Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measurements of operating performance computed in accordance with US GAAP and should not be considered as substitutes for operating income, net income (loss) or cash generated by operating activities computed in accordance with US GAAP. Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical tools. Some of the limitations are:

•

Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect our cash expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or contractual commitments;



•

Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, our working capital needs;



•

EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect the interest expense, or the cash requirements necessary to service interest or principal payments, on our debt;



•

although depreciation, depletion and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated, depleted and amortized will often have to be replaced in the future. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA do not reflect any cash requirements for such replacements. In particular, as a company in the mining business, we record the depletion of our mineral reserves as we extract

17

Table of Contents

minerals from our mines, but we expect to use cash in the future to acquire other mineral reserves in the ordinary course of our business;

•

although accretion expense is a non-cash charge, this represents the accretion of the liability related to the asset retirement obligations (reclamation), calculated on a present value basis, that will exist at the end of each mine life based on the mining area disturbed at a given balance sheet date. Adjusted EBITDA does not reflect any cash requirements for such reclamation activities, as those will occur upon the closing of each mine; and



•

other companies in our industry may calculate Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures.

Because of these limitations, Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as measures of discretionary cash available to us to invest in the growth of our business. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our US GAAP results and using Adjusted Net Income, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA only supplementally. We further believe that our presentation of these US GAAP and non-GAAP financial measurements provide information that is useful to investors because they are important indicators of the strength of our operations and the performance of our core business.

        A reconciliation of net income (loss) to Adjusted Net Income is provided below.

18

Table of Contents

        A reconciliation of net income (loss) to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are provided below.

19

Table of Contents

RISK FACTORS

        Any investment in the exchange notes involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below and all of the information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, including the risks described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011, before deciding whether to exchange your original notes. The risks and uncertainties described below and in the incorporated documents are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. If any of those risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations would suffer. The risks discussed below also include forward-looking statements, and our actual results may differ substantially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. See "Forward-Looking Statements" in this prospectus.

Risks Relating to the Exchange Offer

Because there is no public market for the exchange notes, you may not be able to sell your exchange notes.

        The exchange notes will be registered under the Securities Act, but will constitute a new issue of securities with no established trading market. There can be no assurance as to:

•

the liquidity of any trading market that may develop;



•

the ability of holders to sell their exchange notes; or



•

the price at which the holders would be able to sell their exchange notes.

        The exchange notes will not be listed on any exchange or market. If a trading market were to develop, the exchange notes might trade at higher or lower prices than their principal amount or purchase price, depending on many factors, including prevailing interest rates, the market for similar securities and our financial performance.

        Any market-making activity in the exchange notes will be subject to the limits imposed by the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). There can be no assurance that an active trading market will exist for the exchange notes or that any trading market that does develop will be liquid.

        In addition, any original note holder who tenders in the exchange offer for the purpose of participating in a distribution of the exchange notes may be deemed to have received restricted securities and, if so, will be required to comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale transaction.

Your original notes will not be accepted for exchange if you fail to follow the exchange offer procedures.

        We will issue exchange notes pursuant to the exchange offer only after a timely receipt of your original notes, a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal and all other required documents. Therefore, if you want to tender your original notes, please allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery. If we do not receive your original notes, letter of transmittal and other required documents by the expiration date of the exchange offer, we will not accept your original notes for exchange. We are under no duty to give notification of defects or irregularities with respect to the tenders of original notes for exchange. If there are defects or irregularities with respect to your tender of original notes, we may not accept your original notes for exchange.

20

Table of Contents

If you do not exchange your original notes, your original notes will continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions under U.S. securities laws and you may be unable to sell your outstanding original notes.

        We did not register the original notes and do not intend to do so following the exchange offer. Original notes that are not tendered will therefore continue to be subject to the existing transfer restrictions under U.S. securities laws and may be transferred only in limited circumstances under applicable securities laws. If you do not exchange your original notes, you will lose your right, except in limited circumstances, to have your original notes registered under the U.S. federal securities laws. As a result, if you hold original notes after the exchange offer, you may be unable to sell your original notes and the value of the original notes may decline. We have no obligation, except in limited circumstances, and do not currently intend, to file an additional registration statement to cover the resale of original notes that did not tender in the exchange offer or to re-offer to exchange the exchange notes for original notes following the expiration of the exchange offer.

Risks related to the notes

Our substantial indebtedness could adversely affect our financial condition and prevent us from fulfilling our obligations under the notes.

        After the offering of the original notes, we have a significant amount of indebtedness. As of June 30, 2011, our total debt was approximately $369.2 million, and we had unused commitments of $299.0 million under our revolving credit facility (after giving effect to $1.0 million of outstanding letters of credit), and unused commitments of $132.0 million under the Caterpillar equipment financing facility. Although we do not record it as indebtedness, we also have $226.5 million in deferred revenue under our Gold Stream transaction (described in "Item 7. and 7A. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosure About Market Risk—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Financing Activities" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and note 11 to our consolidated financial statements) and an entitlement to receive an additional $85.0 million of deposits in respect of the Gold Stream transaction that are available to us over the Mt. Milligan construction period. Until the deposits received in the Gold Stream transaction have been fully offset against the counterparty's purchases of gold under the agreement, the deposits will be secured by our Mt. Milligan assets. After the deposits have been fully offset, the counterparty will continue to have a security interest in 25% of the payable gold produced from Mt. Milligan. The notes would effectively be subordinated to our obligations under the Gold Stream transaction to the extent of the value of those assets.

        Subject to the limits contained in the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, the indenture that governs the notes and our other debt instruments, we may be able to incur substantial additional debt from time to time to finance working capital, capital expenditures, investments or acquisitions, or for other purposes. If we do so, the risks related to our high level of debt could intensify. Specifically, our high level of debt could have important negative consequences to the holders of the notes, including:

•

making it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations with respect to the notes and our other debt;



•

limiting our ability to obtain additional financing to fund future working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions or other general corporate requirements;



•

requiring a substantial portion of our cash flows to be dedicated to debt service payments instead of other purposes, thereby reducing the amount of cash flows available for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes;



•

increasing our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions;

21

Table of Contents

•

exposing us to the risk of increased interest rates as certain of our borrowings, including borrowings under the revolving credit facility, are at variable rates of interest;



•

limiting our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in the industry in which we compete;



•

placing us at a disadvantage compared to other, less leveraged competitors; and



•

increasing our cost of borrowing.

        In addition, the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, our Caterpillar equipment financing facility and the indenture that governs the notes contain restrictive covenants that limit our ability to engage in activities that may be in our long term best interest. Our failure to comply with those covenants could result in an event of default which, if not cured or waived, could result in the acceleration of all our debt.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash to service all of our indebtedness, including the notes, and may be forced to take other actions to satisfy our obligations under our indebtedness, which may not be successful.

        Our ability to make scheduled payments on or refinance our debt obligations, including the notes, depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to certain financial, business, legislative, regulatory and other factors beyond our control. We may be unable to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness, including the notes.

        If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we could face substantial liquidity problems and could be forced to reduce or delay investments and capital expenditures or to dispose of material assets or operations, seek additional debt or equity capital or restructure or refinance our indebtedness, including the notes. We may not be able to effect any such alternative measures on commercially reasonable terms or at all and, even if successful, those alternative actions may not allow us to meet our scheduled debt service obligations. The credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, and the indenture governing the notes restrict, our ability to dispose of assets and use the proceeds from those dispositions and may also restrict our ability to raise debt or equity capital to be used to repay other indebtedness when it becomes due. We may not be able to consummate those dispositions or to obtain proceeds in an amount sufficient to meet any debt service obligations then due.

        In addition, we conduct substantially all of our operations through our subsidiaries, certain of which will not be guarantors of the notes or our other indebtedness. Accordingly, repayment of our indebtedness, including the notes, is dependent on the generation of cash flow by our subsidiaries and their ability to make such cash available to us by dividend, debt repayment or otherwise. Unless they are guarantors of the notes or our other indebtedness, our subsidiaries do not have any obligation to pay amounts due on the notes or our other indebtedness or to make funds available for that purpose. Our subsidiaries may not be able to, or may not be permitted to, make distributions to enable us to make payments in respect of our indebtedness, including the notes. Each subsidiary is a distinct legal entity, and, under certain circumstances, legal and contractual restrictions may limit our ability to obtain cash from our subsidiaries. While the credit agreement governing the revolving credit facility and the indenture governing the notes limit the ability of our subsidiaries to incur consensual restrictions on their ability to pay dividends or make other intercompany payments to us, these limitations are subject to qualifications and exceptions. In the event that we do not receive distributions from our subsidiaries, we may be unable to make required principal and interest payments on our indebtedness, including the notes.

22

Table of Contents

        Our inability to generate sufficient cash flows to satisfy our debt obligations, or to refinance our indebtedness on commercially reasonable terms or at all, would materially and adversely affect our financial position and results of operations and our ability to satisfy our obligations under the notes.

        If we cannot make scheduled payments on our debt, we will be in default and holders of the notes could declare all outstanding principal and interest to be due and payable, the lenders under our revolving credit facility could terminate their commitments to loan money, the lenders could foreclose against the assets securing their borrowings and we could be forced into bankruptcy or liquidation. All of these events could result in your losing your investment in the notes.

Despite our current level of indebtedness, we and our subsidiaries may still be able to incur substantially more debt. This could further exacerbate the risks to our financial condition described above.

        We and our subsidiaries may be able to incur significant additional indebtedness in the future. Although the credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility and the indenture governing the notes contain, restrictions on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, these restrictions are subject to a number of qualifications and exceptions, and the additional indebtedness incurred in compliance with these restrictions could be substantial. If we incur any additional indebtedness that ranks equally with the notes, subject to collateral arrangements, the holders of that debt will be entitled to share ratably with you in any proceeds distributed in connection with any insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of our company. This may have the effect of reducing the amount of proceeds paid to you. These restrictions also will not prevent us from incurring obligations that do not constitute indebtedness. In addition, as of June 30, 2011, we had unused commitments of $299.0 million (after giving effect to $1.0 million of outstanding letters of credit) under our revolving credit facility and unused commitments of $132.0 million under our Caterpillar equipment financing facility. All of those borrowings would be secured indebtedness. If new debt is added to our current debt levels, the related risks that we and the guarantors now face could intensify. Although we do not record it as indebtedness, we also have $226.5 million in deferred revenues under our Gold Stream transaction and an entitlement to receive an additional $85.0 million of deposits in respect of the Gold Stream transaction that are available to us over the Mt. Milligan construction period. Until the deposits received in the Gold Stream transaction have been fully offset against the counterparty's purchases of gold under the agreement, the deposits will be secured by our Mt. Milligan assets. After the deposits have been fully offset, the counterparty will continue to have a security interest in 25% of the payable gold produced from Mt. Milligan. The notes would effectively be subordinated to our obligations under the Gold Stream transaction to the extent of the value of those assets. See "Description of other indebtedness" and "Description of Notes."

Our revolving credit facility and the Caterpillar equipment financing facility contain financial covenants that require us to maintain certain financial metrics and ratios, and our revolving credit facility and the indenture governing the notes contain restrictive covenants that restrict our current and future operations and limit our flexibility and ability to respond to changes or take certain actions. A breach of those covenants may cause us to be in default under these facilities and/or the indenture.

        The credit agreement and the indenture governing the notes contain certain restrictive covenants that impose significant operating and financial restrictions on us and in some circumstances limit our ability to engage in actions that may be in our long-term best interest, including, among other things our ability to:

•

incur additional debt;



•

sell, lease or transfer our assets;



•

pay dividends or make other distributions or repurchase or redeem capital stock;



•

alter the businesses we conduct;

23

Table of Contents

•

prepay, redeem or repurchase certain debt;



•

make loans or investments;



•

enter into agreements restricting our subsidiaries' ability to pay dividends;



•

make capital expenditures and investments;



•

guarantee debts or obligations;



•

create liens;



•

enter into transactions with our affiliates; and



•

enter into certain merger, consolidation or other reorganizations transactions.

        These restrictions could limit our ability to obtain future financing, make acquisitions, grow in accordance with our strategy or secure the needed working capital to withstand future downturns in our business or the economy in general, or otherwise take advantage of business opportunities that may arise, any of which could place us at a competitive disadvantage relative to our competitors that may have less debt and are not subject to such restrictions.

        In addition, the credit agreement for our revolving credit facility requires us to maintain compliance with financial covenants measuring maximum levels of leverage and minimum levels of interest coverage as well as minimum liquidity conditions required to be maintained through completion of the Mt. Milligan project. In addition, our Caterpillar equipment financing facility also requires us to maintain compliance with financial covenants included in our revolving credit facility through completion of the Mt. Milligan project. Our ability to meet those financial ratios and tests can be affected by events beyond our control. See "Description of other indebtedness."

        A breach of the financial covenants under the revolving credit facility and, therefore, the Caterpillar equipment financing facility, or any of the restrictive covenants under the revolving credit facility and the indenture governing the notes as described above could result in an event of default under such indebtedness. In addition, the lenders under the revolving credit facility could either refuse to lend additional funds to us or accelerate the repayment of any outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, and the lender under the Caterpillar equipment financing facility (1) could terminate the lease by us of equipment purchased by the lender and leased to us pursuant to the facility, (2) terminate the lender's obligation to purchase additional equipment and lease such equipment to us pursuant to the terms of the facility, (3) accelerate the payment of all lease payments unpaid under the facility, together with default interest, (4) accelerate the payment of the balance of the purchase price for equipment which would have been due and payable from the date of termination and (5) foreclose on the equipment purchased and leased under the facility and apply the proceeds from the sale of such equipment to any shortfall in the payment by us of amounts due to the lender under the facility. The termination of this facility could result in significant delays in the construction of Mt. Milligan, which could result in a material adverse effect on our operating results and financial condition.

        If we were to default under our revolving credit facility or the Caterpillar equipment financing facility, we may not have sufficient assets to repay such indebtedness upon a default or access to sufficient alternative sources of funds to the extent that borrowings under the revolving credit facility would be restricted. If we are unable to repay the indebtedness, the lenders could initiate a bankruptcy proceeding against us or collection proceedings with respect to our assets, all of which secure our indebtedness under the revolving credit facility, including the equipment purchased by the lender and leased to us under the Caterpillar equipment financing facility, which secures our indebtedness under such facility. A default under the revolving credit facility will trigger cross defaults to the Caterpillar equipment financing facility, and vice versa, and could also trigger cross defaults to the indenture governing the notes and other material agreements.

24

Table of Contents

Our variable rate indebtedness subjects us to interest rate risk, which could cause our debt service obligations to increase significantly.

        Borrowings under our revolving credit facility are at variable rates of interest and expose us to interest rate risk. If interest rates increase, our debt service obligations on the variable rate indebtedness will increase even though the amount borrowed remained the same, and our net income and cash flows, including cash available for servicing our indebtedness, will correspondingly decrease. Assuming all revolving loans are fully drawn, each quarter point change in interest rates would result in an approximately $0.8 million change in annual interest expense on our indebtedness under our revolving credit facility. In the future, we may enter into interest rate swaps that involve the exchange of floating for fixed rate interest payments in order to reduce interest rate volatility. However, we may not maintain interest rate swaps with respect to all of our variable rate indebtedness, and any swaps we enter into may not fully mitigate our interest rate risk.

The notes are effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors' indebtedness under the revolving credit facility and the Caterpillar equipment financing facility and any other secured indebtedness of our company to the extent of the value of the property securing that indebtedness.

        The notes are not be secured by any of our or our subsidiary guarantors' assets. As a result, the notes and the guarantees are effectively subordinated to our and our subsidiary guarantors' indebtedness under the revolving credit facility with respect to the assets that secure that indebtedness and to our indebtedness under the Caterpillar equipment financing facility with respect to the equipment that secures such indebtedness. As of June 30, 2011, we had $1.0 million in letters of credit outstanding under our revolving credit facility, resulting in total unused availability of approximately $299.0 million. As of June 30, 2011, we also had unused availability of $132.0 million under our Caterpillar equipment financing facility, and we may incur additional secured debt in the future. In addition, although we do not record it as indebtedness, we have $226.5 million in deferred revenue under our Gold Stream transaction and an entitlement to receive an additional $85.0 million of deposits in respect of the Gold Stream transaction that are available to us over the Mt. Milligan construction period. Until the deposits received in the Gold Stream transaction have been fully offset against the counterparty's purchases of gold under the agreement, the deposits will be secured by our Mt. Milligan assets. After the deposits have been fully offset, the counterparty will continue to have a security interest in 25% of the payable gold produced from Mt. Milligan. The notes would effectively be subordinated to our obligations under the Gold Stream transaction to the extent of the value of those assets. The effect of this subordination is that upon a default in payment on, or the acceleration of, any of our secured indebtedness, or in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or reorganization of our company or the subsidiary guarantors, the proceeds from the sale of assets securing our secured indebtedness will be available to pay obligations on the notes only after all indebtedness under the revolving credit facility, the Caterpillar equipment financing facility and that other secured debt has been paid in full. As a result, the holders of the notes may receive less, ratably, than the holders of secured debt in the event of our or our subsidiary guarantors' bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation, dissolution or reorganization.

The notes are structurally subordinated to all obligations of our existing and future subsidiaries that are not and do not become guarantors of the notes.

        The notes are guaranteed by each of our existing and subsequently acquired or organized subsidiaries that guarantee the revolving credit facility or that, in the future, guarantee our other indebtedness or indebtedness of another guarantor in an aggregate principal amount that exceeds $25.0 million. In the event of certain reorganizations permitted by our revolving credit facility and the indenture governing our notes, our new parent will be required to guarantee the notes to the extent it guarantees our revolving credit facility. Our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes will have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay amounts due under the notes or to make any funds available

25

Table of Contents

to pay those amounts, whether by dividend, distribution, loan or other payment. The notes will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other obligations of any non-guarantor subsidiary such that in the event of insolvency, liquidation, reorganization, dissolution or other winding up of any subsidiary that is not a guarantor, all of that subsidiary's creditors (including trade creditors) would be entitled to payment in full out of that subsidiary's assets before we would be entitled to any payment.

        In addition, the indenture governing the notes, subject to some limitations, permits our restricted subsidiaries to incur additional indebtedness and does not contain any limitation on the amount of other liabilities, such as trade payables, that may be incurred by our restricted subsidiaries.

        Some of our subsidiaries are unrestricted subsidiaries and are not be subject to the covenants of the indenture. On the date of this prospectus, these subsidiaries are Highlands Ranch, LLC, Howards Pass General Partner Corp., Howards Pass Metals Limited Partnership, Maze Lake General Partner Corp., Maze Lake Metals Limited Partnership and Thompson Creek UK Limited. Our Howard's Pass and Maze Lake properties are held by certain of these subsidiaries. The holders of the notes do not have the benefit of any cash generated by our Howard's Pass property or our Maze Lake property unless these subsidiaries distribute cash to our company or the subsidiary guarantors.

        For the year ended June 30, 2011, our non-guarantor subsidiaries represented 0.0% of our net revenues and 0.01% of our operating income. As of June 30, 2011, our non-guarantor subsidiaries represented 0.5% of our total assets and had $5.6 million of total liabilities, including debt and trade payables but excluding intercompany liabilities.

        In addition, our subsidiaries that provide, or will provide, guarantees of the notes will be automatically released from those guarantees upon the occurrence of certain events, including the following:

•

the designation of that subsidiary guarantor as an unrestricted subsidiary;



•

the release or discharge of any guarantee or indebtedness that resulted in the creation of the guarantee of the notes by such subsidiary guarantor; or



•

the sale or other disposition, including the sale of substantially all the assets, of that subsidiary guarantor.

        If any subsidiary guarantee is released, no holder of the notes will have a claim as a creditor against that subsidiary, and the indebtedness and other liabilities, including trade payables and preferred stock, if any, whether secured or unsecured, of that subsidiary will be effectively senior to the claim of any holders of the notes. See "Description of Notes—Note guarantees."

We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control.

        Upon the occurrence of specific kinds of change of control events, we will be required to offer to repurchase all outstanding notes at 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the purchase date. Additionally, under our revolving credit facility (and indirectly, therefore, under the Caterpillar equipment financing facility), a change of control (as defined therein) constitutes an event of default that permits the lenders to accelerate the maturity of borrowings under the credit agreement and terminate their commitments to lend. The source of funds for any purchase of the notes and repayment of borrowings under our revolving credit facility would be our available cash or cash generated from our subsidiaries' operations or other sources, including borrowings, sales of assets or sales of equity. We may not be able to repurchase the notes upon a change of control because we may not have sufficient financial resources to purchase all of the debt securities that are tendered upon a change of control and repay our other indebtedness that will become due. We may require additional financing from third parties to fund any such purchases, and we may be unable to obtain financing on satisfactory terms or at all. Further, our ability to repurchase the notes may be limited by law. In order to avoid the obligations to repurchase the notes and events of default and potential breaches of the

26

Table of Contents

credit agreement governing our revolving credit facility, we may have to avoid certain change of control transactions that would otherwise be beneficial to us.

        In addition, some important corporate events, such as leveraged recapitalizations, may not, under the indenture that will govern the notes, constitute a "change of control" that would require us to repurchase the notes, even though those corporate events could increase the level of our indebtedness or otherwise adversely affect our capital structure, credit ratings or the value of the notes. See "Description of Notes—Repurchase at the option of holders—Change of control."

Holders of the notes may not be able to determine when a change of control giving rise to their right to have the notes repurchased has occurred following a sale of "substantially all" of our assets.

        The definition of change of control in the indenture that governs the notes includes a phrase relating to the sale of "all or substantially all" of our assets. There is no precise established definition of the phrase "substantially all" under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes to require us to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale of less than all our assets to another person may be uncertain.

U.S. federal and state and Canadian fraudulent transfer laws may permit a court to void the notes and/or the guarantees, and if that occurs, you may not receive any payments on the notes.

        U.S. federal and state and Canadian fraudulent transfer and conveyance statutes may apply to the issuance of the notes and the incurrence of the guarantees of the notes. Under federal bankruptcy law and comparable provisions of state fraudulent transfer or conveyance laws, which may vary from state to state, and under applicable Canadian law, the notes or the guarantees thereof could be voided as a fraudulent transfer or conveyance if we or any of the guarantors, as applicable, (a) issued the notes or incurred the guarantees with the intent of hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors or (b) received less than reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration in return for either issuing the notes or incurring the guarantees and, in the case of (b) only, one of the following is also true at the time thereof:

•

we or any of the guarantors, as applicable, were insolvent or rendered insolvent by reason of the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of the guarantees;



•

the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of the guarantees left us or any of the guarantors, as applicable, with an unreasonably small amount of capital or assets to carry on the business;



•

we or any of the guarantors intended to, or believed that we or such guarantor would, incur debts beyond our or the guarantor's ability to pay as they mature; or



•

we or any of the guarantors were a defendant in an action for money damages, or had a judgment for money damages docketed against us or the guarantor if, in either case, the judgment is unsatisfied after final judgment.

        As a general matter, value is given for a transfer or an obligation if, in exchange for the transfer or obligation, property is transferred or a valid antecedent debt is secured or satisfied. A court would likely find that a subsidiary guarantor did not receive reasonably equivalent value or fair consideration for its guarantee to the extent the guarantor did not obtain a reasonably equivalent benefit directly or indirectly from the issuance of the notes.

        We cannot be certain as to the standards a court would use to determine whether or not we or the guarantors were insolvent at the relevant time or, regardless of the standard that a court uses, whether the notes or the guarantees would be subordinated to our or any of our guarantors' other debt. In general, however, a court would deem an entity insolvent if:

•

the sum of its debts, including contingent and unliquidated liabilities, was greater than the fair saleable value of all of its assets;

27

Table of Contents

•

the present fair saleable value of its assets was less than the amount that would be required to pay its probable liability on its existing debts, including contingent liabilities, as they become absolute and mature; or



•

it could not pay its debts as they became due.

        If a court were to find that the issuance of the notes or the incurrence of a guarantee was a fraudulent transfer or conveyance, the court could void the payment obligations under the notes or that guarantee, could subordinate the notes or that guarantee to presently existing and future indebtedness of ours or of the related guarantor or could require the holders of the notes to repay any amounts received with respect to that guarantee. In the event of a finding that a fraudulent transfer or conveyance occurred, you may not receive any repayment on the notes. Further, the avoidance of the notes could result in an event of default with respect to our and our subsidiaries' other debt that could result in acceleration of that debt.

        Finally, as a court of equity, the bankruptcy court may subordinate the claims in respect of the notes to other claims against us under the principle of equitable subordination if the court determines that (1) the holder of notes engaged in some type of inequitable conduct, (2) the inequitable conduct resulted in injury to our other creditors or conferred an unfair advantage upon the holders of notes and (3) equitable subordination is not inconsistent with the provisions of the bankruptcy code.

Canadian bankruptcy and insolvency laws may impair the trustee's ability to enforce remedies under the guarantee of guarantors organized under Canadian law.

        The rights of the trustee who represents the holders of the notes to enforce remedies could be delayed by the restructuring provisions of applicable Canadian federal bankruptcy, insolvency and other restructuring legislation if the benefit of such legislation is sought with respect to any guarantor organized under Canadian law. For example, both the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada) and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) contain provisions enabling an insolvent person to obtain a stay of proceedings against its creditors and to file a proposal to be voted on by the various classes of its affected creditors. A restructuring proposal, if accepted by the requisite majorities of each affected class of creditors, and if approved by the relevant Canadian court, would be binding on all creditors within each affected class, including those creditors that did not vote to accept the proposal. Moreover, this legislation, in certain instances, permits the insolvent debtor to retain possession and administration of its property, subject to court oversight, even though it may be in default under the applicable debt instrument, during the period that the stay against proceedings remains in place.

        The powers of the court under the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Canada), and particularly under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada), have been interpreted and exercised broadly so as to protect a restructuring entity from actions taken by creditors and other parties. Accordingly, we cannot predict whether payments under the guarantees would be made during any proceedings in bankruptcy, insolvency or other restructuring, whether or when the trustee could exercise its rights under the indenture governing the notes or whether and to what extent holders of the notes would be compensated for any delays in payment, if any, of principal, interest and costs, including the fees and disbursements of the respective trustees.

There are significant restrictions on your ability to transfer or resell the original notes.

        The original notes were offered and sold pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Therefore, you may transfer or resell the original notes in the United States only in a transaction registered under or exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, and you may be required to bear the risk of your investment for an indefinite period of time.

28

Table of Contents

        Under the registration rights agreement, we have agreed to file this exchange offer registration statement with the SEC and to use our reasonable best efforts to cause the registration statement to become effective with respect to the exchange notes. The SEC, however, has broad discretion to declare any registration statement effective and may delay, defer or suspend the effectiveness of any registration statement for a variety of reasons. If issued under an effective registration statement, the exchange notes generally may be resold or otherwise transferred by each holder of the exchange notes with no need for further registration. However, the exchange notes will constitute a new issue of securities with no established trading market. An active trading market for the exchange notes may not develop, or, in the case of non-exchanging holders of the notes, the trading market for the notes following the exchange offer may not continue.

Your ability to transfer the notes may be limited by the absence of an active trading market and an active trading market may not develop for the notes.

        The original notes and the exchange notes are new issues of securities for which there is no established trading market. We do not intend to list the original notes or the exchange notes on any national securities exchange or include the notes or any exchange notes in any automated quotation system. The initial purchasers of the notes have advised us that they intend to make a market in the original notes and the exchange notes, as permitted by applicable laws and regulations. However, the initial purchasers are not obligated to make a market in the original notes or the exchange notes, and, if commenced, they may discontinue their market-making activities at any time without notice. In addition, market making activities may be limited during the exchange offer or while the effectiveness of a shelf registration statement is pending.

        Therefore, an active market for the original notes or the exchange notes may not develop or be maintained, which would adversely affect the market price and liquidity of the original notes or the exchange notes. In that case, the holders of the original notes or the exchange notes may not be able to sell their notes at a particular time or at a favorable price.

        Even if an active trading market for the original notes or the exchange notes does develop, there is no guarantee that it will continue. Historically, the market for non-investment grade debt has been subject to severe disruptions that have caused substantial volatility in the prices of securities similar to the original notes or the exchange notes. The market, if any, for the original notes or the exchange notes may experience similar disruptions, and any such disruptions may adversely affect the liquidity in that market or the prices at which you may sell your original notes or exchange notes. In addition, subsequent to their initial issuance, the original notes or the exchange notes may trade at a discount from their initial offering price, depending upon prevailing interest rates, the market for similar notes, our performance and other factors.

A lowering or withdrawal of the ratings assigned to our debt securities by rating agencies may increase our future borrowing costs and reduce our access to capital.

        Our debt currently has a non-investment grade rating, and any rating assigned could be lowered or withdrawn entirely by a rating agency if, in that rating agency's judgment, future circumstances relating to the basis of the rating, such as adverse changes, so warrant. Consequently, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect the market value of the notes. Credit ratings are not recommendations to purchase, hold or sell the notes. Additionally, credit ratings may not reflect the potential effect of risks relating to the structure or marketing of the notes. Any downgrade by either Standard & Poor's or Moody's would increase the interest rate on our revolving credit facility, decrease earnings and may result in higher borrowing costs.

        Any future lowering of our ratings likely would make it more difficult or more expensive for us to obtain additional debt financing. If any credit rating initially assigned to the notes is subsequently lowered or withdrawn for any reason, you may not be able to resell your notes without a substantial discount.

29

Table of Contents

PRIVATE PLACEMENT

        We issued $350 million in principal amount of the original notes on May 20, 2011 to the initial purchasers of those notes and received net proceeds of approximately $340.3 million, after deducting the discounts, commissions and estimated expenses payable by us. We issued the original notes to the initial purchasers in transactions exempt from or not subject to registration under the Securities Act. The initial purchasers then offered and resold the original notes to qualified institutional buyers in compliance with Rule 144A or non-U.S. persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

30

Table of Contents

THE EXCHANGE OFFER

Purpose of the exchange offer

        In connection with the sale of the original notes, we entered into a registration rights agreement with the initial purchasers of the original notes. In that agreement, we agreed to file a registration statement relating to an offer to exchange the original notes for the exchange notes. We are offering the exchange notes under this prospectus in an exchange offer for the original notes to satisfy our obligations under the registration rights agreement. We refer to our offer to exchange the exchange notes for the original notes as the "exchange offer."

Resale of exchange notes

        Based on interpretations of the SEC staff in no-action letters issued to third parties, we believe that each exchange note issued in the exchange offer may be offered for resale, resold and otherwise transferred by you without compliance with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act if:

•

you are not our affiliate within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act;



•

you are acquiring such exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business;



•

you do not intend to participate in the distribution of exchange notes; and



•

you are not a broker-dealer and are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, the distribution of the exchange notes.

        If you tender your original notes in the exchange offer with the intention of participating in any manner in a distribution of the exchange notes, you:

•

cannot rely on such interpretations of the SEC staff; and



•

must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction of the exchange notes.

        Unless an exemption from registration is otherwise available, the resale by any security holder intending to distribute exchange notes should be covered by an effective registration statement under the Securities Act containing the selling security holder's information required under the Securities Act. This prospectus may be used for an offer to resell, a resale or other retransfer of exchange notes only as specifically described in this prospectus. Each broker-dealer that receives exchange notes for its own account in exchange for original notes, where that broker-dealer acquired such original notes as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, must acknowledge that it will deliver a prospectus in connection with any resale of such exchange notes. See "Plan of Distribution" for more details regarding the transfer of exchange notes.

Terms of the exchange offer

        Upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal, we will accept for exchange any original notes properly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration date of the exchange offer. We will issue $1,000 principal amount of exchange notes in exchange for each $1,000 principal amount of original notes surrendered under the exchange offer and accepted by us. Original notes may be tendered only in integral multiples of $1,000, subject to a $2,000 minimum, and untendered original notes may only be in a minimum denomination of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

        The terms of the exchange notes are identical in all material respects to those of the original notes, except the exchange notes will not be subject to transfer restrictions and holders of the exchange

31

Table of Contents

notes will have no registration rights. Also, the exchange notes will not include provisions contained in the original notes that required payment of liquidated damages in the event we failed to satisfy our registration obligations with respect to the original notes. The exchange notes will be issued under and entitled to the benefits of the same indenture that authorized the issuance of the original notes and, pursuant to the terms of that indenture, represent the same debt as the original notes.

        The exchange offer is not conditioned on any minimum aggregate principal amount of original notes being tendered for exchange.

        As of the date of this prospectus, $350 million principal amount of original notes are outstanding. This prospectus and the letter of transmittal are being sent to all registered holders of the original notes. There will be no fixed record date for determining registered holders of the original notes entitled to participate in the exchange offer.

        We intend to conduct the exchange offer in accordance with the provisions of the registration rights agreement, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the SEC rules and regulations. Original notes that are not tendered for exchange in the exchange offer:

•

will remain outstanding,



•

will continue to accrue interest, and,



•

will be entitled to the rights and benefits that holders have under the indenture relating to the notes and, under limited circumstances, the registration rights agreement.

        We will be deemed to have accepted for exchange properly tendered original notes when we have given oral or written notice of the acceptance to the exchange agent and complied with the applicable provisions of the registration rights agreement. The exchange agent will act as agent for the tendering holders for the purposes of receiving the exchange notes from us. We will issue the exchange notes promptly after the expiration of the exchange offer.

        If you tender original notes in the exchange offer, you will not be required to pay brokerage commissions or fees or, subject to the instructions in the letter of transmittal, transfer taxes with respect to the exchange of original notes. We will pay all charges and expenses, other than certain applicable taxes described below, in connection with the exchange offer. It is important that you read "—Fees and expenses" for more details about fees and expenses incurred in the exchange offer.

        We will return any original notes that we do not accept for exchange for any reason without expense to the tendering holder as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

Expiration date

        The exchange offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on December 6, 2011, unless in our sole discretion we extend the offer.

Extensions, delay in acceptance, termination or amendment

        We expressly reserve the right, at any time or at various times, to extend the period of time during which the exchange offer is open. We may delay acceptance for exchange of any original notes by giving oral or written notice of the extension to their holders. During any such extensions, all original notes you have previously tendered will remain subject to the exchange offer for that series, and we may accept them for exchange.

        To extend the exchange offer, we will notify the exchange agent orally or in writing of any extension. We also will make a public announcement of the extension no later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the next business day after the previously scheduled expiration date.

32

Table of Contents

        If any of the conditions described below under "—Conditions to the exchange offer" have not been satisfied with respect to the exchange offer, we reserve the right, at our sole discretion:

•

to extend the exchange offer,



•

to delay accepting for exchange any original notes, or



•

to terminate the exchange offer.

        We will give oral or written notice of such extension, delay or termination to the exchange agent. Subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, we also reserve the right to amend the terms of the exchange offer in any manner.

        Any such extension, delay in acceptance, termination or amendment will be followed as promptly as practicable by oral or written notice thereof to the registered holders of the original notes. If we amend the exchange offer in a manner that we determine to constitute a material change, we will promptly disclose that amendment by means of a prospectus supplement. We will distribute the supplement to the registered holders of the original notes. Depending on the significance of the amendment and the manner of disclosure to the registered holders, we may extend, pursuant to the terms of the registration rights agreement and the requirements of federal securities law, the exchange offer if the exchange offer would otherwise expire during such period.

        Without limiting the manner in which we may choose to make public announcements of any extension, delay in acceptance, termination or amendment of the exchange offer, we have no obligation to publish, advertise or otherwise communicate any such public announcement, other than by making a timely release to an appropriate news agency.

Conditions to the exchange offer

        Notwithstanding any other provision of the exchange offer and subject to the terms of the registration rights agreement, we will not be required to accept for exchange, or to issue exchange notes in exchange for, any original notes and may terminate or amend the exchange offer, if at any time before the expiration date of the exchange offer there is a question as to whether the exchange offer is permitted by applicable law.

        In addition, we will not be obligated to accept for exchange the original notes of any holder that has not made to us:

•

the representations described under "—Procedures for tendering" and "Plan of Distribution," and



•

such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to make available to us an appropriate form for registering the exchange notes under the Securities Act.

        We expressly reserve the right to amend or terminate the exchange offer notwithstanding the satisfaction of the foregoing, and to reject for exchange any original notes upon the occurrence of any of the conditions to the exchange offer specified above. We will give oral or written notice of any extension, non-acceptance, termination or amendment to the holders of the original notes as promptly as practicable.

        These conditions are for our sole benefit, and we may assert them or waive them in whole or in part at any time or at various times at our sole discretion. Our failure at any time to exercise any of these rights will not mean that we have waived our rights. Each right will be deemed an ongoing right that we may assert at any time or at various times. If we waive a condition, we may be required in order to comply with applicable securities laws, to extend the expiration date of the exchange offer.

33

Table of Contents

        In addition, we will not accept for exchange any original notes tendered, and will not issue exchange notes in exchange for any such original notes, if at such time any stop order has been threatened or is in effect with respect to the registration statement of which this prospectus constitutes a part or the qualification of the indenture relating to the notes under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Procedures for tendering

How to Tender Generally

        Only a holder of the original notes as determined by our records or those of the indenture trustee or DTC may tender original notes in the exchange offer. To tender in the exchange offer, a holder must either (1) comply with the procedures for physical tender or (2) comply with the automated tender offer program procedures of DTC, described below.

To complete a physical tender, a holder must:

•

complete, sign and date the letter of transmittal or a facsimile of the letter of transmittal,



•

have the signature on the letter of transmittal guaranteed if the letter of transmittal so requires,



•

mail or deliver the letter of transmittal or facsimile to the exchange agent prior to the expiration date, and



•

deliver the original notes to the exchange agent prior to the expiration date or comply with the guaranteed delivery procedures described below.

        To be tendered effectively, the exchange agent must receive any physical delivery of the letter of transmittal and other required documents at its address provided above under "Prospectus Summary—The exchange agent" prior to the expiration date.

        To complete a tender through DTC's automated tender offer program, the exchange agent must receive, prior to the expiration date, a timely confirmation of book-entry transfer of such original notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC according to the procedure for book-entry transfer described below or a properly transmitted agent's message.

        The tender by a holder that is not withdrawn prior to the expiration date and our acceptance of that tender will constitute an agreement between the holder and us in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions described in this prospectus and in the letter of transmittal.

        THE METHOD OF DELIVERY OF ORIGINAL NOTES, THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL AND ALL OTHER REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT IS AT YOUR ELECTION AND RISK. RATHER THAN MAIL THESE ITEMS, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU USE AN OVERNIGHT OR HAND DELIVERY SERVICE. IN ALL CASES, YOU SHOULD ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO ENSURE DELIVERY TO THE EXCHANGE AGENT BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE. YOU SHOULD NOT SEND THE LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL OR ORIGINAL NOTES TO US. YOU MAY REQUEST YOUR BROKER, DEALER, COMMERCIAL BANK, TRUST COMPANY OR OTHER NOMINEE TO EFFECT THE ABOVE TRANSACTIONS FOR YOU.

How to Tender if You Are a Beneficial Owner

        If you beneficially own original notes that are registered in the name of a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee and you wish to tender those notes, you should contact the registered holder as soon as possible and instruct the registered holder to tender on your behalf. If you are a beneficial owner and wish to tender on your own behalf, you must, prior to completing and executing the letter of transmittal and delivering your original notes, either:

•

make appropriate arrangements to register ownership of the original notes in your name, or

34

Table of Contents

•

obtain a properly completed bond power from the registered holder of your original notes.

        The transfer of registered ownership may take considerable time and may not be completed prior to the expiration date.

Signatures and signature guarantees

        You must have signatures on a letter of transmittal or a notice of withdrawal described below under "—Withdrawal of tenders" guaranteed by an eligible institution unless the original notes are tendered:

•

by a registered holder who has not completed the box entitled "Special Issuance Instructions" or "Special Delivery Instructions" on the letter of transmittal, or



•

for the account of an eligible institution.

        An "eligible institution" is a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, or an eligible guarantor institution within the meaning of Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act, that is a member of one of the recognized signature guarantee programs identified in the letter of transmittal.

When endorsements or bond powers are needed

        If a person other than the registered holder of any original notes signs the letter of transmittal, the original notes must be endorsed or accompanied by a properly completed bond power. The registered holder must sign the bond power as the registered holder's name appears on the original notes. An eligible institution must guarantee that signature.

        If the letter of transmittal or any original notes or bond powers are signed by trustees, executors, administrators, guardians, attorneys-in-fact, or officers of corporations or others acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, those persons should so indicate when signing. Unless we waive this requirement, they also must submit evidence satisfactory to us of their authority to deliver the letter of transmittal.

Tendering through DTC's automated tender offer program

        The exchange agent and DTC have confirmed that any financial institution that is a participant in DTC's system may use DTC's automated tender offer program to tender. Accordingly, participants in the program may, instead of physically completing and signing the letter of transmittal and delivering it to the exchange agent, transmit their acceptance of the exchange offer electronically. They may do so by causing DTC to transfer the original notes to the exchange agent in accordance with its procedures for transfer. DTC will then send an agent's message to the exchange agent.

        An agent's message is a message transmitted by DTC to and received by the exchange agent and forming part of the book-entry confirmation, stating that:

•

DTC has received an express acknowledgment from a participant in DTC's automated tender offer program that is tendering original notes that are the subject of such book-entry confirmation;



•

the participant has received and agrees to be bound by the terms of the letter of transmittal, or, in the case of an agent's message relating to guaranteed delivery, the participant has received and agrees to be bound by the applicable notice of guaranteed delivery; and



•

we may enforce the agreement against such participant.

35

Table of Contents

Determinations under the exchange offer

        We will determine at our sole discretion all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility, time of receipt, acceptance of tendered original notes and withdrawal of tendered original notes. Our determination will be final and binding. We reserve the absolute right to reject any original notes not properly tendered or any original notes our acceptance of which, in the opinion of our counsel, might be unlawful. Our interpretation of the terms and conditions of the exchange offer, including the instructions in the letter of transmittal, will be final and binding on all parties.

        Unless waived, any defects or irregularities in connection with tenders of original notes must be cured within such time as we determine. Neither we, the exchange agent nor any other person will be under any duty to give notification of defects or irregularities with respect to tenders of original notes, nor will we or those persons incur any liability for failure to give such notification. Tenders of original notes will not be deemed made until such defects or irregularities have been cured or waived. Any original notes received by the exchange agent that are not properly tendered and as to which the defects or irregularities have not been cured or waived will be returned to the tendering holder, unless otherwise provided in the letter of transmittal, as soon as practicable following the expiration date.

When we will issue exchange notes

        In all cases, we will issue exchange notes for original notes that we have accepted for exchange in the exchange offer only after the exchange agent timely receives:

•

original notes or a timely book-entry confirmation of transfer of such original notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC, and



•

a properly completed and duly executed letter of transmittal and all other required documents or a properly transmitted agent's message.

Return of original notes not accepted or exchanged

        If we do not accept any tendered original notes for exchange for any reason described in the terms and conditions of the exchange offer or if original notes are submitted for a greater principal amount than the holder desires to exchange, we will return the unaccepted or non-exchanged original notes without expense to their tendering holder. In the case of original notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent's account at DTC according to the procedures described below, such non-exchanged original notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC. These actions will occur as promptly as practicable after the expiration or termination of the exchange offer.

Your representations to us

        By signing or agreeing to be bound by the letter of transmittal, you will represent to us that, among other things:

•

you are acquiring the exchange notes in the ordinary course of your business;



•

you are not engaged in, and do not intend to engage in, and you have no arrangement or understanding with any person to participate in, the distribution of the original notes or the exchange notes within the meaning of the Securities Act;



•

you are not our affiliate, as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act;



•

if you are not a broker-dealer, you are not engaged in and do not intend to engage in the distribution of the exchange notes; and



•

if you are a broker-dealer or you are using the exchange offer to participate in the distribution of exchange notes, you agree and acknowledge that you could not under Commission policy, rely

36

Table of Contents

on certain no-action letters, and you must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements in connection with a secondary resale transaction.

Book-entry transfer

        The exchange agent will make a request to establish an account with respect to the original notes at DTC for purposes of the exchange offer promptly after the date of this prospectus. Any financial institution participating in DTC's system may make book-entry delivery of original notes by causing DTC to transfer such original notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC in accordance with DTC's procedures for transfer. If you are unable to deliver confirmation of the book-entry tender of your original notes into the exchange agent's account at DTC or all other documents required by the letter of transmittal to the exchange agent on or prior to the expiration date, you must tender your original notes according to the guaranteed delivery procedures described below.

Guaranteed delivery procedures

        If you wish to tender your original notes but they are not immediately available or if you cannot deliver your original notes, the letter of transmittal or any other required documents to the exchange agent, or comply with the applicable procedures under DTC's automated tender offer program prior to the expiration date, you may tender if:

•

the tender is made through a member firm of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, or an eligible guarantor institution;



•

prior to the expiration date, the exchange agent receives from such member firm of a registered national securities exchange or of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States, or eligible guarantor institution either a properly completed and duly executed notice of guaranteed delivery by facsimile transmission, mail or hand delivery or a properly transmitted agent's message and notice of guaranteed delivery:



•

stating your name and address, the registered number(s) of your original notes and the principal amount of original notes tendered;



•

stating that the tender is being made thereby; and



•

guaranteeing that, within three New York Stock Exchange trading days after the expiration date, the letter of transmittal or facsimile thereof or agent's message in lieu thereof, together with the original notes or a book-entry confirmation, and any other documents required by the letter of transmittal will be deposited by the eligible guarantor institution with the exchange agent; and



•

the exchange agent receives such properly completed and executed letter of transmittal or facsimile or agent's message, as well as all tendered original notes in proper form for transfer or a book-entry confirmation, and all other documents required by the letter of transmittal, within three New York Stock Exchange trading days after the expiration date.

        Upon request to the exchange agent, the exchange agent will send a notice of guaranteed delivery to you if you wish to tender your original notes according to the guaranteed delivery procedures described above.

Withdrawal of tenders

        Except as otherwise provided in this prospectus, you may withdraw your tender at any time prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.

37

Table of Contents

        For a withdrawal to be effective:

•

the exchange agent must receive a written notice of withdrawal at one of the addresses listed above under "Prospectus Summary—The exchange agent;" and



•

the withdrawing holder must comply with the appropriate procedures of DTC's automated tender offer program.

        Any notice of withdrawal must:

•

specify the name of the person who tendered the original notes to be withdrawn;



•

identify the original notes to be withdrawn, including the registration number or numbers and the principal amount of such original notes;



•

be signed by the person who tendered the original notes in the same manner as the original signature on the letter of transmittal used to deposit those original notes or be accompanied by documents of transfer sufficient to permit the trustee to register the transfer in the name of the person withdrawing the tender; and



•

specify the name in which such original notes are to be registered, if different from that of the person who tendered the original notes.

        If original notes have been tendered under the procedure for book-entry transfer described above, any notice of withdrawal must specify the name and number of the account at DTC to be credited with the withdrawn original notes and otherwise comply with the procedures of DTC.

        We will determine all questions as to the validity, form, eligibility and time of receipt of notice of withdrawal, and our determination shall be final and binding on all parties. We will deem any original notes so withdrawn not to have been validly tendered for exchange for purposes of the exchange offer.

        Any original notes that have been tendered for exchange but that are not exchanged for any reason will be returned to their holder without cost to the holder, or, in the case of original notes tendered by book-entry transfer into the exchange agent's account at DTC according to the procedures described above, such original notes will be credited to an account maintained with DTC for the original notes. This return or crediting will take place as soon as practicable after withdrawal, rejection of tender or termination of the exchange offer. You may retender properly withdrawn original notes by following one of the procedures described under "The Exchange Offer—Procedures for tendering" at any time on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the expiration date.

Fees and expenses

        We will bear the expenses of soliciting tenders. The principal solicitation is being made by mail; however, we may make additional solicitation by facsimile, email, telephone or in person by our officers and regular employees and those of our affiliates.

        We have not retained any dealer-manager in connection with the exchange offer and will not make any payments to broker-dealers or others soliciting acceptances of the exchange offer. We will, however, pay the exchange agent reasonable and customary fees for its services and reimburse it for its related reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. We may also pay brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries the reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in forwarding copies of this prospectus, letters of transmittal and related documents to the beneficial owners of the original notes and in handling or forwarding tenders for exchange.

        We will pay the cash expenses to be incurred in connection with the exchange offer. They include:

•

SEC registration fees for the exchange notes;

38

Table of Contents

•

fees and expenses of the exchange agent and the trustee;



•

accounting and legal fees;



•

printing costs; and



•

related fees and expenses.

Transfer taxes

        If you tender your original notes for exchange, you will not be required to pay any transfer taxes. We will pay all transfer taxes, if any, applicable to the exchange of original notes in the exchange offer. The tendering holder will, however, be required to pay any transfer taxes, whether imposed on the registered holder or any other person, if:

•

certificates representing exchange notes or original notes for principal amounts not tendered or accepted for exchange are to be delivered to, or are to be issued in the name of, any person other than the registered holder of the original notes tendered;



•

tendered original notes are registered in the name of any person other than the person signing the letter of transmittal; or



•

a transfer tax is imposed for any reason other than the exchange of original notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer.

        If satisfactory evidence of payment of any transfer taxes payable by a tendering holder is not submitted with the letter of transmittal, the amount of the transfer taxes will be billed directly to that tendering holder. The exchange agent will retain possession of exchange notes with a face amount equal to the amount of the transfer taxes due until it receives payment of the taxes.

Accounting treatment

        We will record the exchange notes at the same carrying value as the old notes as reflected in our accounting records on the date of the exchange. Accordingly, we will not recognize any gain or loss for accounting purposes upon completion of the exchange offer.

Consequences of failure to exchange

        If you do not exchange your original notes for exchange notes in the exchange offer, you will remain subject to the existing restrictions on transfer of the original notes. In general, you may not offer or sell the original notes unless either they are registered under the Securities Act or the offer or sale is exempt from or not subject to registration under the Securities Act and applicable state or other securities laws. Except as required by the registration rights agreement, we do not intend to register resales of the original notes under the Securities Act. We have no obligation to re-offer to exchange the exchange notes for original notes following the expiration of the exchange offer.

        The tender of original notes in the exchange offer will reduce the outstanding principal amount of the original notes. Due to the corresponding reduction in liquidity, this may have an adverse effect on, and increase the volatility of, the market price of any original notes that you continue to hold.

Other

        Participation in the exchange offer is voluntary, and you should carefully consider whether to accept. You are urged to consult your financial and tax advisors in making your decision on what action to take. In the future, we may at our discretion seek to acquire untendered original notes in open market or privately negotiated transactions, through subsequent exchange offers or otherwise. We have no present plan to acquire any original notes that are not tendered in the exchange offer or to file a registration statement to permit resales of any untendered original notes, except as required by the registration rights agreement.

39

Table of Contents

USE OF PROCEEDS

        We are making the exchange offer to satisfy our obligations under the original notes, the indenture and the registration rights agreement. We will not receive any cash proceeds from the exchange offer. In consideration of issuing the exchange notes in the exchange offer, we will receive an equal principal amount of original notes. Any original notes that are properly tendered and accepted in the exchange offer will be canceled.

40

Table of Contents

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

        The following table sets forth our historical ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated. For the purpose of computing the ratio of earnings to fixed changes, earnings consist of income (loss) before income and mining taxes, as adjusted to include fixed charges. Fixed charges consists of interest expenses (including amounts capitalized), amortization of debt issuance costs and that portion of rental expense considered to be a reasonable approximation of interest.

        For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2009 and 2006, earnings were inadequate to cover the fixed charges by US$54.0 million and US$28.7 million respectively.

        Included in earnings for the year ended December 31, 2009, was a non-cash charge related to the change in fair value of our warrants of US$93.4 million. This charge was the result of our adopting new accounting rules that were not effective until January 1, 2009.

        The earnings for the year ended December 31, 2008 included a charge of US$68.2 million related to the write-down of goodwill.

        We had no first preferred stock outstanding for any period presented, and accordingly, the ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges and first preferred stock dividends is the same as the ratio of earnings to fixed charges.

41

Table of Contents

CAPITALIZATION

        The following table sets forth our unaudited consolidated capitalization as of June 30, 2011.

        You should read this table along with our consolidated financial statements and related notes and the other financial information incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

42

Table of Contents

SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA

        The following selected consolidated financial data as of and for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP, which other than our audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2008, are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. The selected consolidated financial data as of and for the years ended December 31, 2006 and 2007 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP and are not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

        The selected consolidated financial data as of June 30, 2011 and for the six months ended June 30, 2010 and 2011 have been derived from our unaudited consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP incorporated by reference in this prospectus, which in the opinion of management include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair statement of the results for the unaudited interim periods.

        Our results for the six months ended June 30, 2011 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the entire year. Historical results are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any future period. You should read this summary financial data together with "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2011 and our audited and unaudited

43

Table of Contents

consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus, including the accompanying notes.