Dec 19 (Reuters) - China National Gold Corp is set to make an announcement soon on its talks over buying a stake in African Barrick Gold, an executive at the state-owned Chinese company said on Wednesday.

African Barrick's parent, the world's top gold miner Barrick Gold Corp, had said in August that it was in talks with China Gold to sell all or part of its 74 percent stake in the African miner.

A 74 percent stake would be worth about $2 billion, and if successful, the deal would be one of China's largest mining deals in Africa and the latest move among Chinese mining companies overseas as they look to meet soaring demand for gold at home.