities referred to in this announcement in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

The Acquisition is being made solely through the Scheme Document (unless Barrick elects, with the consent of the Panel, to implement the Acquisition by way of Takeover Offer), which contains the full terms and conditions of the Acquisition. Acacia Shareholders are advised to read the Scheme Document carefully.

This announcement does not constitute a prospectus.

This announcement has been prepared for the purpose of complying with English law and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside the United Kingdom.

About Acacia

Acacia Mining plc (LSE:ACA) is the UK holding company of the Acacia Group, Tanzania’s largest gold miner and one of the largest producers of gold in Africa. The Acacia Group has three mines, all located in north-west Tanzania: Bulyanhulu, which is owned and operated by Bulyanhulu Gold Mine Limited, Buzwagi, which is owned and operated by Pangea Minerals Limited and North Mara, which is owned and operated by North Mara Gold Mine Limited. The Acacia Group also has a portfolio of exploration projects in Kenya, Burkina Faso and Mali. Acacia Mining plc is a UK public company headquartered in London. It is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange with a secondary listing on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange. Barrick Gold Corporation is the majority shareholder of Acacia Mining plc.

Overseas jurisdictions

The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable legal or regulatory requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Relevant clearances have not been, and will not be, obtained from the securities commission or similar regulatory authority of any province or territory of Canada. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Acquisition disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with applicable English law, certain applicable securities law in Canada and the United States, the Listing Rules, the rules of the London Stock Exchange and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of the UK.

Copies of this announcement and formal documentation relating to the Acquisition will not be and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction or any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws of that jurisdiction and persons receiving such documents (including custodians, nominees and trustees) must not mail or otherwise forward, distribute or send them in or into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction. Doing so may render invalid any related purported vote in respect of the Acquisition. Each Acacia Shareholder is urged to consult their independent advisers regarding the legal, tax and financial consequences of the Acquisition. If the Acquisition is implemented by way of a Takeover Offer (unless otherwise permitted by applicable law and regulation), the Takeover Offer may not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into or by use of the mails or any other means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile, email or other electronic transmission, telex or telephone) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national, state or other securities exchange of any Restricted Jurisdiction and the Takeover Offer will not be capable of acceptance by any such use, means, instrumentality or facilities or from within any Restricted Jurisdiction.

Further details in relation to Overseas Shareholders are contained in the Scheme Document and Acacia Shareholders are advised to read carefully the Scheme Document and related Forms of Proxy.

Additional information for US investors

The Acquisition is being made to acquire the securities of a UK company by means of a scheme of arrangement provided for under English company law. Any securities issued as a result of this Acquisition by means of a scheme of arrangement will be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the US Securities Act of 1933 set forth in Section 3(a)(10) thereof, and will not be subject to the proxy solicitation and tender offer rules promulgated under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Accordingly, the Scheme will be subject to disclosure requirements and practices applicable in the UK to schemes of arrangement, which are different from the disclosure requirements of the US federal securities laws. Except in relation to non-GAAP financial performance measures, the financial information included in this announcement and the Scheme documentation has been or will have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and thus may not be comparable to financial information of US companies or companies whose financial statements are prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the US (“US GAAP”). If Barrick exercises its right to implement the acquisition of the Acacia Shares by way of a Takeover Offer, such offer will be made in compliance with applicable US laws and regulations, including the registration requirements of the US Securities Act of 1933 and the tender offer rules under the US Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

US Holders of Acacia Shares also should be aware that the transaction contemplated herein may have tax consequences under the United States tax laws and, that such consequences, if any, are not described herein. US Holders are urged to consult with independent professional advisors regarding the legal, tax and financial consequences of the Acquisition applicable to them.

It may be difficult for US Holders to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the US federal securities laws, since Acacia is located in countries other than the US, and some or all of its officers and directors may be residents of countries other than the US. US Holders may not be able to sue a non-US company or its officers or directors in a non US court for violations of US securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-US company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a US court’s judgment.

In accordance with normal UK practice, Barrick or its nominees, or its brokers (acting as agents), may from time to time make certain purchases of, or arrangements to purchase, Acacia Shares, other than pursuant to the Acquisition, until the date on which the Acquisition and/or Scheme becomes effective, lapses or is otherwise withdrawn. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Any information about such purchases will be disclosed as required in the UK, will be reported to a Regulatory Information Service and will be available on the London Stock Exchange website at www.londonstockexchange.com.

Additional information for Canadian investors

The enforcement by Canadian Holders of civil liabilities under the Canadian securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that Acacia is incorporated or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than Canada, that some or all of Acacia’s officers and directors are and will be residents of countries other than Canada, that some or all of the experts named in this announcement may be residents of countries other than Canada, and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of Acacia and such persons are and will be located outside Canada. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for Canadian Holders to effect service of process within Canada upon Acacia and Acacia’s respective officers or directors or the experts named herein, or to realize against them, upon judgements of the court of Canada predicated upon liabilities under Canadian securities laws. In addition, Canadian Holders should not assume that the courts of England and Wales: (a) would enforce judgments of Canadian courts obtained in actions against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under Canadian securities laws; or (b) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under the Canadian securities laws.

The distribution of the New Barrick Shares pursuant to the Acquisition will constitute a distribution of securities that is exempt from the prospectus requirements of Canadian securities law and is exempt from or otherwise is not subject to the registration requirements under applicable securities law. The New Barrick Shares received pursuant to the Acquisition will not be legended and may be resold through registered dealers in each of the provinces and territories of Canada provided that (i) the trade is not a “control distribution” as defined in Canadian securities law, (ii) no unusual effort is made to prepare the market or to create a demand for Barrick Shares, (iii) no extraordinary commission or consideration is paid to a person in respect of such sale, and (iv) if the selling security holder is an insider or officer of Barrick, as the case may be, the selling security holder has no reasonable grounds to believe that Barrick is in default of applicable Canadian securities law.

Canadian Holders should be aware that the Acquisition described in this announcement may have tax consequences in Canada and should consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular tax consequences to them of the Acquisition in light of their particular circumstances, as well as any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any other relevant foreign, state, local or other taxing jurisdiction.

Forward Looking Statements

This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of Acacia in any jurisdiction. This announcement includes “forward-looking statements” that express or imply expectations of future events or results as opposed to historical facts. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “intends,” “estimates” and other similar expressions. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Acacia, which could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking statements contained herein. Although Acacia’s management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, Acacia cannot give assurances that such statements will prove to be correct. Accordingly, investors should not place reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this announcement. Any forward-looking statements in this announcement only reflect information available at the time of preparation. Save as required under the Market Abuse Regulation or otherwise as may be required under applicable law, Acacia explicitly disclaims any obligation or undertaking publicly to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this announcement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as a profit forecast or estimate and no statement made should be interpreted to mean that Acacia's profits or earnings per share for any future period will necessarily match or exceed its historical published profits or earnings per share.

General

If you are in any doubt about the contents of this announcement or the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own independent financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, solicitor or independent financial adviser duly authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended) if you are resident in the United Kingdom or, if not, from another appropriate authorised independent financial adviser.