Australia’s two biggest gold miners, Newcrest Mining Ltd. and Lihir Gold Ltd., completed their merger on Monday.
Lihir shareholders approved the deal, valued at more than 10 billion Australian dollars (8.9 billion US dollars), at a vote in Port Moresby.
The new entity will be the world’s fifth largest gold producer, with mines in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia and Africa.
Lihir works a gold deposit on Lihir Island in Papua New Guinea and the announcement was made in Port Moresby, the PNG capital.
Newcrest’s biggest operation is in western Australia.
Lihir chairman Ross Garnaut told a shareholders’ meeting that the company had received “significant interest” from other suitors but had not received a formal bid.
