there will certainly be some buyouts in this industry, but i wonder how much of that report is just blackmont trying to drum up business. the credit crunch has just about put an end to financings by exploration companies, and the investment bankers are trying to find new sources of revenue. blackmont and the rest would get the fat fees that go along with this proposed merger and acquisition activity.

i see barrick mentioned as taking over silver standard, the company i am most familiar with. they have 4 million oz. of gold, and 1.7 billion oz. of silver, and this is supposed to be a good fit for barrick? so i think a lot of this is wishful thinking on the part of investment bankers looking for work. some of the deals they mention make sense, but putting together companies that have high-cost mines doesn't create any synergies. it just makes a bigger high-cost company, and the only ones who make money are the investment bankers.