There are lots of good deals (producers) out there, no doubt about it. Sadly, I think you're right about the general public's loss of faith in the sector. Can't really blame them, given the typical media (mis)treatment of the subject. Still, if they are sharp enough, the deals are there to be had for the picking.
Some people will see through the childishly obvious routine interference in true market dynamics and realize that the days of the tail wagging the dog are coming to an end. That tail is about to get cropped.
The price of gold will be determined somewhere else, and nobody is gonna care what "stubby" has to say about it.
I don't know what the gold "price" will be when nobody wants to accept dollars (as the medium of exchange) for it any more, but I'm guessing it will be higher by several orders of magnitude.
Any reasonably capable producing Miner purchased within a few percentage points of an all time low is gonna make you look like an Einstein after the tail gets "cropped."
I'm double digit green right now, and see any dip into the red as a fortunate buying opportunity. I've got "dry powder" just waiting for another crack at it if they want to phuck around LoL! GL S