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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                                    FORM 8-K
 
                                 CURRENT REPORT
 
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
                                JANUARY 15, 1997
                       (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED)
 
                            HOMESTAKE MINING COMPANY
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 

                                                   
              DELAWARE                     1-8736             94108-2788
  (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF        (COMMISSION       (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
   INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)       FILE NUMBER)     IDENTIFICATION NO.)
 
       650 CALIFORNIA STREET
     SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA                                94108-2788
  (ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE
               OFFICE)                                        (ZIP CODE)

 
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (415) 981-8150
 
                   Exhibit index is on page 4 of this filing
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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
 
     On January 15, 1997, Homestake Mining Company ("Homestake"), in response to
Newmont Mining Corporation's ("Newmont") proposed offer to purchase each
outstanding share of Santa Fe Pacific Gold Corporation ("Santa Fe") Common Stock
and Newmont's proposed solicitation of Santa Fe shareholders to vote against the
combination of Homestake and Santa Fe, distributed a letter to Santa Fe
shareholders dated January 14, 1997, and a letter to Homestake shareholders
dated January 14, 1997 and gave a slide presentation to Homestake and Santa Fe
shareholders. Copies of the Homestake letter to Santa Fe shareholders, the
Homestake letter to Homestake shareholders and the slide presentation are filed
as Exhibits 20(a), 20(b) and 20(c), respectively, and are incorporated herein by
reference.
 
ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
 
(c) Exhibits
 

               
        20(a)     Letter dated January 14, 1997, from Homestake to Santa Fe shareholders.
 
        20(b)     Letter dated January 14, 1997, from Homestake to Homestake shareholders.
 
                  Homestake management slide presentation to Homestake and Santa Fe
        20(c)     shareholders.

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                                   SIGNATURES
 
     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
 
                                            HOMESTAKE MINING COMPANY,
 
                                            By: /s/ JACK THOMPSON
 
                                              ----------------------------------
                                              Name:  Jack Thompson
                                              Title:   President and Chief
                                                  Executive Officer
 
DATED:  January 15, 1997
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                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 

              
Exhibit 20(a)    Letter dated January 14, 1997, from Homestake to Santa Fe shareholders.
 
Exhibit 20(b)    Letter dated January 14, 1997, from Homestake to Homestake shareholders.
 
                 Homestake management slide presentation to Homestake and Santa Fe
Exhibit 20(c)    shareholders.