Article about increasing consolidation - see excerpt and link below. Thoughts on what companies you think may be in play that we bloggers here should either have or buy anyone? I hold some NAK/NDM but sold most of it alas as it has been moving up smartly. Maybe that one?

"Goldcorp's (NYSE: GG) sweetened $242 million bid last week for Canplats Resources, which both matched and nullified a competing bid by a Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM) joint venture with silver miner Fresnillo, provided the latest example of intensifying competition for precious metal asset purchases -- at least until Monday morning brought breaking news of another counter-bid by the Fresnillo-Newmont venture that values the target at about $253 million.

hether it's NovaGold Resources (AMEX: NG) increasing its allure to suitors with the acquisition of the Ambler property last week, or Royal Gold's (Nasdaq: RGLD) bold move to outbid its rival Franco Nevada for smaller competitor International Royalty (AMEX: ROY), the trend toward consolidation in the mining industry will shadow the trend toward higher gold and silver prices. With both the frequency and the competitive nature of precious metals dealmaking activity beginning to ramp up anew, I believe that the stage is set for a dramatic increase in the sector's consolidation activity during 2010."