Apollo And Linear Shareholders Approve Merger To Create Brigus Gold

Apollo Gold Corporation (TSX: APG) (NYSE Amex: AGT) (“Apollo”) and Linear Gold Corp. (TSX: LRR) (“Linear”) report that their shareholders overwhelmingly approved the business combination (“the Merger”) of the two companies to form Brigus Gold Corp. (“Brigus Gold”) at their respective meetings of shareholders earlier today.

Shareholders of Apollo and Linear demonstrated strong support for the Merger with 96% of Apollo’s shareholder votes cast and 99% of Linear’s shareholder votes cast in favour of the transaction.

The Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta has granted a final order approving the Merger by way of a plan of arrangement today.

At Apollo’s annual and special meeting of shareholders, shareholders also approved resolutions to (i) to change the combined entity’s name to Brigus Gold (see new logo on Apollo's website), (ii) consolidate every four Apollo shares to one new share of Brigus Gold, (iii) amend the Apollo stock option incentive plan in order to allow for the issuance of replacement options to former Linear option holders.

Following closing of the Merger and on a post-consolidation basis, Linear shareholders will receive approximately 1.37 Brigus Gold shares for every one Linear share. Brigus Gold will have approximately 129 million common shares and 176 million fully diluted shares outstanding on a post-consolidation basis.

The closing of the Merger is expected to occur on June 25, 2010, subject to satisfaction of customary conditions precedent.

Wade K. Dawe, Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and President of Linear, who will become CEO and President of Brigus Gold upon closing of the Merger, said, “We thank the shareholders of both Linear and Apollo for their strong support of this Merger and for their confidence going forward. We are excited to launch Brigus Gold as a re-branded Canadian gold company and plan to emerge as Canada’s next mid-tier gold producer. We look forward to continuing increases in gold production from our flagship Black Fox Mine, and will pursue additional growth opportunities through our development pipeline as well as new opportunities.”