Over the long run, however, South Africa's gold companies are looking to reduce their exposure to the country's volatile currency by expanding abroad.

Another gold company that paid nearly $26 million to acquire New Cinch in 1981.

The gold company will stay here today, if you approve, and then leave for Falcor in the morning.

At its peak, technological advances reached a point where significant financing was required, increasing the proportion of gold companies to individual miners.

The gold company's lawyers have demanded and received a promise from Guardian Newspapers never again to publish this article.

In October 1999 it converted over to a gold company from a diversified one.

That is because a change in hedging strategies by major gold companies should finally make a difference.

The price of the metal is up, as are the stock prices of gold companies.

The world's biggest gold company wants to mine it, but is finding that a harsh terrain is not the only obstacle in its path.

Hedging has become the most important factor in the relative success of gold companies in recent years.