NEWMONT MINING CORP
8-A12B, EX-4, 2000-09-06
GOLD AND SILVER ORES
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               ---------------------------------------------------

                           NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION


                                       and


                             CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
                                  SERVICES LLC


                                Rights Agreement

                           Dated as of August 31, 2000

               ---------------------------------------------------




<PAGE>


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                -----------------

                                                                     Page
                                                                    Number
                                                                    ------

Section 1.  Definitions................................................1

Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent................................4

Section 3.  Issue of Right Certificates................................4

Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates.................................5

Section 5.  Countersignature and Registration..........................6

Section 6.  Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right
            Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen
            Right Certificates.........................................6

Section 7.  Exercise of Rights; Purchase Price; Expiration Date
            of Rights..................................................7

Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.........8

Section 9.  Availability of Preferred Shares...........................8

Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date...............................8

Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or
            Number of Rights...........................................9

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of
            Shares....................................................14

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets
            or Earning Power..........................................15

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares...................15

Section 15. Rights of Action..........................................17

Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders................................17

Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.........17

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent...............................18

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights
            Agent.....................................................18

                                      -i-

<PAGE>

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent....................................19

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent....................................21

Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates........................21

Section 23. Redemption................................................22

Section 24. Exchange..................................................22

Section 25. Notice of Certain Events..................................23

Section 26. Notices...................................................24

Section 27. Supplements and Amendments................................25

Section 28. Successors................................................25

Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement................................25

Section 30. Severability..............................................25

Section 31. Governing Law.............................................25

Section 32. Counterparts..............................................26

Section 33. Descriptive Headings......................................26

Signatures............................................................27



Exhibit A   -    Form of Certificate of Designations

Exhibit B   -    Form of Right Certificate

Exhibit C   -    Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares

                                      -ii-

<PAGE>

            Agreement, dated as of August 31, 2000, between Newmont Mining
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and ChaseMellon Shareholder
Services LLC, a New Jersey limited liability company as rights agent (the
"Rights Agent").

            The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a
dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a "Right") for each Common Share
(as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on September 11, 2000 (the
"Record Date"), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-thousandth
of a Preferred Share (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the
conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the
issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become
outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date,
the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter
defined).

            Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual
agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

            Section  1.  Definitions.   For  purposes  of  this  Agreement,  the
                         -----------
following terms have the meanings indicated:

            (a) "Acquiring Person" shall mean any Person who or which,  together
                 ----------------
with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, shall be the Beneficial Owner
of 15% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then  outstanding,  but shall
not include the Company,  any  Subsidiary of the Company,  any employee  benefit
plan of the Company or any  Subsidiary  of the  Company,  or any entity  holding
Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the
foregoing,  no Person  shall  become an  "Acquiring  Person" as the result of an
acquisition  of Common  Shares by the Company  which,  by reducing the number of
Common Shares of the Company outstanding,  increases the proportionate number of
Common Shares of the Company beneficially owned by such Person to 15% or more of
the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding; provided, however, that, if a
                                                   --------  -------
Person shall become the Beneficial  Owner of 15% or more of the Common Shares of
the Company  then  outstanding  by reason of share  purchases by the Company and
shall, after such share purchases by the Company, become the Beneficial Owner of
any additional Common Shares of the Company, then such Person shall be deemed to
be an  "Acquiring  Person."  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  if the  Board  of
Directors  of the  Company  determines  in good  faith  that a Person  who would
otherwise  be an  "Acquiring  Person,"  as  defined  pursuant  to the  foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (a), has become such inadvertently, and such Person
divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient  number of Common Shares so that
such Person would no longer be an "Acquiring Person," as defined pursuant to the
foregoing provisions of this paragraph (a), then such Person shall not be deemed
to be an "Acquiring Person" for any purposes of this Agreement.

            (b) "Affiliate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
                 ---------
12b-2 of the General Rules and  Regulations  under the Exchange Act as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.

            (c) "Associate" shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule
                 ---------
12b-2 of the General Rules and  Regulations  under the Exchange Act as in effect
on the date of this Agreement.

<PAGE>

            (d) A Person shall be deemed the "Beneficial  Owner" of and shall be
deemed to "beneficially own" any securities:

            (i)   which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
      Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

            (ii) which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
      Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable
      immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement,
      arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and
      between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide
                                                                       ---- ----
      public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights,
      exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or
      otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the
                 --------  -------
      Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, securities tendered pursuant
      to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any
      of such Person's Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities
      are accepted for purchase or exchange; or (B) the right to vote pursuant
      to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a
                                                      --------  -------
      Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially
      own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote
      such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to
      such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made
      pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations
      promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on
      Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor
      report); or

            (iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any
      other Person with which such Person or any of such Person's Affiliates or
      Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than
      customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group
      members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the
      purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated
      by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B) hereof) or disposing of any
      securities of the Company.

            Notwithstanding anything in this definition of Beneficial Ownership
to the contrary, the phrase "then outstanding," when used with reference to a
Person's Beneficial Ownership of securities of the Company, shall mean the
number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number
of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person
would be deemed to own beneficially hereunder.

            (e)  "Business  Day"  shall mean any day other  than a  Saturday,  a
                  -------------
Sunday,  or a day on which  banking  institutions  in the  State of New York are
authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

            (f)  "Close of  Business"  on any given  date  shall mean 5:00 P.M.,
                  ------------------
Eastern Standard time, on such date;  provided,  however,  that, if such date is
                                      --------   -------
not a Business Day, it shall mean 5:00 P.M.,  Eastern Standard time, on the next
succeeding Business Day.

                                      -2-

<PAGE>

            (g) "Common  Shares" when used with  reference to the Company  shall
                 --------------
mean the shares of common  stock,  par value  $1.60 per share,  of the  Company.
"Common  Shares"  when used with  reference to any Person other than the Company
shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power
of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person,
the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

            (h) "Distribution  Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 ------------------
3(a) hereof.

            (i) "Exchange Act" shall mean the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
                 ------------
as amended.

            (j)  "Exchange  Ratio"  shall have the  meaning set forth in Section
                  ---------------
24(a) hereof.

            (k) "Final  Expiration  Date"  shall have the  meaning  set forth in
                 -----------------------
Section 7(a) hereof.

            (l)  "NASDAQ"  shall mean the  National  Association  of  Securities
                  ------
Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotation System.

            (m)  "Person"  shall  mean  any   individual,   firm,   corporation,
                  ------
partnership,  limited  liability  company,  joint venture,  trust,  association,
unincorporated organization or other entity, and shall include any successor (by
merger or otherwise) of such entity.

            (n)  "Preferred  Shares"  shall  mean  shares  of  Series  A  Junior
                  -----------------
Participating  Preferred Stock, par value $5.00 per share, of the Company having
the rights and  preferences set forth in the Form of Certificate of Designations
attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.
                              ---------

            (o)  "Purchase  Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4
                  ---------------
hereof.

            (p)  "Record  Date"  shall have the  meaning set forth in the second
                  ------------
paragraph hereof.

            (q)  "Redemption  Date"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                  ----------------
7(a) hereof.

            (r)  "Redemption  Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                  -----------------
23(a) hereof.

            (s) "Right" shall have the meaning set forth in the second paragraph
                 -----
hereof.


            (t) "Right  Certificate" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 ------------------
3(a) hereof.

            (u)  "Shares  Acquisition  Date" shall mean the first date of public
                  -------------------------
announcement by the Company or an Acquiring  Person that an Acquiring Person has
become such.

                                      -3-

<PAGE>

            (v)  "Subsidiary"  of any Person shall mean any corporation or other
                  ----------
entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting  equity  securities
or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

            (w) "Summary of Rights"  shall have the meaning set forth in Section
                 -----------------
3(b) hereof.

            (x) "Trading  Day" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11(d)
                 ------------
hereof.


            Section 2.  Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints
                        ---------------------------
the Rights  Agent to act as agent for the Company in  accordance  with the terms
and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The
Company  may from  time to time  appoint  such  co-Rights  Agents as it may deem
necessary or desirable  upon ten (10) days' prior  written  notice to the Rights
Agent.  The Rights Agent shall have no duty to supervise,  and in no event shall
be liable for, the acts or omissions of any such co-Rights Agent.

            Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earlier of (i)
                       ---------------------------
the tenth day after the Shares  Acquisition  Date or (ii) the tenth Business Day
(or such later date as may be  determined by action of the Board of Directors of
the Company prior to such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring  Person) after
the  date of the  commencement  by any  Person  (other  than  the  Company,  any
Subsidiary  of the Company,  any employee  benefit plan of the Company or of any
Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares of the Company for
or  pursuant  to the terms of any such plan) of a tender or  exchange  offer the
consummation of which would result in any Person  becoming the Beneficial  Owner
of Common Shares of the Company  aggregating 15% or more of the then outstanding
Common Shares of the Company (including any such date which is after the date of
this  Agreement  and prior to the  issuance of the  Rights;  the earlier of such
dates being herein referred to as the "Distribution  Date"), (x) the Rights will
                                       ------------------
be  evidenced  (subject  to  the  provisions  of  Section  3(b)  hereof)  by the
certificates  for Common  Shares of the Company  registered  in the names of the
holders  thereof  (which   certificates   shall  also  be  deemed  to  be  Right
Certificates)  and not by  separate  Right  Certificates,  and (y) the  right to
receive Right  Certificates  will be  transferable  only in connection  with the
transfer of Common Shares of the Company.  The Company must promptly  notify the
Rights Agent of the occurrence of a  Distribution  Date and request the transfer
agent to provide the Rights Agent a  shareholders  list. As soon as  practicable
after the Rights Agent receives notice of a Distribution Date and a shareholders
list, the Company will prepare and execute,  the Rights Agent will  countersign,
and the Company  will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights  Agent  will,  if
requested, send) by first-class,  insured,  postage-prepaid mail, to each record
holder  of Common  Shares of the  Company  as of the  Close of  Business  on the
Distribution  Date,  at the address of such  holder  shown on the records of the
Company, a Right  Certificate,  in substantially the form of Exhibit B hereto (a
                                                             ---------
"Right Certificate"),  evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of
 -----------------
the  Distribution  Date,  the  Rights  will be  evidenced  solely by such  Right
Certificates.

            (b) On the Record Date, or as soon as practicable thereafter, the
Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares, in
substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the "Summary of Rights"), by
                          ---------              -----------------
first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of
the Close of Business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on
the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares of

                                      -4-

<PAGE>

the Company outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the
Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the
holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto.
Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final
Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common
Shares of the Company outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of
the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of
the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company represented thereby.

            (c)  Certificates   for  Common  Shares  which  become   outstanding
(including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last
sentence of this  paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest
of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall
have  impressed  on,  printed on,  written on or  otherwise  affixed to them the
following legend:

      This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain
      rights as set forth in a Rights Agreement between Newmont Mining
      Corporation and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services LLC, dated as of August
      31, 2000, as it may be amended from time to time (the "Agreement"), the
      terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of
      which is on file at the principal executive offices of Newmont Mining
      Corporation. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Agreement,
      such Rights (as defined in the Agreement) will be evidenced by separate
      certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. Newmont
      Mining Corporation will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of
      the Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request therefor.
      As set forth in the Agreement, Rights beneficially owned by any Person (as
      defined in the Agreement) who becomes an Acquiring Person (as defined in
      the Agreement) shall become null and void.

With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the
Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone,
and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the
transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company
represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any
Common Shares of the Company after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution
Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares of the Company shall be
deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to
exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares of the Company which are
no longer outstanding.

            Section 4.  Form of Right Certificates.  The Right Certificates (and
                        --------------------------
the forms of election  to  purchase  Preferred  Shares and of  assignment  to be
printed on the reverse  thereof)  shall be  substantially  the same as Exhibit B
                                                                       ---------
hereto,  and may have  such  marks of  identification  or  designation  and such
legends,  summaries  or  endorsements  printed  thereon as the  Company may deem
appropriate which do not affect the rights,  duties or  responsibilities  of the
Rights Agent and as are not inconsistent  with the provisions of this Agreement,
or as may be required to comply with any  applicable  law or with any applicable
rule or  regulation  made  pursuant  thereto  or  with  any  applicable  rule or
regulation  of any stock  exchange or the  National  Association  of  Securities
Dealers,  Inc., or to conform to usage.  Subject to the provisions of Section 22
hereof,  the Right  Certificates  shall entitle the holders  thereof to purchase
such number of one  one-

                                      -5-

<PAGE>

thousandths of a Preferred  Share as shall be set forth therein at the price per
one  one-thousandth  of a  Preferred  Share set  forth  therein  (the  "Purchase
                                                                        --------
Price"), but the number of such one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share and the
-----
Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

            Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates
                       ---------------------------------
shall be  executed on behalf of the  Company by its  Chairman of the Board,  its
Chief  Executive  Officer,  its  President,  any of its Vice  Presidents  or its
Treasurer, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto
the  Company's  seal or a  facsimile  thereof,  and  shall  be  attested  by the
Secretary  or an  Assistant  Secretary  of the  Company,  either  manually or by
facsimile signature.  The Right Certificates shall be manually  countersigned by
the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In
case  any  officer  of the  Company  who  shall  have  signed  any of the  Right
Certificates   shall   cease  to  be  such   officer  of  the   Company   before
countersignature  by the Rights  Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company,
such Right Certificates,  nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent
and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though
the  individual  who signed  such Right  Certificates  had not ceased to be such
officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the
Company by any individual who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right
Certificate,  shall  be a proper  officer  of the  Company  to sign  such  Right
Certificate,  although at the date of the  execution of this  Agreement any such
individual was not such an officer.

            Following the Distribution Date and receipt by the Rights Agent of
the notice and list of record holders of Rights referred to in Section 3(a), the
Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its office, designated for such
purpose, pursuant to Section 26 hereof, books for registration and transfer of
the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and
addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of
Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of
each of the Right Certificates.

            Section  6.  Transfer,  Split Up,  Combination and Exchange of Right
                         -------------------------------------------------------
Certificates;  Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates.  Subject
----------------------------------------------------------------------
to the provisions of Section 14 hereof,  at any time after the Close of Business
on the  Distribution  Date,  and at or prior to the  Close  of  Business  on the
earlier  of the  Redemption  Date  or  the  Final  Expiration  Date,  any  Right
Certificate or Right Certificates  (other than Right  Certificates  representing
Rights that have become null and void  pursuant to Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof or
that have been  exchanged  pursuant  to Section 24 hereof)  may be  transferred,
split  up,  combined  or  exchanged  for  another  Right  Certificate  or  Right
Certificates  entitling the  registered  holder to purchase a like number of one
one-thousandths  of  a  Preferred  Share  as  the  Right  Certificate  or  Right
Certificates  surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase.  Any registered
holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate
or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights
Agent,  and shall  surrender the Right  Certificate or Right  Certificates to be
transferred,  split up,  combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent
designated  for such purpose.  Neither the Rights Agent nor the Company shall be
obligated to take any action whatsoever with respect to the transfer of any such
surrendered  Rights  Certificate until the registered holder shall have properly
completed and signed the certificate  contained in the form of assignment on the
reverse  side of such  Rights  Certificate.  Thereupon  the Rights  Agent  shall
countersign  and deliver to the Person entitled  thereto a Right  Certificate or
Right Certificates, as

                                      -6-

<PAGE>

the case may be, as so  requested.  The  Company  may  require  payment of a sum
sufficient  to cover  any tax or  governmental  charge  that may be  imposed  in
connection  with any  transfer,  split  up,  combination  or  exchange  of Right
Certificates.  The  Rights  Agent  shall have no duty or  obligation  under this
Section 6 or any other similar  provision of this Agreement  unless and until it
is satisfied that all such taxes and/or  governmental  charges have been paid in
full.

            Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence
satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right
Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or
security satisfactory to them, and, at the Company's request, reimbursement to
the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto,
and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate
if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like
tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the
Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

            Section 7.  Exercise of Rights;  Purchase Price;  Expiration Date of
                        --------------------------------------------------------
Rights.  (a) The  registered  holder of any Right  Certificate  may exercise the
------
Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise  provided herein),  in whole or in
part,  at any time after the  Distribution  Date,  upon  surrender  of the Right
Certificate,  with the form of election to purchase on the reverse  side thereof
duly executed,  to the Rights Agent at the office of the Rights Agent designated
for such  purpose,  together  with  payment of the  Purchase  Price for each one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share as to which the Rights are exercised,  at or
prior to the  earliest of (i) the Close of Business on  September  11, 2010 (the
"Final  Expiration  Date"),  (ii) the time at which the Rights are  redeemed  as
 -----------------------
provided  in Section 23 hereof  (the  "Redemption  Date"),  or (iii) the time at
                                       ----------------
which such Rights are exchanged as provided in Section 24 hereof.

            (b) The Purchase Price for each one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share purchasable pursuant to the exercise of a Right shall initially be $100,
and shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Section 11
or 13 hereof, and shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of
America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

            (c) Upon  receipt of a Right  Certificate  representing  exercisable
Rights,  with the form of election to purchase  duly  executed,  accompanied  by
payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal
to any applicable  transfer or like tax or  governmental  charge  required to be
paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof
by certified  check,  cashier's check or money order payable to the order of the
Company,  the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) (A) requisition from any
transfer agent of the Preferred Shares  certificates for the number of Preferred
Shares to be purchased and the Company  hereby  irrevocably  authorizes any such
transfer agent to comply with all such  requests,  or (B)  requisition  from the
depositary  agent   depositary   receipts   representing   such  number  of  one
one-thousandths  of a  Preferred  Share as are to be  purchased  (in which  case
certificates  for the Preferred  Shares  represented  by such receipts  shall be
deposited by the transfer  agent of the  Preferred  Shares with such  depositary
agent) and the Company hereby directs such depositary  agent to comply with such
request; (ii) when necessary to comply with this Agreement, requisition from the
Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of  fractional  shares
in  accordance  with Section 14 hereof;  (iii)  promptly  after  receipt of such
certificates or depositary  receipts,  cause the same to be delivered to or upon
the order of the registered holder of such Right

                                      -7-

<PAGE>

Certificate,  registered  in such  name or  names as may be  designated  by such
holder;  and (iv) when necessary to comply with this  Agreement,  after receipt,
promptly deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such
Right Certificate.

            (d) In case the  registered  holder of any Right  Certificate  shall
exercise less than all the Rights  evidenced  thereby,  a new Right  Certificate
evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued
by the Rights Agent to registered  holder of such Right  Certificate  or to such
holder's  duly  authorized  assigns,  subject  to the  provisions  of Section 14
hereof.

            Section 8.  Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates.  All
                        --------------------------------------------------
Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise,  transfer, split up,
combination  or exchange  shall,  if surrendered to the Company or to any of its
agents,  be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form,
or, if surrendered  to the Rights Agent,  shall be cancelled by it, and no Right
Certificates  shall be issued in lieu thereof  except as expressly  permitted by
any of the provisions of this Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights
Agent for cancellation and retirement,  and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and
retire,  any other  Right  Certificate  purchased  or  acquired  by the  Company
otherwise  than upon the exercise  thereof.  The Rights Agent shall  deliver all
cancelled Right Certificates to the Company, or shall, at the written request of
the Company, destroy such cancelled Right Certificates, and, in such case, shall
deliver a certificate of destruction thereof to the Company.

            Section  9.  Availability of Preferred Shares. The Company covenants
                         --------------------------------
and  agrees  that it will cause to be  reserved  and kept  available  out of its
authorized  and unissued  Preferred  Shares or any Preferred  Shares held in its
treasury the number of Preferred  Shares that will be  sufficient  to permit the
exercise in full of all outstanding  Rights in accordance with Section 7 hereof.
The  Company  covenants  and agrees  that it will take all such action as may be
necessary to ensure that all Preferred  Shares delivered upon exercise of Rights
shall,  at the time of delivery of the  certificates  for such Preferred  Shares
(subject to payment of the Purchase Price),  be duly and validly  authorized and
issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

            The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due
and payable any and all transfer or like taxes and charges which may be payable
in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any
Preferred Shares upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be
required to pay any transfer or like tax or governmental charge which may be
payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a Person
other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts
for the Preferred Shares in a name other than that of, the registered holder of
the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or
to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Shares upon the
exercise of any Rights until any such tax or governmental charge shall have been
paid (any such tax or governmental charge being payable by the holder of such
Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to
the Company's reasonable satisfaction that no such tax or charge is due.

            Section 10.  Preferred Shares Record Date. Each Person in whose name
                         ----------------------------
any certificate for Preferred Shares is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall
for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the  Preferred
Shares  represented  thereby on, and

                                      -8-

<PAGE>

such  certificate  shall be  dated,  the date upon  which the Right  Certificate
evidencing  such Rights was duly  surrendered  and payment of the Purchase Price
(and any  applicable  transfer  or like taxes or  charges)  was made;  provided,
                                                                       --------
however,  that,  if the date of such  surrender and payment is a date upon which
-------
the Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company are closed, such Person shall
be  deemed  to have  become  the  record  holder  of such  shares  on,  and such
certificate  shall be  dated,  the next  succeeding  Business  Day on which  the
Preferred  Shares transfer books of the Company are open.  Prior to the exercise
of the Rights evidenced thereby,  the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be
entitled  to any  rights of a holder of  Preferred  Shares  for which the Rights
shall be  exercisable,  including,  without  limitation,  the right to vote,  to
receive dividends or other  distributions or to exercise any preemptive  rights,
and shall not be  entitled  to  receive  any  notice of any  proceedings  of the
Company, except as provided herein.

            Section 11. Adjustment of Purchase Price, Number of Shares or Number
                        --------------------------------------------------------
of Rights.  The Purchase Price,  the number of Preferred  Shares covered by each
---------
Right and the number of Rights  outstanding  are subject to adjustment from time
to time as provided in this Section 11.

            (a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after the date of
this  Agreement  (A)  declare a  dividend  on the  Preferred  Shares  payable in
Preferred Shares,  (B) subdivide the outstanding  Preferred Shares,  (C) combine
the outstanding  Preferred  Shares into a smaller number of Preferred  Shares or
(D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred
Shares (including any such  reclassification  in connection with a consolidation
or merger in which the  Company is the  continuing  or  surviving  corporation),
except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect
at the time of the record  date for such  dividend or of the  effective  date of
such subdivision,  combination or  reclassification,  and the number and kind of
shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted
so that the holder of any Right  exercised  after such time shall be entitled to
receive the aggregate  number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such
Right had been exercised  immediately  prior to such date and at a time when the
Preferred Shares transfer books of the Company were open, such holder would have
owned  upon  such  exercise  and been  entitled  to  receive  by  virtue of such
dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification;  provided, however, that
                                                         --------  -------
in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the exercise of one Right be
less than the  aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company
issuable upon exercise of one Right.

            (ii) Subject to Section 24 hereof, in the event any Person becomes
an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right shall thereafter have a right to
receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase
Price multiplied by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement and in lieu of Preferred Shares, such number of Common Shares of the
Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current
Purchase Price by the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share for
which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the
then current per share market price of the Common Shares of the Company
(determined pursuant to Section 11(d) hereof) on the date of the occurrence of
such event. In the event that any Person shall become an Acquiring Person and
the Rights shall then be outstanding, the Company shall not take any action
which would eliminate or diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the
Rights.

                                      -9-

<PAGE>

            From and after the occurrence of such event,  any Rights that are or
were acquired or beneficially owned by any Acquiring Person (or any Associate or
Affiliate of such  Acquiring  Person) shall be null and void,  and any holder of
such Rights  shall  thereafter  have no right to exercise  such Rights under any
provision of this Agreement.  No Right  Certificate  shall be issued pursuant to
Section 3 hereof  that  represents  Rights  beneficially  owned by an  Acquiring
Person whose Rights would be null and void pursuant to the preceding sentence or
any Associate or Affiliate thereof;  no Right Certificate shall be issued at any
time upon the transfer of any Rights to an  Acquiring  Person whose Rights would
be null  and  void  pursuant  to the  preceding  sentence  or any  Associate  or
Affiliate  thereof or to any  nominee of such  Acquiring  Person,  Associate  or
Affiliate;  and any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer
to an  Acquiring  Person  whose  Rights  would be null and void  pursuant to the
preceding sentence shall be cancelled.

            (iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient  Common Shares
issued but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in
full of the Rights in accordance with subparagraph (ii) above, the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize  additional  Common Shares
for issuance upon exercise of the Rights. In the event the Company shall,  after
good faith  effort,  be unable to take all such  action as may be  necessary  to
authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute,  for each
Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exercise of a Right, a number
of Preferred  Shares or fraction  thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred  Share  multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the  current  per  share  market  price  of one  Common  Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof. The Company shall provide
the Rights  Agent  notice of any  substitution  made  pursuant  to this  Section
11(a)(iii).

            (b) In case the Company  shall fix a record date for the issuance of
rights,  options or warrants to all holders of Preferred  Shares  entitling them
(for a period  expiring  within 45  calendar  days  after such  record  date) to
subscribe  for or purchase  Preferred  Shares (or shares having the same rights,
privileges  and  preferences  as the  Preferred  Shares  ("equivalent  preferred
                                                           ---------------------
shares"))  or  securities   convertible  into  Preferred  Shares  or  equivalent
------
preferred  shares at a price per Preferred  Share or equivalent  preferred share
(or  having a  conversion  price  per  share,  if a  security  convertible  into
Preferred Shares or equivalent  preferred shares) less than the then current per
share market price of the Preferred Shares (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such
record date,  the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be
determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such
record  date by a  fraction,  the  numerator  of which  shall be the  number  of
Preferred  Shares  outstanding  on such record date plus the number of Preferred
Shares  which the  aggregate  offering  price of the total  number of  Preferred
Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate
initial  conversion price of the convertible  securities so to be offered) would
purchase at such current market price and the  denominator of which shall be the
number of Preferred  Shares  outstanding  on such record date plus the number of
additional Preferred Shares and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for
subscription  or purchase  (or into which the  convertible  securities  so to be
offered are initially  convertible);  provided,  however, that in no event shall
                                      --------   -------
the  consideration  to be paid upon the  exercise  of one Right be less than the
aggregate par value of the shares of capital stock of the Company  issuable upon
exercise  of one  Right.  In  case  such  subscription  price  may be  paid in a
consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value
of such  consideration  shall be as  determined  in good  faith by the  Board of
Directors  of  the  Company,  whose  determination  shall  be  described,   with
reasonable  detail,  in a  statement  filed with the  Rights  Agent

                                      -10-

<PAGE>

and shall be binding on the holders of the Rights.  Preferred Shares owned by or
held for the  account of the  Company  shall not be deemed  outstanding  for the
purpose of any such  computation.  Such  adjustment  shall be made  successively
whenever  such a record  date is  fixed;  and,  in the event  that such  rights,
options or warrants are not so issued,  the Purchase  Price shall be adjusted to
be the Purchase  Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not
been fixed.

            (c) In case the Company  shall fix a record date for the making of a
distribution  to all  holders  of  the  Preferred  Shares  (including  any  such
distribution  made in  connection  with a  consolidation  or merger in which the
Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness
or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in
Preferred Shares) or subscription  rights or warrants  (excluding those referred
to in Section  11(b)  hereof),  the  Purchase  Price to be in effect  after such
record date shall be  determined  by  multiplying  the Purchase  Price in effect
immediately  prior to such  record date by a fraction,  the  numerator  of which
shall be the then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such
record  date,  less the fair market  value (as  determined  in good faith by the
Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described,  with
reasonable  detail,  in a  statement  filed with the  Rights  Agent and shall be
binding on the holders of the Rights) of the portion of the assets or  evidences
of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription  rights or warrants
applicable to one  Preferred  Share and the  denominator  of which shall be such
then-current per share market price of the Preferred Shares on such record date;
provided,  however, that in no event shall the consideration to be paid upon the
--------   -------
exercise  of one Right be less  than the  aggregate  par value of the  shares of
capital  stock of the  Company to be issued  upon  exercise  of one Right.  Such
adjustments  shall be made  successively  whenever  such a record date is fixed;
and, in the event that such  distribution  is not so made,  the  Purchase  Price
shall again be adjusted to be the  Purchase  Price which would then be in effect
if such record date had not been fixed.

            (d) (i) For the purpose of any computation  hereunder,  the "current
per share market  price" of any security (a  "Security"  for the purpose of this
                                              --------
Section  11(d)(i))  on any date  shall be deemed to be the  average of the daily
closing  prices per share of such Security for the 30  consecutive  Trading Days
immediately prior to such date; provided,  however,  that, in the event that the
                                --------   -------
current per share  market price of the  Security is  determined  during a period
following the  announcement  by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or
distribution  on such Security  payable in shares of such Security or Securities
convertible  into  such  shares,   or  (B)  any   subdivision,   combination  or
reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days
after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date
for such subdivision,  combination or  reclassification,  then, and in each such
case,  the current per share  market  price shall be  appropriately  adjusted to
reflect the current  market price per share  equivalent  of such  Security.  The
closing price for each day shall be the last sale price,  regular way,  reported
at or prior to 4:00 P.M.  Eastern  time or, in case no such sale takes  place on
such day, the average of the bid and asked prices,  regular way,  reported as of
4:00  P.M.   Eastern  time,  in  either  case,  as  reported  in  the  principal
consolidated  transaction  reporting system with respect to securities listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock  Exchange  or, if the  Security is not
listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the
principal  consolidated  transaction reporting system with respect to securities
listed on the principal  national  securities  exchange on which the Security is
listed or admitted  to trading or, if the  Security is not listed or admitted to
trading on any national securities  exchange,  the last quoted price reported at
or prior

                                      -11-

<PAGE>

to 4:00 P.M. Eastern time or, if not so quoted,  the average of the high bid and
low asked  prices in the  over-the-counter  market,  as reported as of 4:00 P.M.
Eastern time by NASDAQ or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date
the Security is not quoted by any such organization,  the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Security  selected by the Board of  Directors  of the  Company.  The term
"Trading  Day"  shall  mean a day on which  the  principal  national  securities
 ------------
exchange on which the  Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the
transaction  of  business,  or, if the  Security  is not listed or  admitted  to
trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

            (ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the "current per
share market price" of the Preferred Shares shall be determined in accordance
with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i). If the Preferred Shares are not
publicly traded, the "current per share market price" of the Preferred Shares
shall be conclusively deemed to be the current per share market price of the
Common Shares as determined pursuant to Section 11(d)(i) hereof (appropriately
adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction
occurring after the date hereof), multiplied by one hundred. If neither the
Common Shares nor the Preferred Shares are publicly held or so listed or traded,
"current per share market price" shall mean the fair value per share as
determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose
determination shall be described, with reasonable detail, in a statement filed
with the Rights Agent.

            (e) No  adjustment  in the Purchase  Price shall be required  unless
such  adjustment  would  require an  increase  or decrease of at least 1% in the
Purchase Price; provided,  however, that any adjustments which by reason of this
                --------   -------
Section  11(e) are not  required  to be made shall be carried  forward and taken
into account in any subsequent  adjustment.  All calculations under this Section
11 shall be made to the nearest  cent or to the nearest one  one-millionth  of a
Preferred Share or one ten-thousandth of any other share or security as the case
may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment
required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three
years from the date of the  transaction  which requires such  adjustment or (ii)
the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

            (f) If, as a result of an adjustment  made pursuant to Section 11(a)
hereof,  the holder of any Right  thereafter  exercised shall become entitled to
receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred  Shares,
thereafter  the number of such other shares so  receivable  upon exercise of any
Right shall be subject to adjustment  from time to time in a manner and on terms
as nearly  equivalent  as  practicable  to the  provisions  with  respect to the
Preferred Shares contained in Section 11(a) through (c) hereof,  inclusive,  and
the  provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 hereof with respect to the Preferred
Shares shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

            (g) All Rights  originally  issued by the Company  subsequent to any
adjustment  made to the Purchase  Price  hereunder  shall  evidence the right to
purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of one one-thousandths of a
Preferred  Share  purchasable  from time to time  hereunder upon exercise of the
Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

            (h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided
in Section 11(i) hereof,  upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result
of  the  calculations  made  in  Sections  11(b)  and  (c)  hereof,  each  Right
outstanding  immediately prior to the making of such

                                      -12-

<PAGE>

adjustment  shall  thereafter  evidence the right to  purchase,  at the adjusted
Purchase  Price,  that  number  of  one  one-thousandths  of a  Preferred  Share
(calculated to the nearest one  one-millionth  of a Preferred Share) obtained by
(A)  multiplying (x) the number of one  one-thousandths  of a share covered by a
Right  immediately  prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect
immediately  prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (B) dividing the
product so  obtained  by the  Purchase  Price in effect  immediately  after such
adjustment of the Purchase Price.

            (i) The Company may elect, on or after the date of any adjustment of
the  Purchase  Price,  to adjust  the number of Rights in  substitution  for any
adjustment in the number of one one-thousandths of a Preferred Share purchasable
upon  the  exercise  of a  Right.  Each of the  Rights  outstanding  after  such
adjustment  of the number of Rights shall be  exercisable  for the number of one
one-thousandths  of  a  Preferred  Share  for  which  a  Right  was  exercisable
immediately  prior to such  adjustment.  Each Right held of record prior to such
adjustment  of  the  number  of  Rights  shall  become  that  number  of  Rights
(calculated to the nearest one ten-thousandth) obtained by dividing the Purchase
Price in effect  immediately  prior to adjustment  of the Purchase  Price by the
Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The
Company shall  promptly give written notice to the Rights Agent and shall make a
public  announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights,  indicating
the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the
adjustment to be made and shall  concurrently  send written notice to the Rights
Agent concerning such adjustment.  This record date may be the date on which the
Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates
have been  issued,  shall be at least 10 days  later than the date of the public
announcement.  If Right  Certificates have been issued,  upon each adjustment of
the number of Rights  pursuant to this  Section  11(i),  the Company  shall,  as
promptly as  practicable,  cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right
Certificates  on such  record  date Right  Certificates  evidencing,  subject to
Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled
as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to
be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the
Right  Certificates  held by such holders prior to the date of  adjustment,  and
upon  surrender  thereof,  if required by the  Company,  new Right  Certificates
evidencing  all the Rights to which such  holders  shall be entitled  after such
adjustment.  Right  Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued,  executed
and countersigned in the manner provided for herein,  and shall be registered in
the names of the  holders of record of Right  Certificates  on the  record  date
specified in the public announcement.

            (j)  Irrespective  of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price
or in the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share issuable upon the
exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued
may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of one one-thousandths
of a Preferred  Share which were  expressed  in the initial  Right  Certificates
issued hereunder.

            (k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing
the Purchase Price below one  one-thousandth  of the then par value,  if any, of
the Preferred  Shares  issuable  upon exercise of the Rights,  the Company shall
take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary
in  order  that the  Company  may  validly  and  legally  issue  fully  paid and
nonassessable Preferred Shares at such adjusted Purchase Price.

                                      -13-

<PAGE>

            (l) In any case in which  this  Section  11  shall  require  that an
adjustment  in the  Purchase  Price be made  effective as of a record date for a
specified  event,  the Company may elect to defer until the  occurrence  of such
event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised after such record date of
the Preferred  Shares and other  capital stock or securities of the Company,  if
any,  issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred  Shares and other
capital stock or securities of the Company,  if any, issuable upon such exercise
on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided,
                                                                       --------
however,  that the  Company  shall  deliver  to such  holder a due bill or other
-------
appropriate instrument evidencing such holder's right to receive such additional
shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such  adjustment.  The Company
shall give the Rights Agent prompt  written  notice of its election to defer the
issuance of Preferred Stock.

            (m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the
Company  shall be entitled to make such  reductions  in the Purchase  Price,  in
addition to those adjustments  expressly  required by this Section 11, as and to
the extent that it, in its sole  discretion,  shall determine to be advisable in
order that any  consolidation or subdivision of the Preferred  Shares,  issuance
wholly for cash of any Preferred  Shares at less than the current  market price,
issuance wholly for cash of Preferred  Shares or securities which by their terms
are  convertible  into  or  exchangeable  for  Preferred  Shares,  dividends  on
Preferred Shares payable in Preferred  Shares or issuance of rights,  options or
warrants  referred to in Section 11(b) hereof,  hereafter made by the Company to
holders of the Preferred Shares shall not be taxable to such stockholders.

            (n) In the event that, at any time after the date of this  Agreement
and prior to the  Distribution  Date,  the Company  shall (i) declare or pay any
dividend  on the  Common  Shares  payable  in Common  Shares,  or (ii)  effect a
subdivision,   combination   or   consolidation   of  the   Common   Shares  (by
reclassification  or otherwise  than by payment of  dividends in Common  Shares)
into a greater or lesser number of Common  Shares,  then, in any such case,  (A)
the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share  purchasable after such
event upon proper  exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the
number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share so purchasable  immediately
prior to such  event by a  fraction,  the  numerator  of which is the  number of
Common Shares  outstanding  immediately before such event and the denominator of
which is the number of Common Shares  outstanding  immediately after such event,
and (B) each Common Share  outstanding  immediately  after such event shall have
issued  with  respect  to it that  number  of Rights  which  each  Common  Share
outstanding  immediately  prior to such event had issued with respect to it. The
adjustments  provided  for in this  Section  11(n)  shall  be made  successively
whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision,  combination
or consolidation is effected.

            Section  12.  Certificate  of Adjusted  Purchase  Price or Number of
                          ------------------------------------------------------
Shares.  Whenever an  adjustment is made as provided in Section 11 or 13 hereof,
------
the  Company  shall  promptly  (a)  prepare a  certificate  setting  forth  such
adjustment and a brief,  reasonably  detailed  statement of the facts accounting
for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent
for the Common Shares or the Preferred  Shares and the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission a copy of such  certificate and (c) if such adjustment  occurs at any
time after the Distribution Date, mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of
a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 25 hereof. The Rights Agent shall
be fully  protected  in relying on any such  certificate  and on any  adjustment
contained  therein,  and  shall  have no duty with  respect  to

                                      -14-

<PAGE>

and shall not be deemed to have  knowledge  of any such  adjustment  unless  and
until it shall have received such a certificate.

            Section 13.  Consolidation,  Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or
                         -------------------------------------------------------
Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly,  at any time after a Person
-------------
has become an Acquiring Person, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge
with and into,  any other  Person,  (b) any Person  shall  consolidate  with the
Company,  or  merge  with  and into the  Company  and the  Company  shall be the
continuing or surviving  corporation of such merger and, in connection with such
merger,  all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for
stock or other  securities  of any other  Person (or the Company) or cash or any
other property,  or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise  transfer (or one or
more of its  Subsidiaries  shall  sell or  otherwise  transfer),  in one or more
transactions,  assets or earning power  aggregating 50% or more of the assets or
earning  power of the  Company  and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a whole) to any
other  Person  other  than  the  Company  or one  or  more  of its  wholly-owned
Subsidiaries,  then, and in each such case,  proper  provision  shall be made so
that (i) each holder of a Right  (except as  otherwise  provided  herein)  shall
thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal
to  the  then  current   Purchase   Price   multiplied  by  the  number  of  one
one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then exercisable,  in
accordance  with the terms of this  Agreement  and in lieu of Preferred  Shares,
such  number of Common  Shares of such other  Person  (including  the Company as
successor  thereto or as the  surviving  corporation)  as shall equal the result
obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of one
one-thousandths  of a Preferred Share for which a Right is then  exercisable and
dividing  that  product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of
the Common  Shares of such other Person  (determined  pursuant to Section  11(d)
hereof)  on the date of  consummation  of such  consolidation,  merger,  sale or
transfer;  (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for,
and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all
the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement;  (iii) the
term "Company" shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such
issuer shall take such steps (including,  but not limited to, the reservation of
a sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in
connection  with  such  consummation  as may be  necessary  to  assure  that the
provisions  hereof shall  thereafter be applicable,  as nearly as reasonably may
be, in relation to the Common Shares of the Company thereafter  deliverable upon
the  exercise  of  the  Rights.  The  Company  shall  not  consummate  any  such
consolidation,  merger, sale or transfer unless,  prior thereto, the Company and
such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental
agreement so providing. Pursuant to Section 27 hereof, the prior written consent
of the Rights Agent must be obtained in  connection  with any such  supplemental
agreement that alters the right,  duties or obligations of the Rights Agent. The
Company  shall not enter into any  transaction  of the kind  referred to in this
Section 13 if at the time of such  transaction  there are any rights,  warrants,
instruments or securities  outstanding or any agreements or arrangements  which,
as a  result  of the  consummation  of  such  transaction,  would  eliminate  or
substantially  diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.  The
provisions of this Section 13 shall  similarly  apply to  successive  mergers or
consolidations or sales or other transfers. The Rights Agent may rely, and shall
be  fully  authorized  and  protected  in  relying,  on  a  certificate  of  the
Corporation stating that the provisions of Section 13 have been fulfilled.

            Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares. (a) The Company
                        ---------------------------------------
shall not be  required  to issue  fractions  of Rights  or to  distribute  Right
Certificates  which  evidence

                                      -15-

<PAGE>

fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the
registered  holders  of  the  Right  Certificates  with  regard  to  which  such
fractional  Rights would  otherwise be issuable,  an amount in cash equal to the
same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right.  For the purposes of
this  Section  14(a),  the  current  market  value of a whole Right shall be the
closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on
which such  fractional  Rights would have been otherwise  issuable.  The closing
price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such
sale takes place on such day,  the average of the closing bid and asked  prices,
regular  way,  in  either  case,  as  reported  in  the  principal  consolidated
transaction  reporting  system with respect to securities  listed or admitted to
trading  on the New York  Stock  Exchange  or, if the  Rights  are not listed or
admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal
consolidated  transaction  reporting system with respect to securities listed on
the  principal  national  securities  exchange on which the Rights are listed or
admitted  to trading  or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on
any national  securities  exchange,  the last quoted price or, if not so quoted,
the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market,
as reported  by NASDAQ or such other  system then in use or, if on any such date
the Rights are not quoted by any such  organization,  the average of the closing
bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market
in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company.  If on any such
date no such market  maker is making a market in the  Rights,  the fair value of
the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of
the Company shall be used.

            (b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of
Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share) upon exercise of the Rights or to
distribute certificates which evidence fractional Preferred Shares (other than
fractions which are integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred
Share). Fractions of Preferred Shares in integral multiples of one
one-thousandth of a Preferred Share may, at the election of the Company, be
evidenced by depositary receipts, pursuant to an appropriate agreement between
the Company and a depositary selected by it; provided that such agreement shall
                                             --------
provide that the holders of such depositary receipts shall have all the rights,
privileges and preferences to which they are entitled as Beneficial Owners of
the Preferred Shares represented by such depositary receipts, and provided,
                                                                  --------
further, that the Company shall notify the Rights Agent of any such election
-------
pursuant to this Section 14(b). In lieu of fractional Preferred Shares that are
not integral multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, the Company
shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such
Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same
fraction of the current market value of one Preferred Share. For the purposes of
this Section 14(b), the current market value of a Preferred Share shall be the
closing price of a Preferred Share (as determined pursuant to the second
sentence of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to
the date of such exercise.

            (c) The holder of a Right, by the acceptance of the Right, expressly
waives such holder's  right to receive any  fractional  Rights or any fractional
shares upon  exercise of a Right  (except as provided  above).  The Rights Agent
shall have no duty or  obligation  with respect to this Section 14 or Section 24
unless and until it has received instructions (and sufficient cash, if required)
from the Company with respect to its duties and obligations under such Sections.

                                      -16-

<PAGE>

            Section  15.  Rights of  Action.  All rights of action in respect of
                          -----------------
this  Agreement,  excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under
Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective  registered holders of the Right
Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the
Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to
the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares),  without the consent of the Rights
Agent  or of the  holder  of any  other  Right  Certificate  (or,  prior  to the
Distribution  Date, of the Common Shares),  may, in such holder's own behalf and
for such holder's own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit,
action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect
of,  such  holder's  right  to  exercise  the  Rights  evidenced  by such  Right
Certificate  in the  manner  provided  in  such  Right  Certificate  and in this
Agreement.  Without  limiting the  foregoing  or any  remedies  available to the
holders of Rights,  it is specifically  acknowledged  that the holders of Rights
would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this  Agreement,  and
will  be  entitled  to  specific  performance  of  the  obligations  under,  and
injunctive relief against actual or threatened  violations of the obligations of
any Person subject to, this Agreement.

            Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders.  Every holder of a Right, by
                        --------------------------
accepting  the same,  consents  and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent
and with every other holder of a Right that:

            (a) prior to the Distribution  Date, the Rights will be transferable
only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;

            (b)  after  the  Distribution   Date,  the  Right  Certificates  are
transferable  only on the registry  books of the Rights Agent if  surrendered at
the  designated  office,  pursuant  to  Section  26, of the Rights  Agent,  duly
endorsed or  accompanied  by a proper  instrument of transfer and such other and
further documentation as the Rights Agent may reasonably require; and

            (c) the Company  and the Rights  Agent may deem and treat the Person
in whose name the Right  Certificate  (or, prior to the  Distribution  Date, the
associated  Common  Shares  certificate)  is  registered  as the absolute  owner
thereof and of the Rights evidenced  thereby  (notwithstanding  any notations of
ownership or writing on the Right  Certificate or the  associated  Common Shares
certificate  made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights  Agent) for all
purposes  whatsoever,  and neither  the  Company  nor the Rights  Agent shall be
affected  by any  notice  to the  contrary.  Notwithstanding  anything  in  this
Agreement to the  contrary,  neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have
any  liability  to any  holder  of a Right or other  Person  as a result  of its
inability to perform any of its  obligations  under this  Agreement by reason of
any  preliminary  or permanent  injunction or other order,  decree,  judgment or
ruling  (whether  interlocutory  or  final)  issued  by  a  court  of  competent
jurisdiction  or by a  governmental,  regulatory  or  administrative  agency  or
commission,  or any statute,  rule, regulation or executive order promulgated or
enacted by any  governmental  authority,  prohibiting  or otherwise  restraining
performance of such  obligation;  provided,  however,  that the Company must use
                                  --------   -------
reasonable efforts to have any such order, decree,  judgment or ruling lifted or
otherwise overturned as soon as possible.

            Section 17. Right  Certificate  Holder Not Deemed a Stockholder.  No
                        ---------------------------------------------------
holder,  as such, of any Right  Certificate  shall be entitled to vote,  receive
dividends or be deemed for any

                                      -17-

<PAGE>

purpose  the  holder of the  Preferred  Shares or any  other  securities  of the
Company  which  may at any  time  be  issuable  on the  exercise  of the  Rights
represented  thereby,  nor  shall  anything  contained  herein  or in any  Right
Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate,  as
such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for
the election of directors or upon any matter  submitted to  stockholders  at any
meeting thereof,  or to give or withhold consent to any corporate  action, or to
receive notice of meetings or other actions  affecting  stockholders  (except as
provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription  rights,
or  otherwise,  until the Right or Rights  evidenced  by such Right  Certificate
shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

            Section 18.  Concerning the Rights Agent.  The Company agrees to pay
                         ---------------------------
to the Rights Agent  reasonable  compensation  for all  services  rendered by it
hereunder, and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable
expenses and counsel fees and other  disbursements  incurred in the preparation,
execution,  delivery, amendment,  administration and execution of this Agreement
and the  exercise  and  performance  of its duties  hereunder.  The Company also
agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless  against,  any
loss,  liability,  damage,  judgment,  ruling  (interlocutory  or final),  fine,
penalty,  claim,  demand,  settlement,  cost or expense  incurred  without gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for
any action taken, suffered or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the
acceptance and administration of this Agreement,  including, without limitation,
the costs and  expenses  of  defending  against  any claim of  liability  in the
premises.  The indemnity  provided  herein shall survive the termination of this
Agreement and the termination  and the expiration of the Rights.  The reasonable
costs and expenses incurred in enforcing this right of indemnification  shall be
paid by the Company. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall
the Rights Agent be liable for special,  punitive,  indirect,  consequential  or
incidental loss or damage of any kind  whatsoever  (including but not limited to
lost  profits),  even if the Rights Agent has been advised of the  likelihood of
such loss or damage.  Any  liability  of the  Rights  Agent  under  this  Rights
Agreement  will be  limited  to the  amount of fees paid by the  Company  to the
Rights Agent.

            The Rights Agent shall be authorized and protected and shall incur
no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
in connection with, its acceptance or administration of this Agreement in
reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the Preferred Shares or
Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment
or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice,
direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or document believed
by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or
acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of
counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof. The Rights Agent shall be fully
authorized and protected in relying on any such certificate and on any
adjustment therein contained. The Rights Agent is not deemed to have a duty or
notice unless the Company has given the Rights Agent actual notice.

            Section  19.  Merger  or  Consolidation  or Change of Name of Rights
                          ------------------------------------------------------
Agent.  Any Person into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may
-----
be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any
merger or  consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent
shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the shareholder  services business
of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the

                                      -18-

<PAGE>

successor  to the Rights  Agent under this  Agreement  without the  execution or
filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto;
provided  that such Person  would be  eligible  for  appointment  as a successor
--------
Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such
successor  Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency  created by this  Agreement,
any of the Right  Certificates  shall have been countersigned but not delivered,
any  such  successor  Rights  Agent  may  adopt  the   countersignature  of  the
predecessor  Rights Agent and deliver such Right  Certificates so countersigned;
and,  in case at that  time any of the  Right  Certificates  shall not have been
countersigned,   any  successor   Rights  Agent  may   countersign   such  Right
Certificates  either in the name of the predecessor  Rights Agent or in the name
of the successor Rights Agent; and, in all such cases,  such Right  Certificates
shall  have  the full  force  provided  in the  Right  Certificates  and in this
Agreement.

            In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed
and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but
not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior
name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and, in case at that time
any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights
Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its
changed name; and, in all such cases, such Right Certificates shall have the
full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

            Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent.  The Rights Agent undertakes the
                        ----------------------
duties and  obligations  imposed  by this  Agreement  (and no implied  duties or
obligations)  upon the  following  terms  and  conditions,  by all of which  the
Company  and the holders of Right  Certificates,  by their  acceptance  thereof,
shall be bound:

            (a) The Rights  Agent may  consult  with legal  counsel  (who may be
legal counsel for the Company),  and the advice or opinion of such counsel shall
be full and complete  authorization  and protection to the Rights Agent, and the
Rights  Agent shall incur no liability  for or in respect of, any action  taken,
suffered  or omitted by it in good faith and in  accordance  with such advice or
opinion.

            (b) Whenever in the  performance  of its duties under this Agreement
the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be
proved or established  by the Company prior to taking,  suffering or omitting to
take any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect
thereof  be herein  specifically  prescribed)  may be deemed to be  conclusively
proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the
Board,  the Chief Executive  Officer,  the President,  any Vice  President,  the
Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and
such certificate shall be full authorization and protection to the Rights Agent,
and the Rights  Agent shall incur no  liability  for or in respect of any action
taken,  suffered  or omitted in good  faith by it under the  provisions  of this
Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

            (c) The Rights  Agent shall be liable  hereunder  to the Company and
any  other  Person  only for its own  gross  negligence,  bad  faith or  willful
misconduct.

            (d) The Rights  Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of
the  statements of fact or recitals  contained in this Agreement or in the Right
Certificates (except its

                                      -19-

<PAGE>

countersignature  thereof)  or be  required  to verify  the  same,  but all such
statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company
only.

            (e) The Rights Agent shall not have any liability  for, nor be under
any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution
and delivery hereof (except the due execution  hereof by the Rights Agent) or in
respect of the  validity  or  execution  of any Right  Certificate  (except  its
countersignature  thereof);  nor  shall  it  have  any  liability  for,  nor  be
responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained
in this Agreement or in any Right  Certificate;  nor shall it have any liability
for,  nor be  responsible  for any  change in the  exercisability  of the Rights
(including  the Rights  becoming  null and void  pursuant  to Section  11(a)(ii)
hereof) or any  adjustment  in the terms of the Rights  (including  the  manner,
method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13, 23 or 24 hereof, or
the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or
adjustment  (except with  respect to the  exercise of Rights  evidenced by Right
Certificates  after actual  notice that such change or  adjustment is required);
nor  shall it by any act  hereunder  be  deemed  to make any  representation  or
warranty as to the  authorization  or reservation of any Preferred  Shares to be
issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right  Certificate or as to whether any
Preferred Shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.

            (f) The Company  agrees that it will perform,  execute,  acknowledge
and deliver or cause to be performed,  executed,  acknowledged and delivered all
such further and other acts,  instruments  and  assurances as may  reasonably be
required by the Rights Agent for the carrying  out or  performing  by the Rights
Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

            (g) The Rights  Agent is hereby  authorized  and  directed to accept
advice or instructions  with respect to the performance of its duties  hereunder
from any one of the  Chairman of the Board,  the Chief  Executive  Officer,  the
President,  any Vice  President,  the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Company,
and to apply to such officers for advice or  instructions in connection with its
duties,  and  such  advice  or  instructions  shall  be full  authorization  and
protection to the Rights Agent and the Rights Agent shall incur no liability for
or in respect of any action  taken,  suffered  or omitted by it in good faith in
accordance  with the advice or instructions of any such officer or for any delay
in acting while  waiting for such advice or  instructions.  The Rights Agent may
conclusively  rely on the most recent advice or  instructions  given by any such
officer.

            (h) The  Rights  Agent  and any  stockholder,  affiliate,  director,
officer  or  employee  of the Rights  Agent may buy,  sell or deal in any of the
Rights or other  securities of the Company or become  pecuniarily  interested in
any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend
money to the Company or otherwise  act as fully and freely as though it were not
Rights Agent under this  Agreement.  Nothing  herein  shall  preclude the Rights
Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other Person.

            (i) The Rights  Agent may execute and  exercise any of the rights or
powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder  either itself or by or
through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or
accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or
agents or for any loss to the  Company or any other  Person  resulting  from any
such act, default, neglect or misconduct, absent gross negligence, bad faith, or
willful misconduct in the selection and continued employment thereof.

                                      -20-

<PAGE>

            (j) No provision of this Agreement shall require the Rights Agent to
expend or risk its own funds or otherwise  incur any financial  liability in the
performance  of any of its duties  hereunder or in the exercise of its rights if
it believes  that  repayment of such funds or adequate  indemnification  against
such risk or liability is not assured it.

            Section  21.  Change  of  Rights  Agent.  The  Rights  Agent  or any
                          -------------------------
successor  Rights Agent may resign and be discharged  from its duties under this
Agreement  upon 30 days'  notice in writing  mailed to the  Company  and to each
transfer  agent of the  Common  Shares  or  Preferred  Shares by  registered  or
certified  mail,  and to the holders of the Right  Certificates  by  first-class
mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent upon
30 days'  notice in  writing,  mailed to the Rights  Agent or  successor  Rights
Agent,  as the case may be, and to each  transfer  agent of the Common Shares or
Preferred  Shares by  registered  or certified  mail,  and to the holders of the
Right  Certificates by first-class  mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be
removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint
a  successor  to the  Rights  Agent.  If the  Company  shall  fail to make  such
appointment  within a period of 30 days after  giving  notice of such removal or
after it has been notified in writing of such  resignation  or incapacity by the
resigning or incapacitated  Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate
(which holder shall,  with such notice,  submit such holder's Right  Certificate
for  inspection  by the  Company),  then  the  registered  holder  of any  Right
Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment
of a new Rights Agent.  Any successor  Rights  Agent,  whether  appointed by the
Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation  organized and doing business
under the laws of the United States or of the State of New York (or of any other
state of the  United  States so long as such  corporation  is  authorized  to do
business in the State of New York),  in good  standing,  having an office in the
State of New York,  which is authorized  under such laws to conduct  shareholder
services  business and is subject to  supervision  or  examination by federal or
state  authority and which has at the time of its  appointment as Rights Agent a
combined  capital and surplus of at least Fifty Million  Dollars ($50  million).
After  appointment,  the  successor  Rights  Agent shall be vested with the same
powers,  rights,  duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named
as Rights Agent without  further act or deed; but the  predecessor  Rights Agent
shall  deliver and  transfer to the  successor  Rights Agent any property at the
time held by it  hereunder,  and execute  and  deliver  any  further  assurance,
conveyance,  act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective
date of any such  appointment,  the Company shall file notice thereof in writing
with the  predecessor  Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Common Shares
or  Preferred  Shares,  and mail a notice  thereof in writing to the  registered
holders of the Right  Certificates.  Failure to give any notice  provided for in
this Section 21, however,  or any defect therein,  shall not affect the legality
or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment
of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

            Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates.  Notwithstanding any
                        ----------------------------------
of the  provisions  of this  Agreement  or of the  Rights to the  contrary,  the
Company may, at its option,  issue new Right  Certificates  evidencing Rights in
such form as may be approved by the Board of Directors of the Company to reflect
any  adjustment or change in the Purchase  Price and the number or kind or class
of  shares  or  other  securities  or  property   purchasable  under  the  Right
Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

                                      -21-

<PAGE>

            Section 23.  Redemption.  (a) The Board of  Directors of the Company
                         ----------
may,  at its  option,  at any time prior to such time as any  Person  becomes an
Acquiring Person,  redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding  Rights
at a redemption price of $.001 per Right,  appropriately adjusted to reflect any
stock split,  stock  dividend or similar  transaction  occurring  after the date
hereof (such redemption price being  hereinafter  referred to as the "Redemption
                                                                      ----------
Price").  The  redemption of the Rights by the Board of Directors of the Company
-----
may be made  effective at such time,  on such basis and with such  conditions as
the Board of Directors of the Company, in its sole discretion, may establish.

            (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the redemption of the Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 23, and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right thereafter of the holders
of Rights shall be to receive the Redemption Price. The Company shall promptly
give written notice to the Rights Agent of any such redemption and shall
promptly give public notice of any such redemption; provided, however, that the
                                                    --------  -------
failure to give, or any defect in, any such notice shall not affect the validity
of such redemption. Within 10 days after such action of the Board of Directors
of the Company ordering the redemption of the Rights, the Company shall mail a
notice of redemption to all the holders of the then outstanding Rights at their
last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent or,
prior to the Distribution Date, on the registry books of the transfer agent for
the Common Shares. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided
shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such
notice of redemption will state the method by which the payment of the
Redemption Price will be made. Neither the Company nor any of its Affiliates or
Associates may redeem, acquire or purchase for value any Rights at any time in
any manner other than that specifically set forth in this Section 23 or in
Section 24 hereof, and other than in connection with the purchase of Common
Shares prior to the Distribution Date.

            Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may,
                        --------
at its  option,  at any time  after any  Person  becomes  an  Acquiring  Person,
exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall
not include  Rights that have become null and void pursuant to the provisions of
Section  11(a)(ii)  hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common
Share per Right,  appropriately adjusted to reflect any adjustment in the number
of Rights  pursuant to Section  11(i)  (such  exchange  ratio being  hereinafter
referred to as the "Exchange Ratio").  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the Board
                    --------------
of  Directors of the Company  shall not be empowered to effect such  exchange at
any time  after any  Person  (other  than the  Company,  any  Subsidiary  of the
Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any
Person organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the
terms of any such plan),  together with all  Affiliates  and  Associates of such
Person,  becomes the  Beneficial  Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then
outstanding.

            (b) Immediately upon the action of the Board of Directors of the
Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to paragraph (a) of this
Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to
exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder
of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the
number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The
Company shall give the Rights Agent prompt written notice of any such exchange
and the Exchange Ratio pursuant to which such exchange is effected, and the
Company shall promptly

                                      -22-

<PAGE>

give public notice of any such exchange;  provided, however, that the failure to
                                          --------  -------
give,  or any defect in,  such  notice  shall not  affect the  validity  of such
exchange.  The Company  promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all
of the  holders of such Rights at their last  addresses  as they appear upon the
registry  books of the Rights  Agent.  Any notice  which is mailed in the manner
herein  provided shall be deemed given,  whether or not the holder  receives the
notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange
of the Common  Shares  for Rights  will be  effected,  and,  in the event of any
partial  exchange,  the number of Rights  which will be  exchanged.  Any partial
exchange  shall be effected  pro rata based on the number of Rights  (other than
                             --- ----
Rights  which have become null and void  pursuant to the  provisions  of Section
11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

            (c) In the event that there shall not be  sufficient  Common  Shares
issued but not  outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of
Rights as  contemplated  in  accordance  with this Section 24, the Company shall
take all such action as may be necessary to authorize  additional  Common Shares
for issuance upon exchange of the Rights. In the event the Company shall,  after
good faith  effort,  be unable to take all such  action as may be  necessary  to
authorize such additional Common Shares, the Company shall substitute,  for each
Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number
of Preferred  Shares or fraction  thereof such that the current per share market
price of one Preferred  Share  multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to
the  current  per  share  market  price  of one  Common  Share as of the date of
issuance of such Preferred Shares or fraction thereof.

            (d) The Company  shall not be required to issue  fractions of Common
Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In
lieu of such fractional  Common Shares,  the Company shall pay to the registered
holders of the Right  Certificates  with regard to which such fractional  Common
Shares would  otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction
of the current  market value of a whole Common  Share.  For the purposes of this
paragraph  (d),  the current  market  value of a whole Common Share shall be the
closing price of a Common Share (as determined  pursuant to the second  sentence
of Section 11(d)(i) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of
exchange pursuant to this Section 24.

            Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall,
                        ------------------------
at any time after the Distribution Date, propose (i) to pay any dividend payable
in stock of any  class to the  holders  of the  Preferred  Shares or to make any
other  distribution to the holders of the Preferred Shares (other than a regular
quarterly cash dividend),  (ii) to offer to the holders of the Preferred  Shares
rights or warrants to  subscribe  for or to purchase  any  additional  Preferred
Shares  or  shares  of stock of any  class or any  other  securities,  rights or
options,  (iii) to effect any  reclassification  of the Preferred  Shares (other
than a reclassification  involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred
Shares),  (iv) to effect any  consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect
any sale or other  transfer  (or to permit  one or more of its  Subsidiaries  to
effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions,  of 50% or more
of the assets or earning power of the Company and its  Subsidiaries  (taken as a
whole)  to, any other  Person,  (v) to effect the  liquidation,  dissolution  or
winding up of the Company,  or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common
Shares  payable  in Common  Shares or to effect a  subdivision,  combination  or
consolidation  of the Common Shares (by  reclassification  or otherwise  than by
payment of dividends in Common  Shares),  then,  in each such case,  the Company
shall give to the Rights  Agent and to

                                      -23-

<PAGE>

each holder of a Right  Certificate,  in  accordance  with Section 26 hereof,  a
notice of such  proposed  action,  which  shall  specify the record date for the
purposes of such stock dividend,  or distribution of rights or warrants,  or the
date on which such  reclassification,  consolidation,  merger,  sale,  transfer,
liquidation,  dissolution,  or  winding  up is to take  place  and  the  date of
participation  therein  by the  holders of the Common  Shares  and/or  Preferred
Shares,  if any such date is to be fixed,  and such notice  shall be so given in
the case of any  action  covered  by clause  (i) or (ii)  above at least 10 days
prior to the record date for  determining  holders of the  Preferred  Shares for
purposes of such action,  and, in the case of any such other action, at least 10
days  prior to the date of the  taking  of such  proposed  action or the date of
participation  therein  by the  holders of the Common  Shares  and/or  Preferred
Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

            (b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) hereof shall
occur, then the Company shall, as soon as practicable thereafter, give to each
holder of a Right Certificate and to the Rights Agent, in accordance with
Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall
describe such event and the consequences of such event to holders of Rights
under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

            Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement
                        -------
to be  given  or  made  by the  Rights  Agent  or by  the  holder  of any  Right
Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently  given or made if sent by
first-class mail, postage prepaid,  addressed (until another address is filed in
writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

            Newmont Mining Corporation
            1700 Lincoln Street
            Denver, CO  80203
            Attention:  Corporate Secretary


Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized
by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any
Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made
if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address
is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

            ChaseMellon Shareholder Services L.L.C.
            44 Wall Street - 6th Floor
            New York, NY  10005
            Attention:  Relationship Manager

            with a copy to:

            ChaseMellon Shareholder Services, L.L.C.
            85 Challenger Road
            Ridgefield Park, NJ  07660
            Attention:  General Counsel

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the
Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be
sufficiently given or made if sent by

                                      -24-

<PAGE>

first-class  mail,  postage prepaid,  addressed to such holder at the address of
such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

            Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. The Company may from time to
                        --------------------------
time  supplement or amend this Agreement  without the approval of any holders of
Right Certificates in order to cure any ambiguity,  to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provisions  herein,  or to make any other  provisions with respect to the Rights
which the  Company may deem  necessary  or  desirable,  any such  supplement  or
amendment  to be  evidenced  by a writing  signed by the  Company and the Rights
Agent;  provided,  however, that, from and after such time as any Person becomes
        --------   -------
an Acquiring  Person,  this  Agreement  shall not be amended in any manner which
would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights. Upon the delivery
of a certificate  from an  appropriate  officer of the Company which states that
the proposed  supplement  or amendment is in  compliance  with the terms of this
Section  27 and,  provided  such  supplement  or  amendment  does not  change or
increase the Rights Agent's duties,  liabilities or obligations  hereunder,  the
Rights Agent shall execute such  supplement or amendment.  Without  limiting the
foregoing,  the Company may at any time prior to such time as any Person becomes
an Acquiring  Person amend this  Agreement to lower the  thresholds set forth in
Section  1(a) and 3(a)  hereof to not less than 10% (the  "Reduced  Threshold");
provided,  however,  that no  Person  who  beneficially  owns a number of Common
--------   -------
Shares equal to or greater than the Reduced  Threshold shall become an Acquiring
Person unless such Person shall,  after the public  announcement  of the Reduced
Threshold,  increase its  beneficial  ownership of the then  outstanding  Common
Shares  (other  than as a result  of an  acquisition  of  Common  Shares  by the
Company)  to an amount  equal to or greater  than the greater of (x) the Reduced
Threshold or (y) the sum of (i) the lowest  beneficial  ownership of such Person
as a percentage of the outstanding  Common Shares as of any date on or after the
date of the public announcement of such Reduced Threshold plus (ii) .001%.

            Section 28.  Successors.  All the covenants  and  provisions of this
                         ----------
Agreement  by or for the benefit of the  Company or the Rights  Agent shall bind
and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

            Section 29.  Benefits of this  Agreement.  Nothing in this Agreement
                         ---------------------------
shall be  construed  to give to any Person  other than the  Company,  the Rights
Agent and the registered  holders of the Right  Certificates  (and, prior to the
Distribution  Date, the Common Shares) any legal or equitable  right,  remedy or
claim  under  this  Agreement;  but  this  Agreement  shall  be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of
the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).

            Section  30.  Severability.  If any  term,  provision,  covenant  or
                          ------------
restriction  of this Agreement is held by a court of competent  jurisdiction  or
other  authority  to be invalid,  void or  unenforceable,  the  remainder of the
terms, provisions,  covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in
full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

            Section 31. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate
                        -------------
issued  hereunder  shall be deemed to be a  contract  made under the laws of the
State of Delaware  and for all  purposes  shall be governed by and  construed in
accordance  with the laws of such state

                                      -25-

<PAGE>

applicable  to contracts to be made and  performed  entirely  within such state;
provided,  however,  that  all  provisions  regarding  the  rights,  duties  and
--------   -------
obligations of the Rights Agent shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York  applicable  to contracts  made and to be
performed entirely within such State.

            Section  32.  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may be executed in any
                          ------------
number of counterparts and each of such  counterparts  shall for all purposes be
deemed to be an original,  and all such counterparts  shall together  constitute
but one and the same instrument.

            Section  33.  Descriptive  Headings.  Descriptive  headings  of  the
                          ---------------------
several  Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience  only and shall
not  control or affect  the  meaning or  construction  of any of the  provisions
hereof.

                                      -26-

<PAGE>


            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to

be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

Attest:                                   NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION


By /s/ Joy E. Hansen                      By  /s/ Timothy J. Schmitt
   ------------------------------             ------------------------------
   Name:  Joy E. Hansen                       Name:  Timothy J. Schmitt
   Title: Vice President                      Title  Vice President and
                                                     Secretary


Attest:                                   CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER
                                          SERVICES, LLC

By /s/ James Hagan                        By  /s/ Cynthia Gonzalez
   ------------------------------             ------------------------------
   Name:  James Hagan                         Name:  Cynthia Gonzalez
   Title: Vice President & Regional           Title  Vice President
          Manager

                                      -27-

<PAGE>

                                                                       Exhibit A
                                                                       ---------


                                      FORM

                                       of

                           CERTIFICATE OF DESIGNATIONS

                                       of

                  SERIES A JUNIOR PARTICIPATING PREFERRED STOCK

                                       of

                           NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION

                         (Pursuant to Section 151 of the
                        Delaware General Corporation Law)

                            ------------------------


            Newmont Mining Corporation, a corporation organized and existing
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (hereinafter called
the "Corporation"), hereby certifies that the following resolution was adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Corporation as required by Section 151 of the
General Corporation Law acting by written consent on August 31, 2000:

            RESOLVED, that pursuant to the authority granted to and vested in
the Board of Directors of this Corporation (hereinafter called the "Board of
Directors" or the "Board") in accordance with the provisions of the Certificate
of Incorporation, the Board of Directors hereby creates a series of Preferred
Stock, par value $5.00 per share, of the Corporation (the "Preferred Stock"),
and hereby states the designation and number of shares, and fixes the relative
rights, preferences, and limitations thereof as follows:

            Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock:

            Section 1.  Designation and Amount.  The shares of such series shall
                        ----------------------
be designated as "Series A Junior Participating  Preferred Stock" (the "Series A
Preferred  Stock") and the number of shares  constituting the Series A Preferred
Stock shall be 500,000.  Such number of shares may be  increased or decreased by
resolution of the Board of Directors;  provided,  that no decrease  shall reduce
                                       --------
the  number  of shares of  Series A  Preferred  Stock to a number  less than the
number of shares  then  outstanding  plus the  number  of  shares  reserved  for
issuance upon the exercise of  outstanding  options,  rights or warrants or upon
the  conversion  of  any  outstanding   securities  issued  by  the  Corporation
convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

            Section 2.  Dividends and Distributions.
                        ---------------------------

            (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series
     of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to the
     Series A Preferred  Stock

                                      A-1

<PAGE>

     with  respect to  dividends,  the  holders of shares of Series A  Preferred
     Stock,  in preference  to the holders of Common Stock,  par value $1.60 per
     share (the "Common  Stock"),  of the  Corporation,  and of any other junior
     stock, shall be entitled to receive,  when, as and if declared by the Board
     of Directors  out of funds  legally  available  for the purpose,  quarterly
     dividends  payable in cash on the first day of March,  June,  September and
     December  in each  year  (each  such  date  being  referred  to herein as a
     "Quarterly  Dividend  Payment  Date"),  commencing  on the first  Quarterly
     Dividend  Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a
     share of Series A Preferred  Stock,  in an amount per share (rounded to the
     nearest  cent)  equal  to the  greater  of (a)  $1 or  (b)  subject  to the
     provision for adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  1000 times the aggregate
     per share amount of all cash  dividends,  and 1000 times the  aggregate per
     share  amount  (payable  in  kind)  of  all  non-cash  dividends  or  other
     distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a
     subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by  reclassification
     or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding
     Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date or, with  respect to the first  Quarterly
     Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of
     a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation  shall at
     any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock  payable in shares
     of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of
     the outstanding  shares of Common Stock (by  reclassification  or otherwise
     than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common  Stock) into a greater or
     lesser number of shares of Common Stock,  then in each such case the amount
     to which  holders  of shares  of Series A  Preferred  Stock  were  entitled
     immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding  sentence
     shall be adjusted by multiplying  such amount by a fraction,  the numerator
     of which is the number of shares of Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately
     after  such event and the  denominator  of which is the number of shares of
     Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

            (B) The Corporation  shall declare a dividend or distribution on the
     Series A  Preferred  Stock as  provided in  paragraph  (A) of this  Section
     immediately  after it  declares a dividend  or  distribution  on the Common
     Stock (other than a dividend  payable in shares of Common Stock);  provided
     that, in the event no dividend or distribution  shall have been declared on
     the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly  Dividend  Payment
     Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of
     $1 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall  nevertheless be payable
     on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

            (C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding
     shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date
     next  preceding the date of issue of such shares,  unless the date of issue
     of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend
     Payment Date, in which case  dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue
     from the date of issue of such  shares,  or  unless  the date of issue is a
     Quarterly  Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the
     determination  of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to
     receive a quarterly  dividend and before such  Quarterly  Dividend  Payment
     Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be
     cumulative from such Quarterly  Dividend  Payment Date.  Accrued but unpaid
     dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on

                                      A-2

<PAGE>

     the  shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock in an amount  less than the total
     amount of such  dividends  at the time  accrued  and payable on such shares
     shall be allocated pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares
     at the time  outstanding.  The Board of Directors may fix a record date for
     the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled
     to receive payment of a dividend or distribution  declared  thereon,  which
     record  date shall be not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the
     payment thereof.

            Section  3.  Voting  Rights.  The  holders  of  shares  of  Series A
                         --------------
Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

            (A) Subject to the provision for adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,
     each share of Series A Preferred  Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to
     1000 votes on all matters  submitted to a vote of the  stockholders  of the
     Corporation.  In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay
     any  dividend on the Common  Stock  payable in shares of Common  Stock,  or
     effect a subdivision  or combination or  consolidation  of the  outstanding
     shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of
     a dividend in shares of Common  Stock)  into a greater or lesser  number of
     shares of  Common  Stock,  then in each  such case the  number of votes per
     share to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock were entitled
     immediately  prior to such event  shall be  adjusted  by  multiplying  such
     number by a  fraction,  the  numerator  of which is the number of shares of
     Common Stock  outstanding  immediately after such event and the denominator
     of which is the  number of shares of  Common  Stock  that were  outstanding
     immediately prior to such event.

            (B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of
     Designations  creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or
     by law,  the holders of shares of Series A Preferred  Stock and the holders
     of shares of Common Stock and any other  capital  stock of the  Corporation
     having  general  voting  rights  shall  vote  together  as one class on all
     matters submitted to a vote of stockholders of the Corporation.

            (C) Except as set forth  herein,  or as  otherwise  provided by law,
     holders of Series A Preferred Stock shall have no special voting rights and
     their consent shall not be required (except to the extent they are entitled
     to vote with  holders of Common  Stock as set forth  herein) for taking any
     corporate action.

            Section 4. Certain Restrictions.
                       --------------------

            (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions
     payable on the Series A  Preferred  Stock as  provided  in Section 2 are in
     arrears,  thereafter  and  until  all  accrued  and  unpaid  dividends  and
     distributions,  whether or not  declared,  on shares of Series A  Preferred
     Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

                  (i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions,
            on any shares of stock  ranking  junior  (either as to  dividends or
            upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up)  to the  Series  A
            Preferred Stock;

                                      A-3

<PAGE>

                  (ii)   declare   or  pay   dividends,   or  make   any   other
            distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as
            to dividends or upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or winding up) with
            the Series A Preferred  Stock,  except dividends paid ratably on the
            Series  A  Preferred  Stock  and all  such  parity  stock  on  which
            dividends  are  payable  or in arrears  in  proportion  to the total
            amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

                  (iii)   redeem  or   purchase   or   otherwise   acquire   for
            consideration  shares  of any stock  ranking  junior  (either  as to
            dividends  or upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or winding up) to the
            Series A Preferred  Stock,  provided that the Corporation may at any
            time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior
            stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking
            junior (either as to dividends or upon  dissolution,  liquidation or
            winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

                  (iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration
            any  shares  of Series A  Preferred  Stock,  or any  shares of stock
            ranking on a parity  with the Series A  Preferred  Stock,  except in
            accordance  with a purchase  offer made in writing or by publication
            (as  determined  by the Board of  Directors)  to all holders of such
            shares   upon  such   terms  as  the  Board  of   Directors,   after
            consideration  of the  respective  annual  dividend  rates and other
            relative  rights  and  preferences  of  the  respective  series  and
            classes,  shall  determine  in good  faith  will  result in fair and
            equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

            (B)  The  Corporation   shall  not  permit  any  subsidiary  of  the
     Corporation to purchase or otherwise  acquire for  consideration any shares
     of stock of the Corporation  unless the Corporation  could, under paragraph
     (A) of this Section 4,  purchase or  otherwise  acquire such shares at such
     time and in such manner.

            Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock
                       -----------------
purchased  or otherwise  acquired by the  Corporation  in any manner  whatsoever
shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition  thereof. All such
shares shall upon their  cancellation  become  authorized but unissued shares of
Preferred  Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred  Stock
subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein,  in the
Certificate  of  Incorporation,  or in any  other  Certificate  of  Designations
creating  a series  of  Preferred  Stock or any  similar  stock or as  otherwise
required by law.

            Section  6.  Liquidation,   Dissolution  or  Winding  Up.  Upon  any
                         -------------------------------------------
liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall
be made (1) to the  holders  of shares of stock  ranking  junior  (either  as to
dividends  or upon  liquidation,  dissolution  or  winding  up) to the  Series A
Preferred  Stock  unless,  prior  thereto,  the  holders  of  shares of Series A
Preferred  Stock shall have received  $1,000 per share,  plus an amount equal to
accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared,
to the date of such  payment,  provided  that the  holders of shares of Series A
Preferred  Stock  shall be entitled  to receive an  aggregate  amount per share,
subject to the provision for  adjustment  hereinafter  set forth,  equal to 1000
times the aggregate  amount to be distributed  per share to holders of shares of
Common  Stock,  or (2) to the  holders  of shares of stock  ranking  on a parity
(either as to dividends or upon liquida-

                                      A-4

<PAGE>

tion,  dissolution  or winding  up) with the Series A  Preferred  Stock,  except
distributions  made ratably on the Series A Preferred  Stock and all such parity
stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares
are entitled upon such liquidation,  dissolution or winding up. In the event the
Corporation  shall at any time  declare or pay any  dividend on the Common Stock
payable in shares of Common Stock,  or effect a subdivision  or  combination  or
consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by  reclassification or
otherwise  than by  payment  of a  dividend  in shares of Common  Stock)  into a
greater or lesser number of shares of Common  Stock,  then in each such case the
aggregate  amount to which  holders of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock were
entitled  immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the
preceding  sentence shall be adjusted by  multiplying  such amount by a fraction
the  numerator  of which is the  number of shares  of Common  Stock  outstanding
immediately  after  such  event and the  denominator  of which is the  number of
shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

            Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall
                       ---------------------------
enter into any consolidation,  merger, combination or other transaction in which
the shares of Common  Stock are  exchanged  for or changed  into other  stock or
securities,  cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of
Series A  Preferred  Stock  shall at the same  time be  similarly  exchanged  or
changed  into an amount  per  share,  subject to the  provision  for  adjustment
hereinafter  set  forth,  equal to 1000  times  the  aggregate  amount of stock,
securities,  cash and/or any other property  (payable in kind),  as the case may
be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or  exchanged.
In the event the  Corporation  shall at any time  declare or pay any dividend on
the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock,  or effect a subdivision  or
combination  or  consolidation  of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock (by
reclassification  or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common
Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common  Stock,  then in each
such case the amount set forth in the  preceding  sentence  with  respect to the
exchange  or change of shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock shall be adjusted by
multiplying  such amount by a fraction,  the numerator of which is the number of
shares  of  Common  Stock  outstanding  immediately  after  such  event  and the
denominator  of  which is the  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  that  were
outstanding immediately prior to such event.

            Section 8. No  Redemption.  The shares of Series A  Preferred  Stock
                       --------------
shall not be redeemable.

            Section 9. Rank.  The Series A  Preferred  Stock  shall  rank,  with
                       ----
respect to the payment of dividends and the  distribution  of assets,  junior to
all series of any other class of the Corporation's Preferred Stock.

            Section 10.  Amendment.  The  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the
                         ---------
Corporation  shall not be amended in any manner which would  materially alter or
change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock
so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at
least two-thirds of the outstanding  shares of Series A Preferred Stock,  voting
together as a single class.

                                      A-5

<PAGE>

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate of Designations is executed on
behalf of the Corporation by its President and attested by its
Secretary this   day of September, 2000.
              ---       ---------


                                          -------------------------------
                                          Name: Wayne W. Murdy

Attest:

---------------------
Secretary


                                      A-6

<PAGE>


                                                                       Exhibit B
                                                                       ---------

                            Form of Right Certificate

Certificate No. R-                                                Rights
                                                            -----

            NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER      , 2010 OR EARLIER IF REDEMPTION OR
                                 ------
            EXCHANGE OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT TO REDEMPTION AT $0.001
            PER RIGHT AND TO EXCHANGE ON THE TERMS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT.

                                Right Certificate

                           NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION

            This certifies that       , or registered assigns, is the registered
                                ------
owner of the number of Rights set forth above,  each of which entitles the owner
thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Agreement, dated
as of August 31, 2000 (the "Agreement"),  between Newmont Mining Corporation,  a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"),  and ChaseMellon  Shareholder Services LLC
(the  "Rights  Agent"),  to  purchase  from the  Company  at any time  after the
Distribution  Date (as such term is defined in the  Agreement) and prior to 5:00
P.M.,  Eastern  Standard time, on       , 2010 at the designated  office of the
                                 -------
Rights  Agent,  or  at  the  office  of  its  successor  as  Rights  Agent,  one
one-thousandth  of  a  fully  paid  non-assessable  share  of  Series  A  Junior
Participating  Preferred  Stock,  par value $5.00 per share, of the Company (the
"Preferred  Shares"),  at a  purchase  price  of $    per one  one-thousandth
                                                  ---
of a Preferred Share (the "Purchase Price"),  upon presentation and surrender of
this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed.  The
number of Rights  evidenced  by this  Right  Certificate  (and the number of one
one-thousandths  of a  Preferred  Share  which may be  purchased  upon  exercise
hereof) set forth above,  and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number
and Purchase Price as of       , 2000, based on the Preferred Shares as
                        -------
constituted at such date. As provided in the  Agreement,  the Purchase Price and
the number of one  one-thousandths  of a Preferred  Share which may be purchased
upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right  Certificate are subject
to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

            This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions
and conditions of the Agreement, which terms, provisions and conditions are
hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which
Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights,
limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities hereunder of the
Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of
the Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and
the designated offices of the Rights Agent.

            This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates,
upon surrender at the designated office of the Rights Agent, may be exchanged
for another Right Certificate or

                                      B-1

<PAGE>

Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder
to purchase a like aggregate  number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced
by the Right Certificate or Right  Certificates  surrendered shall have entitled
such holder to purchase.  If this Right  Certificate shall be exercised in part,
the holder  shall be entitled to receive upon  surrender  hereof  another  Right
Certificate or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

            Subject to the provisions of the Agreement, the Rights evidenced by
this Right Certificate (i) may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price
of $0.001 per Right or (ii) may be exchanged in whole or in part for Preferred
Shares or shares of the Company's Common Stock, par value $1.60 per share.

            No fractional Preferred Shares will be issued upon the exercise of
any Right or Rights evidenced hereby (other than fractions which are integral
multiples of one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, which may, at the election
of the Company, be evidenced by depositary receipts), but, in lieu thereof, a
cash payment will be made, as provided in the Agreement.

            No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or
receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred
Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be
issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Agreement
or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the
rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of
directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof,
or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of
meetings or other actions affecting stockholders (except as provided in the
Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until
the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been
exercised as provided in the Agreement.

            This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

            WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the
Company and its corporate seal.  Dated as of           ,     .
                                             ---------- -----

ATTEST:                                   NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION


                                          By
-----------------------------                -------------------------------
Name:                                        Name:
Title:                                       Title:
Countersigned:


CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES LLC


By
  ----------------------
   Name:
   Title:

                                      B-2

<PAGE>

                    Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

                               FORM OF ASSIGNMENT
                               ------------------

                (To be executed by the registered holder if such
               holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

            FOR VALUE RECEIVED                                  hereby sells,
                               --------------------------------
assigns and transfers unto
                          ------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  (Please print name and address of transferee)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and
does hereby irrevocably  constitute and appoint           Attorney, to transfer
                                               ----------
the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full
power of substitution.

Dated: ___________________


                                          ______________________________________
                                          Signature



Signature Guaranteed:
            Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.


            The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).


                                          ______________________________________
                                          Signature


            Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate -- continued

                                      B-3

<PAGE>

                          FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE
                          ----------------------------

                 (To  be   executed  if  holder   desires  to  exercise
                 Rights represented by the Right Certificate.)

To:  NEWMONT MINING CORPORATION

            The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise________ Rights
represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Preferred Shares issuable
upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such
Preferred Shares be issued in the name of:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                         (Please print name and address)

________________________________________________________________________________


If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right
Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights
shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

Please insert social security
or other identifying number

________________________________________________________________________________
                       (Please print name and address)

________________________________________________________________________________


Dated:
        ------------------


                                                ________________________________
                                                Signature
Signature Guaranteed:

            Signatures must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered
national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or
correspondent in the United States.

                                      B-4

<PAGE>

            The undersigned hereby certifies that the Rights evidenced by this
Right Certificate are not beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement).

                                    ________________________
                                    Signature



                                     NOTICE
                                     ------

            The signature in the Form of Assignment or Form of Election to
Purchase, as the case may be, must conform to the name as written upon the face
of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement
or any change whatsoever.

            In the event the certification set forth above in the Form of
Assignment or the Form of Election to Purchase, as the case may be, is not
completed, the Company and the Rights Agent will deem the beneficial owner of
the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate to be an Acquiring Person or an
Affiliate or Associate thereof (as defined in the Agreement) and such Assignment
or Election to Purchase will not be honored.



                                      B-5

<PAGE>


                                                                       Exhibit C
                                                                       ---------

                          SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE
                                PREFERRED SHARES


Introduction
------------

            On August 30, 2000, the Board of Directors of our Company, Newmont
Mining Corporation, a Delaware corporation, declared a dividend of one preferred
share purchase right (a "Right") for each outstanding share of common stock, par
value $1.60 per share. The dividend is payable on September 11, 2000 to the
stockholders of record on September 11, 2000. These rights will replace rights
to purchase common stock that will expire on September 11, 2000.

            Our Board has adopted this Rights Agreement to protect stockholders
from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics. In general terms, it works
by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group which acquires 15% or
more of our outstanding common stock without the approval of our Board. The
Rights Agreement should not interfere with any merger or other business
combination approved by our Board.

            For those interested in the specific terms of the Rights Agreement
as made between our Company and ChaseMellon Shareholder Services LLC, as the
Rights Agent, on August 31, 2000, we provide the following summary description.
Please note, however, that this description is only a summary, and is not
complete, and should be read together with the entire Rights Agreement, which
has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to a
Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated ___________, 2000. A copy of the
agreement is available free of charge from our Company.

THE RIGHTS. Our Board authorized the issuance of a Right with respect to each
outstanding share of common stock on September 11, 2000. The Rights will
initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the common stock. The Rights
are evidenced only by certificates that represent shares of common stock. New
Rights will accompany any new shares of common stock we issue after September
11, 2000 until the Distribution Date described below.

EXERCISE PRICE. Each Right will allow its holder to purchase from our Company
one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock
("Preferred Share") for $100, once the Rights become exercisable. This portion
of a Preferred Share will give the stockholder approximately the same dividend,
voting, and liquidation rights as would one share of common stock. Prior to
exercise, the Right does not give its holder any dividend, voting, or
liquidation rights.

EXERCISABILITY.  The Rights will not be exercisable until

o  10 days after the public announcement that a person or group has become an
   "Acquiring Person" by obtaining beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our
   outstanding common stock, or, if earlier,

                                      C-1

<PAGE>

o  10 business days (or a later date determined by our Board before any person
   or group becomes an Acquiring Person) after a person or group begins a tender
   or exchange offer which, if completed, would result in that person or group
   becoming an Acquiring Person.

            We refer to the date when the Rights become exercisable as the
"Distribution Date." Until that date, the common stock certificates will also
evidence the Rights, and any transfer of shares of common stock will constitute
a transfer of Rights. After that date, the Rights will separate from the common
stock and be evidenced by book-entry credits or by Rights certificates that we
will mail to all eligible holders of common stock. Any Rights held by an
Acquiring Person are null and void and may not be exercised.

            Our Board may reduce the threshold at which a person or group
becomes an Acquiring Person from 15% to not less than 10% of the outstanding
common stock.

CONSEQUENCES OF A PERSON OR GROUP BECOMING AN ACQUIRING PERSON.

o  FLIP IN. If a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, all holders of
   Rights except the Acquiring Person may, for $100, purchase shares of our
   common stock with a market value of $200, based on the market price of the
   common stock prior to such acquisition.

o  FLIP OVER. If our Company is later acquired in a merger or similar
   transaction after the Rights Distribution Date, all holders of Rights except
   the Acquiring Person may, for $100, purchase shares of the acquiring
   corporation with a market value of $200 based on the market price of the
   acquiring corporation's stock, prior to such merger.

PREFERRED SHARE PROVISIONS.

Each one one-thousandth of a Preferred Share, if issued:

o  will not be redeemable.

o  will entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $0.001 per share, or
   an amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of common stock, whichever
   is greater.

o  will entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1 per share or an
   amount equal to the payment made on one share of common stock, whichever is
   greater.

o  will have the same voting power as one share of common stock.

o  if shares of our common stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation, or a
   similar transaction, will entitle holders to a per share payment equal to the
   payment made on one share of common stock.

The value of one one-thousandth interest in a Preferred Share should approximate
the value of one share of common stock.

EXPIRATION.  The Rights will expire on September 11, 2010.

                                      C-2
<PAGE>

REDEMPTION. Our Board may redeem the Rights for $0.001 per Right at any time
before any person or group becomes an Acquiring Person. If our Board redeems any
Rights, it must redeem all of the Rights. Once the Rights are redeemed, the only
right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price of $0.001
per Right. The redemption price will be adjusted if we have a stock split or
stock dividends of our common stock.

EXCHANGE. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, but before an
Acquiring Person owns 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, our Board may
extinguish the Rights by exchanging one share of common stock or an equivalent
security for each Right, other than Rights held by the Acquiring Person.

ANTI-DILUTION PROVISIONS. Our Board may adjust the purchase price of the
Preferred Shares, the number of Preferred Shares issuable and the number of
outstanding Rights to prevent dilution that may occur from a stock dividend, a
stock split, a reclassification of the Preferred Shares or common stock. No
adjustments to the Exercise Price of less than 1% will be made.

AMENDMENTS. The terms of the Rights Agreement may be amended by our Board
without the consent of the holders of the Rights. However, our Board may not
amend the Rights Agreement to lower the threshold at which a person or group
becomes an Acquiring Person to below 10% of our outstanding common stock. In
addition, the Board may not cause a person or group to become an Acquiring
Person by lowering this threshold below the percentage interest that such person
or group already owns. After a person or group becomes an Acquiring Person, our
Board may not amend the agreement in a way that adversely affects holders of the
Rights.


                                      C-3



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