The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Randgold Resources shareholders on Wednesday approved a $6.1-billion all-stock takeover by Barrick Gold, clearing one of the final hurdles to creating the world's largest gold company (all figures U.S.). A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that votes were 95.2 per cent in favour of the transaction, Randgold said in a statement; Barrick shareholders approved the tie-up on Monday. On Nasdaq, Randgold shares closed at $81.25 -- a drop of just more than 1 per cent, or 85 cents -- on Wednesday. In Toronto, Barrick shares closed at $17 (Canadian), down 26 Canadian cents.