-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, U7Rk2/eHPzqYW8R1oBNUYq9dqGTl53NWpA969vL44TdHyg3/rQIFW0tzq5vsyC+e l8ZVZiHRbxLD35xPv9vxeQ== 0000950134-95-002651.txt : 19951102 0000950134-95-002651.hdr.sgml : 19951102 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950134-95-002651 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: S-3/A PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 3 FILED AS OF DATE: 19951101 SROS: NASD FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: FIRSTMISS GOLD INC CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000824590 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: GOLD & SILVER ORES [1040] IRS NUMBER: 640748908 STATE OF INCORPORATION: NV FISCAL YEAR END: 0630 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: S-3/A SEC ACT: 1933 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 033-62449 FILM NUMBER: 95586258 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 6025 SOUTH QUEBEC STREET STE 310 CITY: ENGLEWOOD STATE: CO ZIP: 80111 BUSINESS PHONE: 3037719000 S-3/A 1 AMENDMENT NO.2 TO FORM S-3 1 As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 1, 1995 Registration No. 33-62449 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ------------------- AMENDMENT NO. 2 TO FORM S-3 REGISTRATION STATEMENT Under THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 ------------------- FIRSTMISS GOLD INC. (Exact name of registrant on Form S-3 as specified in its charter) NEVADA FirstMiss Gold Inc. 64-0748908 (State or Other Jurisdiction 5460 South Quebec Street, Suite 240 (I.R.S. Employer of Incorporation) Englewood, Colorado 80111 Identification Number)
(303) 771-9000 (Address, including ZIP code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices) ------------------- Donald S. Robson Vice President and Chief Financial Officer FirstMiss Gold Inc. 5460 South Quebec Street, Suite 240 Englewood, Colorado 80111 (303) 771-9000 (Name, address, including ZIP code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service) ------------------- Copies to: Christopher L. Kaufman Latham & Watkins 505 Montgomery Street, Suite 1900 San Francisco, California 94111-2562 (415) 391-0600 ------------------- APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective. ------------------- If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. / / If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. /X/ If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. / / If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434, please check the following box. / / ------------------- CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
====================================================================================================================== Proposed Maximum Amount of Title of Each Class of Aggregate Offering Registration Securities to be Registered Price(1) (2) Fee - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Debt Securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preferred Stock, $.01 par value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Depositary Shares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Common Stock, $.01 par value (3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Equity Warrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debt Warrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200,000,000 $68,966 ======================================================================================================================
(1) Estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee, which is calculated in accordance with Rule 457(o). (2) Not specified as to each class of securities to be registered hereunder pursuant to General Instruction II(D) to Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933. (3) Each share of Common Stock includes one common share purchase Right under the Rights Agreement dated as of June 13, 1990 between the Registrant and Ameritrust Company National Association, as Rights Agent. ------------------- THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE. ================================================================================ 2 INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS PROSPECTUS SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE. PROSPECTUS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED NOVEMBER 1, 1995 FIRSTMISS GOLD INC. DEBT SECURITIES PREFERRED STOCK DEPOSITARY SHARES COMMON STOCK EQUITY WARRANTS DEBT WARRANTS FirstMiss Gold Inc. (the "Company"), directly or through agents, dealers, or underwriters designated from time to time, may offer, issue and sell, together or separately, up to $200,000,000 in the aggregate of (a) secured or unsecured debt securities (the "Debt Securities") of the Company, in one or more series, which may be either senior debt securities (the "Senior Debt Securities"), senior subordinated debt securities (the "Senior Subordinated Debt Securities") or subordinated debt securities (the "Subordinated Debt Securities"), (b) shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), in one or more series, (c) fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock represented by depositary shares (the "Depositary Shares"), (d) shares of common stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), (e) warrants to purchase Common Stock or Preferred Stock (the "Equity Warrants") or (f) warrants to purchase Debt Securities (the "Debt Warrants" and together with the Equity Warrants, the "Warrants"), or any combination of the foregoing, either individually or as units consisting of one or more of the foregoing, each on terms to be determined at the time of sale. The Debt Securities may be issued as exchangeable and/or convertible Debt Securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock. The Debt Securities, the Preferred Stock, the Common Stock and the Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities." When a particular series of Securities is offered, a supplement to this Prospectus (each a "Prospectus Supplement") will be delivered with this Prospectus. The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the terms of the offering and sale of the offered Securities. THE PURCHASE OF THE SECURITIES INVOLVES CERTAIN MATERIAL RISKS. SEE "RISK FACTORS" COMMENCING ON PAGE 3. Except as described more fully herein or as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to any offered Debt Securities, the Indenture will not provide holders of Debt Securities protection in the event of a highly-leveraged transaction, reorganization, restructuring, merger or similar transaction involving the Company which could adversely affect holders of Debt Securities. See "Description of Debt Securities -- Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets." The Company's Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol FRMG. On October 30, 1995, the last reported sale price of the Common Stock as reported by Nasdaq was $17.875 per share. The Company has not yet determined whether any of the Debt Securities, Preferred Stock or Warrants offered hereby will be listed on any exchange or over-the-counter market. If the Company decides to seek listing of any such Securities, the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto will disclose such exchange or market. ----------------------- THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMIS- SION PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A FEDERAL OFFENSE. ----------------------- The Securities may be sold directly by the Company, through agents designated from time to time or to or through underwriters or dealers. The Company reserves the sole right to accept, and together with its agents, from time to time, to reject in whole or in part any proposed purchase of Securities to be made directly or through agents. See "Plan of Distribution." If any such agents or underwriters are involved in the sale of any Securities, the names of such agents or underwriters and any applicable fees, commissions or discounts will be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. This Prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of Securities unless accompanied by the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The date of this Prospectus is ___________________, 1995. 3 IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, THE UNDERWRITERS MAY OVER-ALLOT OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS WHICH STABILIZE OR MAINTAIN THE MARKET PRICE OF THE SECURITIES AT LEVELS ABOVE THOSE WHICH MIGHT OTHERWISE PREVAIL IN THE OPEN MARKET. SUCH STABILIZING, IF COMMENCED, MAY BE DISCONTINUED AT ANY TIME. IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING, CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AND SELLING GROUP MEMBERS MAY ENGAGE IN PASSIVE MARKET MAKING TRANSACTIONS IN THE COMMON STOCK ON THE NASDAQ NATIONAL MARKET IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 10B-6A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1934. SEE "PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION." AVAILABLE INFORMATION The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (together with all amendments and exhibits thereto, the "Registration Statement") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), with respect to the Securities offered hereby. This Prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement, part of which has been omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Commission. For further information about the Company and the Securities offered hereby, reference is made to the Registration Statement, including the exhibits filed as a part thereof and otherwise incorporated therein. Statements made in this Prospectus as to the contents of any document referred to herein are not necessarily complete, and in each instance reference is made to such document for a more complete description, and each such statement is qualified in its entirety by such reference. The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in accordance therewith, files periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the Commission. The Registration Statement, including the exhibits thereto, as well as such reports and other information filed by the Company with the Commission, can be inspected, without charge, and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Room 1024, Washington D.C., 20549; 7 World Trade Center, New York, New York 10048 and 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Copies of such materials can be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549 at prescribed rates. Reports and other information concerning the Company can also be inspected at the offices of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., 1735 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006. INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE The following documents filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act are incorporated by reference in this Prospectus: (1) the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1995, (2) the Company's report on Form 8-K filed with the Commission on September 25, 1995, (3) the Company's report on Form 8-K/A filed with the Commission on September 27, 1995, (4) the Company's report on Form 8-K/A-2 filed with the Commission on November 1, 1995, and (5) all other documents subsequently filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Prospectus and before the termination of the offering, which shall be deemed to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Prospectus to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such 2 4 statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Prospectus. The Company will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this Prospectus is delivered, upon request, a copy of any documents incorporated into this Prospectus by reference (other than exhibits incorporated by reference into such document). Requests for documents should be submitted to FirstMiss Gold Inc., 5460 South Quebec Street, Suite 240, Englewood, Colorado 80111, Attention: Secretary (telephone (303) 771-9000). The information relating to the Company contained in this Prospectus does not purport to be comprehensive and should be read together with the information contained in the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein. THE COMPANY FirstMiss Gold Inc. (the "Company") is engaged in the business of mining and processing gold ores and exploration for such ores. The Company owns and operates a property (the "Getchell Property") located in the Potosi Mining District on the eastern side of the Osgood Mountain Range 35 miles northeast of the town of Winnemucca, Nevada. Operations on the Getchell Property include a pressure oxidation (autoclave) mill facility and an oxide heap leach facility. Currently, sulfides ores for the mill are produced from an underground mine known as the Getchell Main Underground Mine. Oxide ores for the heap leach facility are produced from existing stockpiles. The Company is actively conducting exploration on the 33,000-acre Getchell Property. The Company was incorporated in Nevada in August 1987 by First Mississippi Corporation ("First Mississippi"), a Mississippi corporation, for the purpose of financing, developing and operating the Getchell gold mining project and for conducting minerals exploration. Operations at the autoclave mill facility and the oxide heap leach facility were commenced in February 1989 and June 1985, respectively, and as of June 30, 1995, the Company had produced over 1.2 million ounces of gold. Approximately 81% of the Company's stock is currently held by First Mississippi. First Mississippi has announced that it intends to distribute all of its stock in the Company to First Mississippi shareholders, which distribution will result in a change of ownership of approximately 81% of the Company's common stock. This distribution will also result in the ownership of approximately 567,300 additional shares, or 3.1%, of the Company's outstanding common stock as of August 22, 1995, by the Company's executive officers and directors. The Company's principal executive offices are located at 5460 South Quebec Street, Suite 240, Englewood, Colorado 80111, and its telephone number is (303) 771-9000. RISK FACTORS In addition to the other information in this Prospectus, prospective purchasers of the Securities offered hereby should carefully consider the risk factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" included in the Company's most recently incorporated Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. See "Information Incorporated by Reference." USE OF PROCEEDS The Company currently has no specific plans for the use of the net proceeds from the sale of Securities offered hereby. However, the Company currently anticipates that any such net proceeds would be used for general corporate purposes, which may include but are not limited to working capital, capital expenditures, repayment of indebtedness (including indebtedness to First Mississippi) and acquisitions. When a particular series of Securities is offered, the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto will set forth the Company's intended use for the net proceeds received 3 5 from the sale of such Securities. Pending the application of the net proceeds, the Company expects to invest such proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing instruments or other investment-grade securities. RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDENDS The following table sets forth the unaudited consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges and earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends for the Company for the periods indicated.
Fiscal Year Ended June 30, ----------------------------------------------- 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Ratio of earnings to fixed charges * 3.60 * 3.19 * Ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends * 3.60 * 3.19 *
- --------------- *For the fiscal years ended June 30, 1991, 1993 and 1995, earnings were insufficient to cover fixed charges by $74,000, $3,129,000 and $19,088,000, respectively. Therefore, no ratios are provided for these fiscal years. For the purpose of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and the ratio of earnings to fixed charges and preferred stock dividends, earnings consist of income before income taxes and fixed charges (exclusive of preferred stock dividends). For the purpose of calculating both ratios, fixed charges include interest expense, capitalized interest and that portion of rentals representative of an interest factor. Because the Company did not distribute any preferred stock dividends during fiscal years 1991-1995, the two above ratios are identical. 4 6 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES The Company directly or through agents, dealers, or underwriters designated from time to time, may offer, issue and sell, together or separately, up to $200,000,000 in the aggregate of (a) secured or unsecured debt securities (the "Debt Securities") of the Company, in one or more series, which may be either senior debt securities (the "Senior Debt Securities"), senior subordinated debt securities (the "Senior Subordinated Debt Securities") or subordinated debt securities (the "Subordinated Debt Securities"), (b) shares of preferred stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), in one or more series, (c) fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock represented by depositary shares (the "Depositary Shares"), (d) shares of common stock of the Company, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), (e) warrants to purchase Common Stock or Preferred Stock (the "Equity Warrants") or (f) warrants to purchase Debt Securities (the "Debt Warrants" and together with the Equity Warrants, the "Warrants"), or any combination of the foregoing, either individually or as units consisting of one or more of the foregoing, each on terms to be determined at the time of sale. The Debt Securities may be issued as exchangeable and/or convertible Debt Securities exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock may also be exchangeable for and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock. The Debt Securities, the Preferred Stock, the Common Stock and the Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities." When a particular series of Securities is offered, a supplement to this Prospectus (each a "Prospectus Supplement") will be delivered with this Prospectus. The Prospectus Supplement will set forth the terms of the offering and sale of the offered Securities. DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES The following description sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the Debt Securities to which any Prospectus Supplement may relate. The particular terms of the Debt Securities offered by any Prospectus Supplement and the extent, if any, to which such general provisions do not apply to the Debt Securities so offered will be described in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such Debt Securities. Debt Securities may be issued from time to time in series under an indenture, and one or more indentures supplemental thereto (collectively, the "Indenture"), between the Company and a trustee to be identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement (the "Trustee"). The terms of the Debt Securities will include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (the "TIA") as in effect on the date of the Indenture. The Debt Securities will be subject to all such terms, and potential investors of the Debt Securities are referred to the Indenture and the TIA for a statement thereof. The following summary of certain provisions of the Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Indenture, including the definitions therein of certain terms used below. As used under this caption, unless the context otherwise requires, "Offered Debt Securities" shall mean the Debt Securities offered by this Prospectus and the accompanying Prospectus Supplement. GENERAL The Indenture will provide for the issuance of Debt Securities in series and will not limit the principal amount of Debt Securities which may be issued thereunder. In addition, except as may be provided in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such Debt Securities, the Indenture will not limit the amount of additional indebtedness the Company may incur. The applicable Prospectus Supplement or Prospectus Supplements will describe the following terms of the series of Offered Debt Securities in respect of which this Prospectus is being delivered: (1) the title of the Offered Debt Securities; (2) whether the Offered Debt Securities are 5 7 Senior Debt Securities, Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities or any combination thereof; (3) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Offered Debt Securities; (4) the date or dates on which the principal of the Offered Debt Securities is payable; (5) the rate or rates at which the Offered Debt Securities will bear interest, if any, or the manner in which such rate or rates are determined; (6) the date or dates from which any such interest will accrue, the interest payment dates on which any such interest on the Offered Debt Securities will be payable and the record dates for the determination of holders to whom interest is payable; (7) the place or places where the principal of and any interest on the Offered Debt Securities will be payable; (8) the obligation of the Company, if any, to redeem, purchase or repay the Offered Debt Securities in whole or in part pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of the holders and the price or prices at which and the period and periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which the Offered Debt Securities shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid pursuant to such obligation; (9) the denominations in which any Offered Debt Securities will be issuable, if other than denominations of U.S. $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof; (10) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Offered Debt Securities of the series which will be payable upon declaration of the acceleration of the maturity thereof; (11) any addition to or change in the covenants which apply to the Offered Debt Securities; (12) any Events of Default with respect to the Offered Debt Securities, if not otherwise set forth under "Events of Default"; (13) whether the Offered Debt Securities will be issued in whole or in part in global form; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such global Offered Debt Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual securities, and the depositary for the Offered Debt Securities; (14) the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the Offered Debt Securities shall be exchanged for or converted into other securities or property; (15) the nature and terms of the security for any secured Offered Debt Securities; and (16) any other terms of the Offered Debt Securities which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the Indenture. Debt Securities may be issued at a discount from their principal amount ("Original Issue Discount Securities"). Federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to any such Original Issue Discount Securities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Debt Securities may be issued in bearer form, with or without coupons. Federal income tax considerations and other special considerations applicable to bearer securities will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Unless otherwise indicated in this Prospectus or a Prospectus Supplement, the Debt Securities will not have the benefit of any covenants that limit or restrict the Company's business or operations, the pledging of the Company's assets or the incurrence of indebtedness by the Company. STATUS OF DEBT SECURITIES The Senior Debt Securities will be unsubordinated obligations of the Company and will rank on a parity with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company. The obligations of the Company pursuant to Senior Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinate in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture, to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company. Except to the extent set forth in the Prospectus Supplement, "Senior Indebtedness" of the Company is defined to mean the principal of, and premium, if any, and any interest (including interest accruing subsequent to the commencement of any proceeding for the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law now or hereafter in effect) on (a) all indebtedness of the Company whether heretofore or hereafter incurred (i) for borrowed money or (ii) in connection with the acquisition by the Company or a subsidiary of assets other than in the ordinary course of business, for the payment of which the Company is liable directly or indirectly by guarantee, letter of credit, obligation to purchase or acquire or otherwise, or the payment of which is secured by a lien, charge or encumbrance on assets acquired 6 8 by the Company, (b) amendments, modifications, renewals, extensions and deferrals of any such indebtedness, and (c) any indebtedness issued in exchange for any such indebtedness (clauses (a) through (c) hereof being collectively referred to herein as "Debt"); provided, however, that the following will not constitute Senior Indebtedness with respect to Senior Subordinated Debt Securities: (1) any Debt as to which, in the instrument evidencing such Debt or pursuant to which such Debt was issued, it is expressly provided that such Debt is subordinate in right of payment to all Debt of the Company not expressly subordinated to such Debt; (2) any Debt which by its terms refers explicitly to the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities and states that such Debt shall not be senior in right of payment; and (3) any Debt of the Company in respect of the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or any Subordinated Debt Securities. The Company will not issue Debt which is subordinated in right of payment to any other Debt of the Company and which is not expressly made pari passu with, or subordinate and junior in right of payment to, the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities. The obligations of the Company pursuant to Subordinated Debt Securities will be subordinate in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness of the Company and to any Senior Subordinated Debt Securities; provided, however, that the following will not constitute Senior Indebtedness with respect to Subordinated Debt Securities: (1) any Debt as to which, in the instrument evidencing such Debt or pursuant to which such Debt was issued, it is expressly provided that such Debt is subordinate in right of payment to all Debt of the Company not expressly subordinated to such Debt; and (2) any Debt of the Company in respect of Subordinated Debt Securities and any Debt which by its terms refers explicitly to the Subordinated Debt Securities and states that such Debt shall not be senior in right of payment. No payment pursuant to the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or the Subordinated Debt Securities, as the case may be, may be made unless all amounts of principal, premium, if any, and interest then due on all applicable Senior Indebtedness of the Company shall have been paid in full or if there shall have occurred and be continuing beyond any applicable grace period a default in any payment with respect to any such Senior Indebtedness, or if there shall have occurred any event of default with respect to any such Senior Indebtedness permitting the holders thereof to accelerate the maturity thereof, or if any judicial proceeding shall be pending with respect to any such default. However, the Company may make payments pursuant to the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or the Subordinated Debt Securities, as the case may be, if a default in payment or an event of default with respect to the Senior Indebtedness permitting the holder thereof to accelerate the maturity thereof has occurred and is continuing and judicial proceedings with respect thereto have not been commenced within a certain number of days of such default in payment or event of default. Upon any distribution of the assets of the Company upon dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization, the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company will be entitled to receive payment in full of principal, premium, if any, and interest (including interest accruing subsequent to the commencement of any proceeding for the bankruptcy or reorganization of the Company under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law now or hereafter in effect) before any payment is made on the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities, as applicable. By reason of such subordination, in the event of insolvency of the Company, holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company may receive more, ratably, and holders of the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities, as applicable, having a claim pursuant to the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or Subordinated Debt Securities, as applicable, may receive less, ratably, than the other creditors of the Company. Such subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default (an "Event of Default") in respect of the Senior Subordinated Debt Securities or the Subordinated Debt Securities. If the Company offers Debt Securities, the applicable Prospectus Supplement will set forth the aggregate amount of outstanding indebtedness, if any, as of the most recent practicable date that by the terms of such Debt Securities would be senior to such Debt Securities. The applicable Prospectus Supplement will also set forth any limitation on the issuance by the Company of any additional senior indebtedness. 7 9 CONVERSION RIGHTS The terms, if any, on which Debt Securities of a series may be exchanged for or converted into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock will be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto. EXCHANGE, REGISTRATION, TRANSFER AND PAYMENT Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, payment of principal, premium, if any, and any interest on the Debt Securities will be payable, and the exchange of and the transfer of Debt Securities will be registerable, at the office of the Trustee or at any other office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose subject to the limitations of the Indenture. Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Debt Securities will be issued in denominations of U.S. $1,000 or integral multiples thereof. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of the Debt Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge imposed in connection therewith. BOOK-ENTRY DEBT SECURITIES The Debt Securities of a series may be issued in the form of one or more Global Securities (the "Global Securities") that will be deposited with a Depositary or its nominee identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. In such a case, one or more Global Securities will be issued in a denomination or aggregate denominations equal to the portion of the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Debt Securities of the series to be represented by such Global Security or Securities. Each Global Security will be deposited with such Depositary or nominee or a custodian therefor and will bear a legend regarding the restrictions on exchanges and registration of transfer thereof referred to below and any such other matters as may be provided for pursuant to the applicable Indenture. Notwithstanding any provision of the Indenture or any Debt Security described herein, no Global Security may be transferred to, or registered or exchanged for Debt Securities registered in the name of, any person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or any nominee of such Depositary, and no such transfer may be registered, unless (i) the Depositary has notified the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or has ceased to be qualified to act as such as required by the applicable Indenture, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an order that such Global Security shall be so transferable, registrable and exchangeable, and such transfers shall be registrable, or (iii) there shall exist such circumstances, if any, as may be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. All Debt Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof will be registered in such names as the Depositary may direct. The specific terms of the depositary arrangement with respect to any portion of a series of Debt Securities to be represented by a Global Security will be described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The Company expects that the following provisions will apply to depositary arrangements. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, Debt Securities which are to be represented by a Global Security to be deposited with or on behalf of a Depositary will be represented by a Global Security registered in the name of such Depositary or its nominee. Upon the issuance of such Global Security and the deposit of such Global Security with or on behalf of the Depositary for such Global Security, the Depositary will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amounts of the Debt Securities represented by such Global Security to the accounts of institutions that have accounts with such Depositary or its nominee ("participants"). The accounts to be credited will be designated by the underwriters or agents of such Debt Securities or by the Company, if such Debt Securities are offered and sold directly by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global Security will be limited to participants or 8 10 persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests by participants in such Global Security will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership interest will be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee for such Global Security. Ownership of beneficial interests in such Global Security by Persons that hold through participants will be shown on, and the transfer of that ownership interest within such participant will be effected only through, records maintained by such participant. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities in certificated form. The foregoing limitations and such laws may impair the ability to transfer beneficial interests in such Global Securities. So long as the Depositary for a Global Security, or its nominee, is the registered owner of such Global Security, such Depositary or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole owner or holder of the Debt Securities represented by such Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, owners of beneficial interests in such Global Security will not be entitled to have Debt Securities of the series represented by such Global Security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of Debt Securities of such series in certified form and will not be considered the holders thereof for any purposes under the Indenture. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in such Global Security must rely on the procedures of the Depositary and, if such person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which such person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the Indenture. If the Company requests any action of holders or an owner of a beneficial interest in such Global Security desires to give any notice or take any action a holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture, the Depositary will authorize the participants to give such notice or take such action, and participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to give such notice or take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary in the Indenture, the rights of the beneficial owners of the Debt Securities to receive payment of the principal and premium, if any, of and interest on such Debt Securities, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Debt Securities, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the beneficial owners. Principal of and any interest on a Global Security will be payable in the manner described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS The Company, without the consent of any holders of outstanding Debt Securities, may not consolidate with or merge into, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property or assets to any person unless (a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the entity or the person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia; (b) the entity or person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger (if other than the Company) or the entity or person to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition shall have been made assumes all the obligations of the Company under the Debt Securities and the Indenture; and (c) immediately prior to and after the transaction no Default or Event of Default exists. 9 11 Except as may be described in a Prospectus Supplement applicable to a particular series of Debt Securities, there are no covenants or other provisions in the Indenture providing for a put or increased interest or otherwise that would afford holders of Debt Securities additional protection in the event of a recapitalization transaction, a change of control of the Company or a highly leveraged transaction. COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe any material covenants in respect of a series of Offered Debt Securities. Other than the covenants of the Company included in the Indenture as described above or as described in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the Indenture will not provide holders of Debt Securities protection in the event of a highly-leveraged transaction, reorganization, restructuring, merger or similar transaction involving the Company which could adversely affect holders of Debt Securities. EVENTS OF DEFAULT Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the following will constitute Events of Default under the Indenture with respect to Debt Securities of any series: (a) failure to pay principal of any Debt Security of that series when due and payable at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise; (b) failure to pay any interest on any Debt Security of that series when due, and the Default continues for 30 days; (c) an Event of Default, as defined in the Debt Securities of that series, occurs and is continuing, or the Company fails to comply with any of its other agreements in the Debt Securities of that series or in the Indenture with respect to that series and the Default continues for the period and after the notice provided therein (and described below); and (d) certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization. A Default under clause (c) above is not an Event of Default with respect to a particular series of Securities until the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities of that series notify the Company of the Default and the Company does not cure the Default within 30 days after receipt of the notice. The notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notice is a "Notice of Default." If an Event of Default with respect to outstanding Debt Securities of any series (other than an Event or Default relating to certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) shall occur and be continuing, either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series by notice, as provided in the Indenture, may declare the unpaid principal amount (or, if the Debt Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such lesser amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of, and any accrued and unpaid interest on, all Debt Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately. However, at any time after a declaration of acceleration with respect to Debt Securities of any series has been made, but before a judgment or decree based on such acceleration has been obtained, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration. For information as to waiver of defaults, see "Modification and Waiver" below. The Indenture will provide that, subject to the duty of the Trustee during an Event of Default to act with the required standard of care, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders, unless such holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity. Subject to certain provisions, including those requiring security or indemnification of the Trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Debt Securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Debt Securities of that series. 10 12 The Company will be required to furnish to the Trustee under the Indenture annually a statement as to the performance by the Company of its obligations under that Indenture and as to any default in such performance. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER Subject to certain exceptions, the Company and the Trustee may amend the Indenture or the Debt Securities with the written consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Debt Securities of each series affected by the amendment with each series voting as a separate class. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Debt Securities of any series may also waive compliance in a particular instance by the Company with any provision of the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities of that series; provided, however, that without the consent of each holder of Debt Securities affected, an amendment or waiver may not (i) reduce the percentage of the principal amount of Debt Securities whose holders must consent to an amendment or waiver; (ii) reduce the rate or change the time for payment of interest on any Debt Security; (iii) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Debt Security, or alter the redemption provisions which respect thereto; (iv) make any Debt Security payable in money other than that stated in the Debt Security; (v) make any change in the provisions concerning waivers of Default or Events of Default by holders or the rights of holders to recover the principal of or interest on any Debt Security; or (vi) waive a default in the payment of the principal of, or interest on, any Debt Security, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture. The Company and the Trustee may amend the Indenture or the Debt Securities without notice to or the consent of any holder of a Debt Security: (i) to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; (ii) to comply with the Indenture's provisions with respect to successor corporations; (iii) to comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the TIA; (iv) to provide for Debt Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Debt Securities; (v) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Indenture in respect of one of more series of Debt Securities, provided, however, that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (1) apply to any Debt Security of any series created prior to the execution of such amendment and entitled to the benefit of such provision, nor (2) modify the rights of a holder of any such Debt Security with respect to such provision, or (B) shall become effective only when there is no outstanding Debt Security of any series created prior to such amendment and entitled to the benefit of such provision; (vi) to make any change that does not adversely affect in any material respect the interest on any holder; or (vii) to establish additional series of Debt Securities as permitted by the Indenture. Subject to certain exceptions, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Debt Securities of any series, by notice to the Trustee, may waive an existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences except a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Debt Security with respect to the Debt Securities of that series. TERMINATION OF THE COMPANY'S OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE DEBT SECURITIES AND THE INDENTURE Except as otherwise described below, the Company may terminate its obligations under the Debt Securities and the Indenture with respect to the Debt Securities if: (a) all previously authenticated and delivered (other than destroyed, lost or stolen Debt Securities which have been replaced or Debt Securities which are paid or Debt Securities for whose payment money or securities has theretofore been held in trust and thereafter repaid to the Company) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation and the Company has paid all sums payable by it under the Indenture; or (b) (1) the Debt Securities mature within one year; and 11 13 (2) the Company irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee during such one-year period, under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the holders of Debt Securities for that purpose, money or U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, with the U.S. Government Obligations maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as are sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such interest, to pay principal of and interest on the Debt Securities to maturity and to pay all other sums payable by it under the Indenture; or (c) (1) the Company irrevocably deposits in trust with the Trustee under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, as trust funds solely for the benefit of the holders of Debt Securities for that purpose, money or U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, with the U.S. Government Obligations maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as are sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such interest, to pay principal of and interest on the Debt Securities to maturity; (2) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee (A) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that the holders of the Debt Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company's exercise of its option under this clause (c) and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such option had not been exercised, or (B) an opinion of counsel to the same effect as the ruling described in subclause (A) above accompanied by a ruling to that effect published by the Internal Revenue Service, unless there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law since the date of the Indenture such that a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service is no longer required; (3) The Company has paid or caused to be paid all sums then payable by the Company under the Indenture; and (4) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an officers' certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this clause (c) relating to termination of obligations of the Company have been complied with. The Company's obligations under sections of the Indenture relating to the registrar and the paying agent, their obligations, the maintenance of a list of holders, transfers of Debt Securities, replacement of securities, payment (together with payment obligations under the Debt Securities), compensation and indemnity of the Trustee, replacement of the Trustee and repayment to the Company of excess money held by the Trustee or the paying Agent, shall survive until the Debt Securities are no longer outstanding. If the ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or opinion of counsel referred to in clause (c)(2) above is based on or assumes that the Company's payment obligations under the Indenture or its payment obligations under the Debt Securities will continue (or is silent with respect thereto), then such discharge shall constitute only a "covenant defeasance" and, consequently, the Company shall remain liable for the payment of the Debt Securities. However, if and when a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service or opinion of counsel referred to in clause (c)(2) above is able to be provided specifically without regard to, and not in reliance upon, the continuance of the Company's payment obligations under the Indenture and its payment obligations under the Debt Securities, then the Company's payment obligations under the Indenture and the Debt Securities shall cease upon delivery to the Trustee of such ruling or opinion of counsel and compliance with the other conditions precedent provided for in clause (c) above relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture. In such a case (a "legal defeasance") holders would be able to look only to the trust fund for payment of principal or interest on the Debt Securities. 12 14 REGARDING THE TRUSTEES The Trustee with respect to the first series of Debt Securities, if any, will be identified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such Debt Securities. Other Trustees may be designated for any subsequent series of Debt Securities. The Indenture and provisions of the TIA incorporated by reference therein, contain certain limitations on the rights of the Trustee, should it become a creditor of the Company, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases, or to realize on certain property received in respect of any such claim, as security or otherwise. The Trustee and its affiliates engage in, and will be permitted to continue to engage in, other transactions with the Company and its affiliates; provided, however, that if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined), it must eliminate such conflict or resign. The holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Debt Securities of any series will have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee. The TIA and the Indenture provide that in case an Event of Default shall occur (and be continuing), the Trustee will be required, in the exercise of its rights and powers, to use the degree of care and skill of a prudent man in the conduct of his own affairs. Subject to such provision, the Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the Indenture at the request of any of the holders of the Debt Securities issued thereunder, unless they have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED STOCK The following description of the terms of the Preferred Stock sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the Preferred Stock to which any Prospectus Supplement may relate. Certain other terms of any series of the Preferred Stock offered by any Prospectus Supplement will be described in such Prospectus Supplement. The description of certain provisions of the Preferred Stock set forth below and in any Prospectus Supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the Company's Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the "Articles of Incorporation"), and the certificate of designation (a "Certificate of Designation") relating to each series of the Preferred Stock which will be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement of which this Prospectus is a part at or prior to the time of the issuance of such series of the Preferred Stock. As of August 22, 1995, the Company had no shares of Preferred Stock outstanding. GENERAL The Company has the authority to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $.01 par value per share ("preferred stock of the Company," which term, as used herein, includes the Preferred Stock offered hereby). Under the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors of the Company is authorized without further stockholder action to designate and provide for the issuance of such shares of preferred stock of the Company, in one or more series, with such voting powers, full or limited, and with such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, as shall be stated in the resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of a series of such stock adopted, at any time or from time to time, by the Board of Directors of the Company (as used herein the term "Board of Directors of the Company" includes any duly authorized committee thereof). The Preferred Stock shall have the dividend, liquidation, redemption and voting rights set forth below unless otherwise provided in a Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series of the Preferred Stock. Reference is made to the Prospectus Supplement relating to the particular series of the Preferred Stock offered thereby for specific terms, including: (i) the designation and stated value per share of such Preferred Stock and the number of shares offered; (ii) the amount of liquidation preference per share; (iii) the initial public offering price at which such Preferred Stock will be issued; 13 15 (iv) the dividend rate (or method of calculation), the dates on which dividends shall be payable and the dates from which dividends shall commence to cumulate, if any; (v) any redemption or sinking fund provisions; (vi) any conversion or exchange rights; (vii) whether depositary shares representing shares of such Preferred Stock will be offered and, if so, the fraction of a share of such Preferred Stock represented by each depositary share; and (viii) any additional voting, dividend, liquidation, redemption, sinking fund and other rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions. The Preferred Stock will, when issued, be fully paid and nonassessable and will have no preemptive rights. The rights of the holders of each series of the Preferred Stock will be subordinate to those of the Company's general creditors. DIVIDEND RIGHTS Holders of the Preferred Stock of each series will be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors of the Company, out of funds of the Company legally available therefor, cash dividends on such dates and at such rates as are set forth in, or as are determined by the method described in, the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series of the Preferred Stock. Such rate may be fixed or variable or both. Each such dividend will be payable to the holders of record as they appear on the stock books of the Company on such record dates, fixed by the Board of Directors of the Company, as specified in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series of Preferred Stock. Such dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, as provided in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series of Preferred Stock. If the Board of Directors of the Company fails to declare a dividend payable on a dividend payment date on any series of Preferred Stock for which dividends are noncumulative, then the right to receive a dividend in respect of the dividend period ending on such dividend payment date will be lost, and the Company will have no obligation to pay any dividend for such period, whether or not dividends on such series are declared payable on any future dividend payment dates. Dividends on the shares of each series of Preferred Stock for which dividends are cumulative will accrue from the date on which the Company initially issues shares of such series. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, so long as the shares of any series of the Preferred Stock are outstanding, unless (i) full dividends (including if such Preferred Stock is cumulative, dividends for prior dividend periods) have been paid or declared and set apart for payment on all outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock of such series and all other classes and series of preferred stock of the Company (other than Junior Stock, as defined below) and (ii) the Company is not in default or in arrears with respect to the mandatory or optional redemption or mandatory repurchase or other mandatory retirement of, or with respect to any sinking or other analogous funds for, any shares of Preferred Stock of such series or any shares of any other preferred stock of the Company of any class or series (other than Junior Stock), the Company may not declare any dividends on any shares of Common Stock of the Company or any other stock of the Company ranking as to dividends or distributions of assets junior to such series of Preferred Stock (the Common Stock and any such other stock being herein referred to as "Junior Stock"), or make any payment on account of, or set apart money for, the purchase, redemption or other retirement of, or for a sinking or other analogous fund for, any shares of Junior Stock or make any distribution in respect thereof, whether in cash or property or in obligations of stock of the Company, other than in Junior Stock which is neither convertible into, nor exchangeable or exercisable for, any securities of the Company other than Junior Stock. LIQUIDATION PREFERENCES Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of each series of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive out of the assets of the Company 14 16 available for distribution to stockholders, before any distribution of assets is made to the holders of Common Stock or any other shares of stock of the Company ranking junior as to such distribution to such series of the Preferred Stock, the amount set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series of the Preferred Stock. If, upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, the amounts payable with respect to the Preferred Stock of any series and any other shares of preferred stock of the Company (including any other series of the Preferred Stock) ranking as to any such distribution on a parity with such series of the Preferred Stock are not paid in full, the holders of the Preferred Stock of such series and of such other shares of preferred stock of the Company will share ratably in any such distribution of assets of the Company in proportion to the full respective preferential amounts to which they are entitled. After payment to the holders of the Preferred Stock of each series of the full preferential amounts of the liquidating distribution to which they are entitled, unless otherwise provided in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, the holders of each such series of the Preferred Stock will be entitled to no further participation in any distribution of assets by the Company. REDEMPTION A series of the Preferred Stock may be redeemable, in whole or from time to time in part, at the option of the Company, and may be subject to mandatory redemption pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise, in each case upon terms, at the times and at the redemption prices set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to such series. Shares of the Preferred Stock redeemed by the Company will be restored to the status of authorized but unissued shares of preferred stock of the Company. In the event that fewer than all of the outstanding shares of a series of the Preferred Stock are to be redeemed, whether by mandatory or optional redemption, the number of shares to be redeemed will be determined by lot or pro rata (subject to rounding to avoid fractional shares) as may be determined by the Company or by any other method as may be determined by the Company in its sole discretion to be equitable. From and after the redemption date (unless default is made by the Company in providing for the payment of the redemption price plus cumulated and unpaid dividends, if any) dividends will cease to accumulate on the shares of the Preferred Stock called for redemption and all rights of the holders thereof (except the right to receive the redemption price plus accumulated and unpaid dividends, if any) will cease. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement, so long as any dividends on shares of any series of the Preferred Stock or any other series of preferred stock of the Company ranking on a parity as to dividends and distribution of assets with such series of the Preferred Stock are in arrears, no shares of any such series of the Preferred Stock or such other series of preferred stock of the Company will be redeemed (whether by mandatory or optional redemption) unless all such shares are simultaneously redeemed, and the Company will not purchase or otherwise acquire any such shares; provided, however, that the foregoing will not prevent the purchase or acquisition of share shares pursuant to a purchase or exchange offer made on the same terms to holders of all such shares outstanding. CONVERSION AND EXCHANGE RIGHTS The terms, if any, on which shares of Preferred Stock of any series may be exchanged for or converted into shares of Common Stock or another series of Preferred Stock will be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating thereto. Such terms may include provisions for conversion, either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at the option of the Company, in which case the number of shares of Common Stock or the number of shares of another series of Preferred Stock to be received by the holders of Preferred Stock would be calculated as of a time and in the manner stated in the Prospectus Supplement. 15 17 VOTING RIGHTS Except as indicated in a Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series of the Preferred Stock, or except as required by applicable law, the holders of the Preferred Stock will not be entitled to vote for any purpose. DESCRIPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES The description set forth below and in any Prospectus Supplement of certain provisions of the Deposit Agreement (as defined below) and of the Depositary Shares (as defined below) and Depositary Receipts (as defined below) does not purport to be complete and is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to the forms of Deposit Agreement and Depositary Receipts relating to each series of Preferred Stock which will be filed with the Commission in connection with the offering of any such series of Preferred Stock. GENERAL The Company may, at its option, elect to offer fractional interest in shares of Preferred Stock, rather than shares of Preferred Stock. In the event such option is exercised, the Company will provide for the issuance by a Depositary to the public of receipts for depositary shares ("Depositary Shares"), each of which will represent fractional interests of a particular series of Preferred Stock (which will be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to a particular series of Preferred Stock). The shares of any series of Preferred Stock underlying the Depositary Shares will be deposited under a separate Deposit Agreement (the "Deposit Agreement") between the Company and a bank or trust company selected by the Company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 (the "Depositary"). The Prospectus Supplement relating to a series of Depositary Shares will set forth the name and address of the Depositary. Subject to the terms of the Deposit Agreement, each owner of Depositary Shares will be entitled, in proportion to the applicable fractional interests in shares of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares, to all the rights and preferences of the Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares (including dividend, voting, redemption, conversion and liquidation rights). Additionally, each owner of Depositary Shares is entitled to receive the shares of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares. The Depositary Shares will be evidenced by depositary receipts issued pursuant to the Deposit Agreement (the "Depositary Receipts"). Depositary Receipts will be distributed to those persons purchasing the fractional interests in shares of the related series of Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms of the offering for Preferred Stock described in the related Prospectus Supplement. DIVIDENDS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTIONS The Depositary will distribute all cash dividends or other cash distributions received in respect of Preferred Stock to the record holders of Depositary Shares relating to such Preferred Stock in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the numbers of such Depositary Shares owned by such holders on the relevant record date, subject to any applicable tax withholding. The Depositary shall distribute only such amount, however, as can be distributed without attributing to any holder of Depositary Shares a fraction of one cent, and any balance not so distributed shall be added to and treated as part of the next sum received by the Depositary for distribution to record holders of Depositary Shares. In the event of a distribution other than in cash, the Depositary will distribute property received by it to the record holders of Depositary Shares entitled thereto, unless the Depositary determines that it is not feasible to make such distribution, in which case the Depositary may, with the 16 18 approval of the Company, adopt such method as it deems equitable and practicable for the purpose of effecting such distribution, including the sale of such property and distribution of the net proceeds from such sale to such holders, subject to any applicable tax withholding. Any subscription or similar rights offered by the Company to holders of Preferred Stock will be made available to the holders of Depositary Shares in such manner as the Depositary may determine, with the approval of the Company. REDEMPTION OF DEPOSITARY SHARES If a series of the Preferred Stock underlying the Depositary Shares is subject to redemption, the Depositary Shares will be redeemed from the proceeds received by the Depositary resulting from the redemption, in whole or in part, of such series of the Preferred Stock held by the Depositary. The Depositary shall mail notice of redemption not less than 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to the record holders of the Depositary Shares to be so redeemed at their respective addresses appearing in the Depositary's books. The redemption price per Depositary Share will be equal to the applicable fraction of the redemption price per share payable with respect to such series of the Preferred Stock. Whenever the Company redeems shares of Preferred Stock held by the Depositary, the Depositary will redeem as of the same redemption date the number of Depositary Shares relating to shares of Preferred Stock so redeemed. If less than all of the Depositary Shares are to be redeemed, the Depositary Shares to be redeemed will be selected by lot or pro rata as may be determined by the Depositary. After the date fixed for redemption, the Depositary Shares so called for redemption will no longer be deemed to be outstanding and all rights of the holders of the Depositary Shares will cease, except the right to receive the moneys, securities or other property payable upon such redemption and any money, securities or other property to which the holders of such Depositary Shares were entitled, including any accrued and unpaid dividends payable in connection with such redemption, upon such redemption upon surrender to the Depositary of the Depositary Receipts evidencing such Depositary Shares. VOTING OF PREFERRED STOCK Upon receipt of notice of any meeting at which the holders of the applicable Preferred Stock are entitled to vote, the Depositary will mail the information contained in such notice of meeting to the record holders of the Depositary Shares relating to such Preferred Stock. Each record holder of such Depositary Shares on the record date (which will be the same date as the record date for the Preferred Stock) will be entitled, subject to any applicable restrictions, to instruct the Depositary as to the exercise of the voting rights pertaining to the number of shares of Preferred Stock underlying such holder's Depositary Shares. The Depositary will endeavor, insofar as practicable, to vote the number of shares of Preferred Stock underlying such Depositary Shares in accordance with such instructions, and the Company will agree to take all action which may be deemed necessary by the Depositary in order to enable the Depositary to do so. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION OF DEPOSITARY AGREEMENT The form of Depositary Receipt evidencing the Depositary Shares and any provision of the Deposit Agreement may at any time be amended by agreement between the Company and the Depositary. However, any amendment which materially and adversely alters the rights of the existing holders of Depositary Shares will not be effective unless such amendment has been approved by the record holders of at least a majority of the Depositary Shares than outstanding. A Deposit Agreement may be terminated by the Company or the Depositary only if (i) all outstanding Depositary Shares relating thereto have been redeemed or (ii) there has been a final distribution in respect of the Preferred 17 19 Stock of the relevant series in connection with any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and such distribution has been distributed to the holders of the related Depositary Shares. CHARGES OF DEPOSITARY The Company will pay all transfer and other taxes and governmental charges arising solely from the existence of the depositary arrangements. The Company will pay charges of the Depositary in connection with the initial deposit of any Preferred Stock and any redemption of such Preferred Stock. Holders of Depositary Shares will pay transfer and other taxes and governmental charges and such other charges as are expressly provided in the Deposit Agreement to be for their accounts. RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL OF DEPOSITARY The Depositary may resign at any time by delivering to the Company notice of its election to do so, and the Company may at any time remove the Depositary, any such resignation or removal to take effect upon the appointment of a successor Depositary and its acceptance of such appointment. Such successor Depositary must be appointed within 60 days after delivery of the notice of resignation or removal and must be a bank or trust company having its principal office in the United States and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000. MISCELLANEOUS The Depositary will forward to the holders of Depositary Shares all reports and communications from the Company which are delivered to the Depositary and which the Company is required to furnish to the holders of the applicable Preferred Stock. Neither the Depositary nor the Company will be liable if it is prevented or delayed by law or any circumstance beyond its control in performing its obligations under the Deposit Agreement. The obligations of the Company and the Depositary under the Deposit Agreement will be limited to performance in good faith of their duties thereunder and they will not be obligated to prosecute or defend any legal proceeding in respect of any Depositary Shares or Preferred Stock unless satisfactory indemnity is furnished. They may rely upon written advice of counsel or accountants, or information provided by persons presenting Preferred Stock for deposit, holders of Depositary Shares or other persons believed to be competent and on documents believed to be genuine. DESCRIPTION OF COMMON STOCK The Company has authority to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share. As of August 22, 1995, there were 18,182,600 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding. The holders of Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by shareholders, including the election of directors. Shareholders are not entitled to cumulative voting rights, and, accordingly, the holders of a majority of the shares voting for the election of directors can elect the entire Board if they choose to do so and, in that event, the holders of the remaining shares will not be able to elect any person to the Board of Directors. The holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Board of Directors, in its discretion, from funds legally available thereof and subject to prior dividend rights of holders of any shares of preferred stock of the Company which may be outstanding. Upon liquidation or dissolution of the Company subject to prior liquidation rights of the holders of preferred stock of the Company, the holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive on a pro rata basis the remaining assets of the Company available for distribution. Holders of Common Stock have no preemptive or other subscription rights, and there are no conversion rights or 18 20 redemption or sinking fund provisions with respect to such shares. KeyCorp Shareholder Services, Inc. acts as transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock. DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS The Company may issue Warrants to purchase Debt Securities ("Debt Warrants"), as well as Warrants to purchase Preferred Stock or Common Stock ("Equity Warrants") (together, the "Warrants"). Warrants may be issued independently or together with any Securities and may be attached to or separate from such Securities. The Warrants are to be issued under warrant agreements (each a "Warrant Agreement") to be entered into between the Company and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent (the "Warrant Agent"), all as shall be set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to Warrants being offered pursuant thereto. As of August 22, 1995, the Company has no Warrants outstanding. DEBT WARRANTS The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the terms of Debt Warrants offered thereby, the Warrant Agreement relating to such Debt Warrants and the debt warrant certificates representing such Debt Warrants ("Debt Warrant Certificates"), including the following: (1) the title of such Debt Warrants; (2) the aggregate number of such Debt Warrants; (3) the price or prices at which such Debt Warrants will be issued; (4) the designation, aggregate principal amount and terms of the Debt Securities purchasable upon exercise of such Debt Warrants, and the procedures and conditions relating to the exercise of such Debt Warrants; (5) the designation and terms of any related Debt Securities with which such Debt Warrants are issued, and the number of such Debt Warrants issued with each such Debt Security; (6) the date, if any, on and after which such Debt Warrants and the related Debt Securities will be separately transferable; (7) the principal amount of Debt Securities purchasable upon exercise of each Debt Warrant; (8) the date on which the right to exercise such Debt Warrants will commence, and the date on which such right will expire; (9) the maximum or minimum number of such Debt Warrants which may be exercised at any time; (10) a discussion of any material federal income tax considerations; and (11) any other terms of such Debt Warrants and terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exercise of such Debt Warrants. Debt Warrant Certificates will be exchangeable for new Debt Warrant Certificates of different denominations, and Debt Warrants may be exercised at the corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent or any other office indicated in the Prospectus Supplement. Prior to the exercise of their Debt Warrants, holders of Debt Warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the Debt Securities purchasable upon such exercise and will not be entitled to payment of principal of or any premium or interest on the Debt Securities purchasable upon such exercise. EQUITY WARRANTS The applicable Prospectus Supplement will describe the following terms of Equity Warrants offered thereby: (1) the title of such Equity Warrants; (2) the Securities (i.e. Preferred Stock or Common Stock) for which such Equity Warrants are exercisable; (3) the price or prices at which such Equity Warrants will be issued; (4) if applicable, the designation and terms of the Preferred Stock or Common Stock with which such Equity Warrants are issued, and the number of such Equity Warrants issued with each such share of Preferred Stock or Common Stock; (5) if applicable, the date on and after which such Equity Warrants and the related Preferred Stock or Common Stock will be separately transferable; (6) if applicable, a discussion of any material federal income tax considerations; and (7) any other terms of such Equity Warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of such Equity Warrants. 19 21 Holders of Equity Warrants will not be entitled, by virtue of being such holders, to vote, to consent, to receive dividends, to receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of directors of the Company or any other matter, or to exercise any rights whatsoever as stockholders of the Company. The exercise price payable and the number of shares of Common Stock of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of each Equity Warrant will be subject to adjustment in certain events, including the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of Common Stock or Preferred Stock or a stock split, reverse stock split, combination, subdivision or reclassification of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. In lieu of adjusting the number of shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of each Equity Warrant, the Company may elect to adjust the number of Equity Warrants. No adjustments in the number of shares purchasable upon exercise of the Equity Warrants will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% thereof. The Company may, at its option, reduce the exercise price at any time. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of Equity Warrants, but the Company will pay the cash value of any fractional shares otherwise issuable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of any consolidation, merger, or sale or conveyance of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety, the holder of each outstanding Equity Warrant shall have the right to the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property (including cash) receivable by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock of Preferred Stock into which such Equity Warrant was exercisable immediately prior thereto. EXERCISE OF WARRANTS Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase for cash such principal amount of Securities at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or be determinable as set forth in, the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Warrants offered thereby. Warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Warrants offered thereby. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised Warrants will become void. Warrants may be exercised as set forth in the Prospectus Supplement relating to the Warrants offered thereby. Upon receipt of payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent or any other office indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will, as soon as practicable, forward the Securities purchasable upon such exercise. If less than all of the Warrants represented by such warrant certificate are exercised, a new warrant certificate will be issued for the remaining Warrants. 20 22 PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION The Company may sell the Securities to one or more underwriters, which may include Salomon Brothers Inc., for public offering and sale in the United States or Canada by them or may sell the Securities to investors directly or through agents. Any such underwriter or agent involved in the offer and sale of Securities will be named in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. The Company has reserved the right to sell Securities directly to investors on its own behalf in those jurisdictions where and in such manner as it is authorized to do so. Underwriters may offer and sell Securities at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices, or at negotiated prices. The Company also may, from time to time, authorize dealers, acting as the Company's agents, to offer and sell Securities upon the terms and conditions as are set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. In connection with the sale of Securities, underwriters may receive compensation from the Company in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of the Securities for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may sell Securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Any underwriting compensation paid by the Company to underwriters or agents in connection with the offering of Securities, and any discounts, concessions or commissions allowed by underwriters to participating dealers, will be set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Dealers and agents participating in the distribution of Securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the Securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions. Underwriters, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with the Company, to indemnification against and contribution toward certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933. If so indicated in the Prospectus Supplement, the Company will authorize dealers acting as the Company's agents to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase the Securities from the Company at the public offering price set forth in the applicable Prospectus Supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts ("Contracts") providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in such Prospectus Supplement. Each Contract will be for an amount not less than the amounts stated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. Institutions with whom Contracts, when authorized, may be made include commercial and savings banks, insurance companies, pension funds, investment companies, educational and charitable institutions, and other institutions but will in all cases be subject to the approval of the Company. Contracts will not be subject to any conditions except (i) the purchase by the institution of the Securities covered by its Contract shall not at the time of delivery be prohibited under the laws of any jurisdiction in the United States to which such institution is subject, and (ii) if the Securities are being sold to underwriters, the Company shall have sold to such underwriters the total amount specified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. A commission indicated in the applicable Prospectus Supplement will be paid to underwriters and agents soliciting purchases of Securities pursuant to Contracts accepted by the Company. The rules of the Commission generally prohibit underwriters and other members of the selling group from making a market in the Company's Common Stock during the "cooling off" period immediately preceding the commencement of sales in the offering. The Commission has, however, adopted an exemption from these rules that permits passive market making under certain conditions. These rules permit an underwriter or other member of the selling group to continue to make a market in the Company's Common Stock subject to the conditions, among others, that its bid not exceed the highest bid by a market maker not connected with the offering and that its net purchases on any one trading day not exceed prescribed limits. Pursuant to these exemptions, certain underwriters and other 21 23 members of the selling group may engage in passive market making in the Company's Common Stock during the cooling off period. LEGAL MATTERS Certain legal matters with respect to the Securities offered hereby will be passed upon for the Company by Latham & Watkins, San Francisco, California. Certain legal matters will be passed upon for any agents or underwriters by counsel for such agents or underwriters identified in the applicable Prospectus Supplement. EXPERTS The financial statements of FirstMiss Gold Inc. as of June 30, 1995 and 1994, and for each of the years in the three-year period ended June 30, 1995 have been incorporated by reference herein and in the registration statement in reliance upon the report of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP, independent certified public accountants, incorporated by reference herein, and upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing. 22 24 =============================================================== =========================================================== NO DEALER, SALESPERSON OR ANY OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED TO GIVE ANY INFORMATION OR TO MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OFFERING OTHER THAN THOSE CONTAINED IN THIS PROSPECTUS, AND, IF GIVEN OR MADE, SUCH INFORMATION OR REPRESENTATION MUST NOT BE RELIED UPON AS HAVING BEEN SO AUTHORIZED BY THE COMPANY OR ANY UNDERWRITER. THIS PROSPECTUS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO SELL OR A SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY BY ANYONE IN ANY FIRSTMISS GOLD INC. JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER TO SELL IS NOT AUTHORIZED, OR IN WHICH THE PERSON IS NOT QUALIFIED TO DO SO OR TO ANY PERSON TO WHOM IT IS UNLAWFUL TO $200,000,000 MAKE SUCH OFFER OR SOLICITATION. NEITHER THE DELIVERY OF THIS PROSPECTUS NOR ANY SALE HEREUNDER SHALL, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, CREATE ANY DEBT SECURITIES IMPLICATION THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN THE PREFERRED STOCK AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY SINCE THE DATE HEREOF OR THAT DEPOSITARY SHARES THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS CORRECT AS OF ANY COMMON STOCK TIME SUBSEQUENT TO ITS DATE. EQUITY WARRANTS DEBT WARRANTS ----------------------- ------------------ PROSPECTUS TABLE OF CONTENTS ------------------ PAGE ---- Available Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Information Incorporated by Reference . . . . . 2 _______________, 1995 The Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Risk Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Use of Proceeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges and Earnings to Combined Fixed Charges and Preferred Stock Dividends . . . . . . . . . . 4 General Description of Securities . . . . . . 5 Description of Debt Securities . . . . . . . . 5 Description of Preferred Stock . . . . . . . . 13 Description of Depositary Shares . . . . . . . 16 Description of Common Stock . . . . . . . . . . 18 Description of Warrants . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Plan of Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Legal Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Experts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 =============================================================== ===========================================================
25 PART II INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS ITEM 14. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION The expenses to be paid by the Company in connection with the distribution of the securities being registered are as set forth in the following table: Securities and Exchange Commission Fee . . . . . . . . . $ 68,966 *Printing and Engraving Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 30,000 *Accounting Fees and Expenses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 40,000 *Legal Fees and Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 60,000 *Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 11,034 -------- Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $210,000 ========
_______________ * Estimated ITEM 15. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS The Company has the power, pursuant to Section 78.037 of the Nevada Corporations Law, to limit the liability of its directors from certain breaches of fiduciary duty and to indemnify its directors, officers and other persons for certain acts. Articles XI and XII of the Company's Articles of Incorporation provide as follows: ARTICLE XI INDEMNIFICATION (1) Action Not By or on Behalf of Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), fees, judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement, actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if he acted in, good faith and in a manner reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, does not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. II-1 26 (2) Action By or on Behalf of Corporation. The Corporation shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Corporation to procedure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another Corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise against expenses, including amounts paid in settlement and attorneys' fees actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of the action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation, except that indemnification may not be made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom, to be liable to the Corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the Corporation unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought or other court of competent jurisdiction determines upon application that, in view of all of the circumstances of the case, the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper. (3) Successful Defense. To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Section 1 or 2 of this Article XI, or in defense or any claim, issue or matter therein, he must be indemnified by the Corporation against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense. (4) Determination of Right to Indemnification in Certain Circumstances. Any indemnification under Section 1 or 2 of this Article XI, unless ordered by a court or advanced pursuant to this Article XI, must be made by the Corporation only as authorized in the specified case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances. The determination must be made by the Stockholders, the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the act, suit or proceeding, or if a majority vote of a quorum of directors who were not parties to the act, suit or proceeding so orders, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or if a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to the act, suit or proceeding cannot be obtained, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion. (5) Advance Payment of Expenses. Expenses of officers and directors incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding must be paid by the Corporation as they are incurred and in advance of the final disposition of the action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer to repay the amount if it is ultimately determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation as authorized in this Article. The provisions of this subsection (5) of this Article XI shall not affect any rights to advancement of expenses to which corporate personnel other than directors or officers may be entitled under any contract or otherwise by law. (6) Not Exclusive. (a) The indemnification and advancement of expenses authorized in or ordered by a court pursuant to any other section of this Article XI or any provision of law: (i) does not exclude an other rights to which a person seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under the Articles of Incorporation or any stature, by-law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, for either an action in his official capacity or an action in another capacity while holding his office, except that indemnification, unless ordered by a court pursuant to subsection 2 of this Article XI or for the advancement of expenses made pursuant to this Article XI may not be made to or on behalf of any II-2 27 director or officer if a final adjudication establishes that his acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of the law and was material to the cause of action. (ii) continues for a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and inures to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a person. (b) Without limiting the foregoing, the Corporation is authorized to enter into an agreement with any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation providing indemnification for such person against expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement that result from any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, including any action by or in the right of the Corporation, that arises by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, to the full extent allowed by law, except that no such agreement shall provide for indemnification for any actions that constitute fraud, actual dishonesty or willful misconduct. (7) Insurance. The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise for any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this Article XI. (8) Certain Definitions. For the purposes of this Article XI, (a) any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation who shall serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of any other corporation, joint venture trust or other enterprise of which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, is or was a stockholder or creditor, or in which the Corporation is or was in any way interested, or (b) any director, officer, employee or agent of any subsidiary corporation, joint venture, trust or other enterprise wholly owned by the Corporation, shall be deemed to be serving as such director, officer, employee or agent at the request of the Corporation, unless the Board of Directors of the Corporation shall determine otherwise. In all other instances where any person shall serve as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, joint venture, trust or other enterprise of which the Corporation is or was a stockholder or creditor, or in which it is or was otherwise interested, if it is not otherwise established that such person is or was serving as such director, officer, employee or agent at the request of the Corporation, the Board of Directors of the Corporation may determine whether such service is or was at the request of the Corporation, and it shall not be necessary to show any actual or prior request for such service. For purposes of this Article XI, references to a corporation include all constituent corporations absorbed in a consolidation or merger as well as the resulting or surviving corporation so that any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such a constituent corporation or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, joint venture, trust or other enterprise shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Article XI with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as he would if he had served the resulting or surviving corporation in the same capacity. For purposes of this Article XI, references to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Corporation" shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation" as referred to in this Article XI. II-3 28 ARTICLE XII LIMITATION ON PERSONAL LIABILITY FOR DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS A director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for (i) acts or omissions which involve intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law, or (ii) the payment of dividends in violation of Section 78.300 of the Nevada Revised Statutes. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, no director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or any of its stockholders for damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer. Any repeal or modification of this article by the stockholders of the Corporation shall be prospective only, and shall not adversely affect any limitation on the personal liability of a director of officer of the Corporation for acts or omissions prior to such repeal or modification. ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES (A) EXHIBITS: 4(a) Article IV, Article XIII and Article XIV of the Company's Articles of Incorporation, which are included in Exhibit 3(a) filed with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(b) Article II and Article V, Section 6 of the Company's Bylaws, which are included in Exhibit 3(b) filed with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended June 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(c) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1988-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective July 13, 1988, which were filed as Exhibit 4(c) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1988, are incorporated by reference. 4(d) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1989-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 9, 1989, which were filed as Exhibit 4(f) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 1989, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(e) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1989-B Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 2, 1989, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1989, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(f) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1990-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 8, 1990, which were filed as Exhibit 4(f) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(g) Company Resolutions authorizing the Company's 1990-B and 1990-C Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 1, 1990 and November 2, 1990, respectively, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. II-4 29 4(h) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1991-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 14, 1991, which were filed as Exhibit 4(h) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(i) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1991-B Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 7, 1991, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(j) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1992-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 5, 1992, which were filed as Exhibit 4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1992, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(k) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1993-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 4, 1993, which were filed as Exhibit 4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1993, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(l) Credit Agreement, dated as of December 30, 1987, which was filed as Exhibit 10.17 to Amendment No. 1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 1987 (the "Form S-1"), is incorporated by reference. 4(m) First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of January 26, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.23 to Amendment No. 2 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(n) Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of April 14, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.24 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(o) Third Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of March 30, 1989, which was filed as Exhibit 4(h) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1989, is incorporated by reference. 4(p) Fourth Amendment to the Credit Agreement, dated as of July 2, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 4(m) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(q) Amended and Restated Gold Loan Agreement, dated January 26, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.15 to Amendment No. 2 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(r) Rights Agreement dated June 13, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 1 to the Company's Form 8-K dated June 13, 1990, is incorporated by reference. 4(s) Loan Agreement between the Company and First Mississippi, dated March 29, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 4(p) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(t) Amendment to Loan Agreement between The Company and First Mississippi, dated August 27, 1991, which was filed as Exhibit 4(q) to the Company's Annual Report II-5 30 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(u) Second Amendment to Loan Agreement between the Company and First Mississippi dated August 25, 1993, which was filed as Exhibit 4(t) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(v)** Form of Indenture. 4(w)* Form of Warrant Agreement for Debt Securities. 4(x)* Form of Warrant Agreement for Equity Securities. 5(a) Opinion of Latham & Watkins. 5(b) Opinion of Marshall, Hill, Cassas & de Lipkau. 12** Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges. 23(a)** Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP. 23(b) Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5(a)). 23(c) Consent of Marshall, Hill, Cassas & de Lipkau (included in Exhibit 5(b)). ____________________ * To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the Securities. ** Previously Filed. II-6 31 ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS (a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933; (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post- effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (Section 230.424(b) of this chapter) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; (iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; provided, however, that the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above may be contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (e) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause to be delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest annual report to security holders that is incorporated by reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to and meeting the requirements of Rule 14a- 3 or Rule 14c-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and, where interim financial information required to be presented by Article 3 of Registration S-X are not set forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or II-7 32 given, the latest quarterly report that is specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such interim financial information. (h) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. (j) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under Subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act (the "Act") in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Act. II-8 33 SIGNATURES PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, THE REGISTRANT CERTIFIES THAT IT HAS REASONABLE GROUNDS TO BELIEVE THAT IT MEETS ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FILING ON FORM S-3 AND HAS DULY CAUSED THIS AMENDMENT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT TO BE SIGNED ON ITS BEHALF BY THE UNDERSIGNED, THEREUNTO DULY AUTHORIZED, IN THE CITY OF ENGLEWOOD, STATE OF COLORADO ON OCTOBER 30, 1995. FIRSTMISS GOLD INC. By \s\ G.W. Thompson ---------------------------------- G.W. Thompson, President Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this amendment to registration statement has been signed by each of the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE --------- ----- ---- \s\ G.W. Thompson President and Chief October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Executive Officer G.W. Thompson (Principal Executive Officer) and Director \s\ Donald S. Robson Vice President and October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Chief Financial Officer Donald S. Robson (Principal Financial Officer) \s\ Roger D. Palmer Controller (Principal October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Accounting Officer) Roger D. Palmer \s\ J. Kelley Williams Director and Chairman October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- of the Board of Directors J. Kelley Williams \s\ Cecil Alvarez Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Cecil Alvarez \s\ Walter A. Drexel Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Walter A. Drexel \s\ Robert C. Horton Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Robert C. Horton \s\ Pete Ingersoll Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Pete Ingersoll
II-9 34 \s\ Charles P. Moreton Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Charles P. Moreton \s\ Paul W. Murrill Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Paul W. Murrill \s\ R. M. Summerford Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- R. M. Summerford \s\ Robert L. Zerga Director October 30, 1995 ------------------------------- Robert L. Zerga
II-10 35 EXHIBIT INDEX 4(a) Article IV, Article XIII and Article XIV of the Company's Articles of Incorporation, which are included in Exhibit 3(a) filed with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(b) Article II and Article V, Section 6 of the Company's Bylaws, which are included in Exhibit 3(b) filed with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended June 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(c) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1988-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective July 13, 1988, which were filed as Exhibit 4(c) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1988, are incorporated by reference. 4(d) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1989-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 9, 1989, which were filed as Exhibit 4(f) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 1989, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(e) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1989-B Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 2, 1989, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1989, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(f) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1990-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 8, 1990, which were filed as Exhibit 4(f) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(g) Company Resolutions authorizing the Company's 1990-B and 1990-C Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 1, 1990 and November 2, 1990, respectively, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1990, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(h) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1991-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective August 14, 1991, which were filed as Exhibit 4(h) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(i) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1991-B Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 7, 1991, which were filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1991, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(j) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1992-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 5, 1992, which were filed as Exhibit 4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1992, are incorporated herein by reference. 36 4(k) Company Resolutions authorizing the 1993-A Series Convertible Preferred Stock, effective November 4, 1993, which were filed as Exhibit 4 to the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 1993, are incorporated herein by reference. 4(l) Credit Agreement, dated as of December 30, 1987, which was filed as Exhibit 10.17 to Amendment No. 1 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 2, 1987 (the "Form S-1"), is incorporated by reference. 4(m) First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of January 26, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.23 to Amendment No. 2 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(n) Second Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of April 14, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.24 to Amendment No. 4 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(o) Third Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated as of March 30, 1989, which was filed as Exhibit 4(h) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1989, is incorporated by reference. 4(p) Fourth Amendment to the Credit Agreement, dated as of July 2, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 4(m) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(q) Amended and Restated Gold Loan Agreement, dated January 26, 1988, which was filed as Exhibit 10.15 to Amendment No. 2 to the Company's Form S-1, is incorporated by reference. 4(r) Rights Agreement dated June 13, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 1 to the Company's Form 8-K dated June 13, 1990, is incorporated by reference. 4(s) Loan Agreement between the Company and First Mississippi, dated March 29, 1990, which was filed as Exhibit 4(p) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(t) Amendment to Loan Agreement between The Company and First Mississippi, dated August 27, 1991, which was filed as Exhibit 4(q) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1991, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(u) Second Amendment to Loan Agreement between the Company and First Mississippi dated August 25, 1993, which was filed as Exhibit 4(t) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1993, is incorporated herein by reference. 4(v)** Form of Indenture. 4(w)* Form of Warrant Agreement for Debt Securities. 4(x)* Form of Warrant Agreement for Equity Securities. 5(a) Opinion of Latham & Watkins. 37 5(b) Opinion of Marshall, Hill, Cassas & de Lipkau. 12** Computation of Ratios of Earnings to Fixed Charges. 23(a)** Consent of KPMG Peat Marwick LLP. 23(b) Consent of Latham & Watkins (included in Exhibit 5(a)). 23(c) Consent of Marshall, Hill, Cassas & de Lipkau (included in Exhibit 5(b)). ____________________ * To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference in connection with the offering of the Securities. ** Previously filed. EX-5.(A) 2 OPINION OF LATHAM & WATKINS 1 EXHIBIT 5(a) [LATHAM & WATKINS LETTERHEAD] October 30, 1995 FirstMiss Gold Inc. 6025 South Quebec Street Suite 310 Englewood, Colorado 80111 Re: $200,000,000 Aggregate Offering Price of Securities of FirstMiss Gold Inc. Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as special counsel to FirstMiss Gold Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company has provided us with a draft prospectus (the "Prospectus") which is a part of the Registration Statement. The Prospectus provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each a "Prospectus Supplement"). The Prospectus as supplemented by various Prospectus Supplements will provide for the registration by the Company of up to $200,000,000 aggregate offering price of (i) one or more series of senior, senior subordinated or subordinated debt securities (the "Debt Securities"), (ii) one or more series of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), (iii) shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), or (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the "Warrants"). The Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Common Stock and Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities." Any Debt Securities and Preferred Stock may be exchangeable and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. The Debt Securities may be issued pursuant to one or more indentures (collectively, the "Indentures"), in each case between the Company and a trustee. 2 LATHAM & WATKINS FirstMiss Gold Inc. September 8, 1995 Page 2 In our capacity as California counsel to the Company in connection with the Registration Statement, we are generally familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the authorization and issuance of the Securities. For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that such proceedings will be timely and properly completed, in accordance with all requirements of applicable federal and California securities laws, in the manner presently proposed. We have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals and copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of all such documents, corporate records and instruments of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. We have been furnished with, and with your consent have exclusively relied upon, certificates of officers of the Company with respect to certain factual matters. In addition, we have obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as we have deemed necessary. We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the federal securities laws of the United States and the internal laws of the State of California, and we express no opinion herein with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state. Subject to the foregoing and the other qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof: 1. When (a) the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (b) when the Debt Securities have been duly executed and delivered by all parties thereto, and (c) assuming that the terms of the Indentures as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (d) assuming that the Indentures as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (e) assuming that the Indentures as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (f) assuming that the Debt Securities are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), the Indentures will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under the laws of the State of California in accordance with the terms of the Indentures. 3 LATHAM & WATKINS FirstMiss Gold Inc. September 8, 1995 Page 3 2. When (a) the Debt Securities have been duly established by the applicable Indentures (including, without limitation, the adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution duly authorizing the issuance and delivery of the Debt Securities), duly authenticated by the trustee and duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company against payment therefor in accordance with the terms and provisions of the applicable Indenture and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (b) when the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable laws have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that the terms of the Debt Securities as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (d) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (e) assuming that the Debt Securities as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (f) assuming that the Debt Securities are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), the Debt Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under the laws of the State of California in accordance with the terms of the Debt Securities. 3. When (a) the Warrants have been duly executed and delivered, and issued and sold in the form and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (b) when the Registration Statement and any required post-effective amendment thereto and any and all Prospectus Supplement(s) required by applicable law have all become effective under the Securities Act, and (c) assuming that the terms of the Warrants as executed and delivered are as described in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), and (d) assuming that the Warrants, as executed and delivered, do not violate any law applicable to the Company or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company, and (e) assuming the Warrants as executed and delivered comply with all requirements and restrictions, if any, applicable to the Company, whether imposed by any court or governmental or regulatory body having jurisdiction over the Company, and (f) assuming that the Warrants are then issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s), the Warrants will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company under the laws of the State of California in accordance with their terms. 4. The Company has the authority pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. When a series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Articles of Incorporation and applicable law, and upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law and upon 4 LATHAM & WATKINS FirstMiss Gold Inc. September 8, 1995 Page 4 issuance and delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of such series of Preferred Stock (including any Preferred Stock duly issued (i) upon the exercise of any Warrants exercisable for Preferred Stock or (ii) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Preferred Stock) will be validly issued under the laws of the State of California, fully paid and nonassessable. 5. The Company has the authority pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law and upon issuance and delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of Common Stock (including any Common Stock duly issued (i) upon the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock, (ii) upon the exercise of any Warrants exercisable for Common Stock or (iii) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock) will be validly issued under the laws of the State of California, fully paid and nonassessable. All of the opinions set forth above are subject to the following exceptions, limitations and qualifications: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) the effect of general principles of equity, including without limitation, concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing and the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief, regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law, and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought; and (iii) the unenforceability under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. To the extent that the obligations of the Company under the Indentures may be dependent upon such matters, we assume for purposes of this opinion that the trustee for each Indenture is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization; that the trustee is duly qualified to engage in the activities contemplated by the applicable Indenture; that the applicable Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the trustee and constitutes a legally valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the trustee, enforceable against the trustee in accordance with its terms; that the trustee is in compliance, generally and with respect to acting as trustee under the applicable Indenture, with all applicable laws and regulations; and that the trustee has the requisite organizational and legal power and authority to perform its obligations under the applicable Indenture. 5 LATHAM & WATKINS FirstMiss Gold Inc. September 8, 1995 Page 5 We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus included therein. Very truly yours, LATHAM & WATKINS EX-5.(B) 3 OPINION OF MARSHALL, HILL, CASSAS & DE LIPKAU 1 EXHIBIT 5(b) [MARSHALL HILL CASSAS & de LIPKAU LETTERHEAD] October 30, 1995 FirstMiss Gold Inc. 6025 South Quebec Street Suite 310 Englewood, Colorado 80111 Re: $200,000,000 Aggregate Offering Price of Securities of FirstMiss Gold Inc. Ladies and Gentlemen: We have acted as special Nevada counsel to FirstMiss Gold Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), in connection with a registration statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") being filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company has provided us with a draft prospectus (the "Prospectus") which is a part of the Registration Statement. The Prospectus provides that it will be supplemented in the future by one or more supplements to the Prospectus (each a "Prospectus Supplement"). The Prospectus as supplemented by a various Prospectus Supplements will provide for the registration by the Company of up to $200,000,000 aggregate offering price of (i) one or more series of senior, senior subordinated or subordinated debt securities (the "Debt Securities"), (ii) one or more series of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Preferred Stock"), (iii) shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), or (iv) warrants to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the "Warrants"). The Debt Securities, Preferred Stock, Common Stock and Warrants are collectively referred to herein as the "Securities." Any Debt Securities and Preferred Stock may be exchangeable and/or convertible into shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock. The Debt Securities may be issued pursuant to one or more indentures (collectively, the "Indentures"), in each case between the Company and a trustee. 2 FirstMiss Gold Inc. October 17, 1995 Page 2 In our capacity as Nevada corporate counsel to the Company in connection with the Registration Statement, we are generally familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed to be taken by the Company in connection with the authorization and issuance of the Securities. For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed that such proceedings will be timely and properly completed, in accordance with all requirements of applicable federal and Nevada securities laws, in the manner presently proposed. We have made such legal and factual examinations and inquiries, including an examination of originals and copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of all such documents, corporate records and instruments of the Company as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for purposes of this opinion. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies. We have been furnished with, and with your consent have exclusively relied upon, certificates of officers of the Company with respect to certain factual matter. In addition, we have obtained and relied upon such certificates and assurances from public officials as we have deemed necessary. We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only of the internal laws of the State of Nevada, and we express no opinion herein with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the federal law of the United States, the laws of any other jurisdiction, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state. Subject to the foregoing and other qualifications set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof: 1. The Company has the authority pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation, as amended, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock. When a series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Articles of Incorporation and applicable law, and upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law and upon issuance of delivery of and payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, 3 FirstMiss Gold Inc. October 17, 1995 Page 3 the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of such series of Preferred Stock (including any Preferred Stock duly issued (i) upon the exercise of any Warrants exercisable for Preferred Stock or (ii) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Preferred Stock) will be validly issued under the laws of the State of Nevada, fully paid and nonassessable. 2. The Company has the authority pursuant to its Articles of Incorporation to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of Common Stock. Upon adoption by the Board of Directors of the Company of a resolution in form and content as required by applicable law and upon issuance and delivery of any payment for such shares in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement(s) and by such resolution, such shares of Common Stock (including any Common Stock duly issued (i) upon the exchange or conversion of any shares of Preferred Stock that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock, (ii) upon the exercise of any Warrants exercisable for Common Stock or (iii) upon the exchange or conversion of Debt Securities that are exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock) will be validly issued under the laws of the State of Nevada, fully paid and nonassessable. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus included therein. Very truly yours, /s/ MARSHALL HILL CASSAS & de LIPKAU MARSHALL HILL CASSAS & de LIPKAU DSM:dm -----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----