Barrick Offer for Equinox Expires 

TORONTO - Barrick Gold Corporation reported that an additional 37,898,384 common shares of Equinox Minerals Limited representing approximately 4% of the outstanding Equinox Shares on a fully diluted basis were deposited and have been taken up under the offer by the Offeror to acquire all of the Equinox Shares at a price of C$8.15 per Equinox Share. The Offeror has acquired a total of 827,330,848 Equinox Shares pursuant to the Offer. Barrick and its affiliates now collectively own 845,529,601 Equinox Shares, representing approximately 96% of the outstanding Equinox Shares on a fully diluted basis. The Offer is now closed.

As the Offer was accepted by holders of more than 90% of the Equinox Shares the Offeror will exercise its rights under the compulsory acquisition provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act to acquire all outstanding Equinox Shares. A notice of compulsory acquisition will be mailed promptly to all remaining holders of Equinox Shares. The company's address is 161 Bay Street, Suite 3700, P.O. Box 212,Toronto, M5J 2S1, 416-861-9911, fax: 416-861-2492.