SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Meridian Gold Inc.
------------------------------
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
------------------------------
(Title of Class of Securities)
589975101
-----------------
(CUSIP Number)
December 31,1997
---------------------------------
(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which
this Schedule is filed:
|X| Rule 13d-1(b)
|_| Rule 13d-1(c)
|_| Rule 13d-1(d)
* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a
reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to
the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment
containing information which would alter the disclosures provided
in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page
shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise
subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall
be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
<PAGE>
- ---------------------------- -----------------------------
CUSIP No. 589975101 13G Page 2 of 7 Pages
- ---------------------------- -----------------------------
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
1. NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Royal Mutual Funds Inc.
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
2. CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a)|_|
(b)|_|
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
3. SEC USE ONLY
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
4. CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
The jurisdiction of organization is Canada (federally
incorporated company)
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
5. SOLE VOTING POWER
--------------------------------------------------------
NUMBER OF 6. SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES 8,640,100
BENEFICIALLY --------------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY 7. SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
REPORTING --------------------------------------------------------
PERSON WITH 8. SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
8,640,100
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
9. AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING
PERSON
8,640,100
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
10. CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
CERTAIN SHARES* |_|
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
11. PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
11.7%
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
12. TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IA
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
* SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
Item 1(a) Name of Issuer:
Meridian Gold Inc.
Item 1(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
Meridian Gold Inc.
5011 Meadowood Way
Reno, Nevada 89502
(702) 827-3777
Item 2(a) Name of Person Filing:
Royal Mutual Funds Inc.
Item 2(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence:
Royal Mutual Funds Inc.
Royal Trust Tower, P.O. Box 7500, Station A
77 King Street West
Toronto, Ontario M5W 1P9
Item 2(c) Citizenship:
Canada
Item 2(d) Title of Class of Securities:
Common Stock
Item 2(e) CUSIP Number:
589975101
<PAGE>
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Sections
240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the
person filing is a:
(a) |_| Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the
Act (15 U.S.C. 78o).
(b) |_| Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c).
(c) |_| Insurance Company as defined in Section 3(a)(19)
of the Act (15 U.S.C.78c).
(d) |_| Investment Company registered under Section 8 of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C.8a-8).
(e) |X| An Investment Adviser in accordance with
Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);*
(f) |_| An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in
accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);
(g) |_| A parent holding company or control person in
accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);
(h) |_| A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);
(i) |_| A church plan that is excluded from the definition of
an investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);
(j) |_| Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).
If this statement is filed pursuant to Section 240.13d-1(c),
Check this box |_|;
* RMFI is a foreign Investment Advisor that has received
no-action relief to file on Schedule 13G as a "Qualified
Institutional Investor".
Item 4. Ownership.
(a) Amount beneficially owned:
8,640,100
(b) Percent of class:
11.7%
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote
8,640,100
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of
8,640,100
<PAGE>
Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as
of the date hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the
beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of
securities, check the following [ ].
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person.
RMFI, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of
Canada, is the manager of accounts and has delegated its
investment management duties to Royal Bank Investment Management
Inc. ("RBIM"). RBIM is known to have the right to receive or the
power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds
from, the sale of securities in such accounts. No such account
holds more than 5 percent of the class.
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on by the Parent
Holding Company.
N/A
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.
N/A
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group.
N/A
Item 10. Certification.
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were
not acquired and are not held for the purpose of and do not have
the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer
of such securities and were not acquired and are not held in
connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
such purpose or effect.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge
and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.
Wednesday, February 25, 1998
------------------------------
(Date)
/s/ Simon Lewis
------------------------------
(Signature)
Simon Lewis/President
------------------------------
(Name/Title)
EXHIBIT A TO SCHEDULE 13G
ROYAL MUTUAL FUNDS INC.
I, D'Arcy Chadwick, duly elected and acting Corporate Secretary
of Royal Mutual Funds Inc., a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of Canada (the "Corporation"), hereby certify that
Simon Lewis, President, is authorized to sign reports to be filed
under Sections 13 and 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
on effect of this date.
RESOLVED that any and all actions to be taken, caused to be
taken or heretofore taken by any officer of the Corporation in
executing any and all documents, agreements and instruments and
in taking any and all steps (including the payment of all
expenses) deemed by such officer as necessary or desirable to
carry out the intents and purposes of the foregoing resolutions
are authorized, ratified and confirmed.
IN WITNESS HEREOF, I have hereunto set my name and affixed
the seal of the Corporation as of the 25th day of February, 1998.
/s/ D'Arcy Chadwick
-----------------------
Corporate Secretary
[seal]
