Gold Exploration in West Africa

[FL]

Why? I've seen large and small mining stocks languish in price while gold itself has tripled almost relentlessly. I once thought 650 Euros/troy ounce would be a "key price" to energize the mining stocks, but nothing happened. I think the ETFs like GLD took away a big incentive to own gold mining stocks. The gold mining stocks used to be the convenient way to buy gold without lugging it around and worrying about thieves (or contract expirations). Now, if you "like gold", you just buy an ETF.