Gold miner Newmont Corp has taken a significant step toward acquiring Newcrest (ASX:NCM) with its A$26 billion all-paper takeover offer, as Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) has approved the deal. This marks the second crucial approval from Australian regulators in a month, following the green light from the ACCC in August. Japan's Fair Trade Commission also granted clearance last week, paving the way for the transaction to close by the end of next month. In a statement on Monday, Newmont stated, "Newmont continues advancing other regulatory approvals and expects to close the transaction in the fourth quarter of this year." If the deal proceeds, Newcrest shareholders will receive 0.400 Newmont shares for each share, with an implied value of A$29.27 per share.