It reached intermediate gold producer status in August 2011 when Northgate Minerals agreed to be taken over for C$1.46 billion.

[2] The company began as Golden Rock Explorations, Inc. on February 23, 1986 (date of incorporation).

[3][4] On August 9, 2006, AuRico finalized the $451 million takeover of Mexgold Resources Inc., which owned the Guadalupe y Calvo gold and silver project in Mexico.

[6] On May 16, 2011, it changed its name to AuRico Gold, a combination of Au ('gold') and Rico (meaning "rich" in Spanish).

[9] In 2002, the company announced a strategic alliance with Bolnisi Gold NL, to take its Ocampo Project in Mexico into production.