Sept 24 (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO :
* BARRICK GOLD CORP RANDGOLD RESOURCES - RECOMMENDED MERGER OF BARRICK AND RANDGOLD
* SAYS UNDER TERMS OF MERGER, EACH RANDGOLD SHAREHOLDER WILL RECEIVE: 6.1280 NEW BARRICK SHARES FOR EACH RANDGOLD SHARE
* SAYS AFTER DEAL COMPLETION, RANDGOLD SHAREHOLDERS TO BE ENTITLED TO GET & RETAIN ANY BARRICK DIVIDENDS WITH RECORD DATE AFTER EFFECTIVE DATE
* SAYS NEW BARRICK GROUP INTENDS TO GROW ITS DIVIDEND FROM BARRICK LEVEL FOR FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2018 OVER TIME
* SAYS MARK BRISTOW, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF RANDGOLD, WILL BECOME PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF NEW BARRICK GROUP.
* SAYS JOHN L. THORNTON, EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF BARRICK, WILL BECOME EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF NEW BARRICK GROUP
* SAYS TWO-THIRDS DIRECTORS OF NEW BARRICK GROUP TO BE INITIALLY APPOINTED BY BARRICK AND ONE-THIRD TO BE INITIALLY APPOINTED BY RANDGOLD