Gold miners must focus on returns, mergers to attract investment – Barrick CEO

Gold miners must focus on maximising returns and more mergers to attract investors seeking to diversify after years of under-investing in mines, Barrick Gold’s chief executive said on Wednesday.

"The industry is in decline and we have put ourselves in a very a tight spot because we haven’t invested in exploration and our future," said Mark Bristow, who took the helm in January at Barrick after its takeover of Africa’s Randgold.