** Shares of Astral Resources AAR.AX fall 5% to A$0.1425

** Stock posts its worst intraday drop since Jan 28

** The miner says it bids to acquire all remaining shares of peer Maximus Resources MXR.AX at an offer price of A$0.073/share valuing co at A$31 mln ($18.88 mln)

** Offer price represents a premium of 12.3% of stock's last close

** Merged entity will have combined mineral resources of

~1.8 mln ounces of gold - AAR managing director

** About 2 mln shares change hands, 1.6x the 30-day avg

** AAR last month gained 11.1%, largely in line with MXR's gains of 10.2%

($1 = 1.6418 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru)

((Tanishk.Kumar@thomsonreuters.com;))