Merger Court Approval

RNS Number:9691N
Ballarat Goldfields N.L.
15 December 2006


ASX and Media release: 15 December 2006


              Ballarat Goldfields and Lihir Gold Proposed Merger -
                                 Court Approval


Ballarat Goldfields N.L. (Ballarat Goldfields) is pleased to announce that the
Supreme Court of Victoria today has made orders convening a meeting of Ballarat
Goldfields shareholders (Scheme Meeting) to consider the Scheme of Arrangement
for the company's proposed merger with Lihir Gold Limited (Lihir), that was
announced on 17 October 2006.

ASIC is being asked to register the Explanatory Statement for this purpose,
which will be the subject of a subsequent announcement.

The Explanatory Statement will be mailed to Ballarat Goldfields shareholders by
12 January 2007 to provide them with relevant information necessary to determine
whether to vote in favour of the merger at the Scheme Meeting that will take
place on 12 February 2007 in Ballarat.





For further information, please visit our website www.ballarat-goldfields.com.au
or contact Joel Forwood, Manager Corporate and Markets, on 03 5327 1111



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