With gold at a more than four-year low of US$1,137.40 an ounce this week, the miners association yesterday upped the pressure on government for help, warning that at a price of US$1,000 many miners will exit the industry and most of the big ones are now operating at 25-30% capacity.
The tumbling gold price has resurrected memories of last year’s 28 percent slide to $1,196. That fall forced producers to cut costs. Gold prices recovered early in 2014,