Shares of some of the big caps are responding to the gold price.
Not too long ago I read a post of astonishment that Barrick was at that time going up more than most big caps and they have a long history of hedging. I interpret that as the short market going into the stock that will give quick profits, irrespective of the quality of the company.

The quality mines attract more of the long term market and it is slower to react to the PM price. With the same note, that very market is even slower to go into the small caps. They want to be reassured of the trend before jumping in because the small caps while having a possibility of higher profits are seen as of higher risk.

They do do the stepping stones from quick profits to larger sure profits of the big caps, eventually ending at the delayed huge profits of the quality small caps.
With every bit of rise in the gold price more buyers move in to get a foot hold and dilute the powers of the Plunge Protection Team.

As I finish writing this gold nudged 890$US!
I think it is going from a mostly linear progress to an exponential one.
Look out folks it could be any day now.