S.Africa's Sibanye shareholders approve $2.2 bln Stillwater takeover

JOHANNESBURG, April 25 (Reuters) - Sibanye Gold's SGLJ.J shareholders on Tuesday approved the South African miner's $2.2 billion buyout of U.S.-based Stillwater Mining < SWC.N>, moving it a step closer to significantly boosting its platinum portfolio.

About 82 percent of Sibanye shareholders voted in favour of the deal which will cement South Africa's grip on global supply of platinum and advance Chief Executive Neal Froneman's push to diversify away from gold and South Africa.

"We thank our shareholders for their support for this transaction which represents a unique and transformative opportunity to acquire world class, low-cost international PGM assets," Chief Executive Neal Froneman said.

Sibanye, which was spun off from Gold Fields GFIJ.J in 2013, last year bought Aquarius Platinum AQPA.BE and Anglo American (LON: AAL ) Platinum's AMSJ.J mines in Rustenburg. The Stillwater deal is its first venture beyond South Africa. which operates in Montana, is the only U.S. miner of platinum group metals (PGM) and the largest primary producer of PGMs outside South Africa and Russia.

Stillwater's shareholders are due to meet on Tuesday to vote on the transaction.

Sibanye said it would fund the deal with a combination of debt and new equity. It expects the tranches of capital to be raised by the end of June.

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