EXHIBIT NUMBER 4.45


                 AMENDMENT TO EXPLORATION AND OPTION AGREEMENT
                   WITH BARRICK EXPLORACIONES ARGENTINA S.A.
                              DATED MARCH 26, 2003

















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<PAGE>



                                  EXTENSION TO
                      IMA EXPLORATION AND OPTION AGREEMENT



          THIS  EXTENSION  TO  THE  IMA   EXPLORATION   AND  OPTION   AGREEMENT,
(hereinafter referred to as the "Extension  Agreement") dated as of November 29,
2002, is between

          INVERSIONES MINERAS  ARGENTINAS,  S.A., a corporation formed under the
laws of  Argentina,  having an office at Suite 709,  837 West  Hastings  Street,
Terminal  City  Club  Tower,   Vancouver,   British   Columbia  V6C  3N6  Canada
(hereinafter referred to as "IMA"),

and

          BARRICK  EXPLORACIONES  ARGENTINA S.A., a corporation formed under the
laws of Argentina,  having an office at BCE Place, TD Canada Trust Tower,  Suite
3700, 161 Bay Street, Toronto,  Ontario, Canada M5J 2S1 (hereinafter referred to
as "Barrick").

          IMA EXPLORATION,  INC., a corporation formed under the laws of British
Columbia, having an office at Suite 709, 837 West Hastings Street, Terminal City
Club Tower, Vancouver,  British Columbia V6C 3N6 Canada (hereinafter referred to
as "IMAX"), joins this Agreement for the limited purposes set forth herein.

                                    RECITALS

          A.   IMA,  IMAX,  and Barrick  entered  into the IMA  EXPLORATION  AND
OPTION AGREEMENT (hereinafter the "Agreement") dated August 17, 1999.

          B.   Among other rights and obligations, the Agreement granted Barrick
"the exclusive right and option  ("Option") to acquire a 50% undivided  interest
in one or the  other of the  Option  Properties  and in all  easements,  surface
rights, or other interests held by IMA related to such Option Properties and all
technical data and other assets related thereto."

          C.   Under the  terms of the  Agreement,  Barrick  must  exercise  its
Option rights under the Agreement by delivering a Selection  Notice to IMA on or
before November 30, 2002.

          D.   IMA and Barrick  desire to extend the date by which  Barrick must
exercise its Option rights under the Agreement to December 31, 2003, and IMAX is
willing to concur in such extension.

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<PAGE>

          NOW THEREFORE,  in  consideration of the mutual promises and covenants
set  forth  in  this  Extension  Agreement,  and for  other  good  and  valuable
consideration,  the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and
intending  to be legally  bound,  the Parties  hereto,  and IMAX for the limited
purpose of acknowledging  the extension  granted under this Extension  Agreement
and affirming its continuing  obligations and rights under the Agreement,  agree
as follows:

          1.   Within  ten  business  days of the  execution  of this  Extension
Agreement, Barrick shall pay to IMA sum of US$65,000.00. IMA and IMAX agree that
such  funds  shall  be  used to make  the  payments  due  under  the  underlying
agreements  to maintain  IMA's rights to the Option  Properties in good standing
until at least December 31, 2003.

          2.   Article 3,  Section  3.2 of the  Agreement  is hereby  amended to
provide that the Selection Notice Period shall extend from the Effective Date of
the Agreement until the close of business, Toronto time, on December 31, 2003.

          3.   All capitalized terms used in this Extension Agreement shall have
the meaning  established  in this Extension  Agreement,  and if no definition is
provided herein, the meaning established in the Agreement.

          4.   The address for  notifications to Barrick pursuant to Article 14,
Section 14.2 shall be changed effective as of December 13, 2002 to:

                      c/o Barrick Gold Corporation
                      BCE Place, TD Canada Trust Tower, Suite 3700
                      161 Bay Street
                      Toronto, Ontario
                      Canada M5J 2S1
                      Attention:  Corporate Secretary
                      Telecopier:  (416) 861-8243

          5.   IMA, IMAX, and Barrick each represent to the other that they have
the corporate capacity to enter into and to perform this Extension Agreement and
that this  Extension  Agreement  has been duly  executed  by it and is valid and
binding upon it in accordance with its terms.

          6.   All other terms and  conditions  of the  Agreement  are expressly
ratified by the Parties and IMAX and continue in full force and effect.

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          IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  Parties  hereto and IMAX have  caused  this
Extension  Agreement to be executed by their respective duly authorized officers
to be effective as of the date first written above.


INVERSIONES MINERAS ARGENTINAS, S.A.

By      /S/ Joseph Grosso
        -----------------
Name    Joseph Grosso
        -----------------
Title   Director
        -----------------
Date    March 25/03
        -----------------

BARRICK EXPLORACIONES ARGENTINA S.A.

By      /s/ Alex Davidson
        -----------------
Name    Alex Davidson
        -----------------
Title   President
        -----------------
Date    March 26/03
        -----------------

IMA EXPLORATION INC.

By      /S/ Joseph Grosso
        -----------------
Name    Joseph Grosso
        -----------------
Title   President
        -----------------
Date    March 25/03
        -----------------



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