Should the spinoff happen, AngloGold would be the latest miner to reduce exposure to South Africa, where political instability, controversial new mining rules and a stronger rand have made it less attractive to operate.
While Bulgaria may not be the first country investors equate with gold mining, executives at one TSX Venture Exchange-listed company are sitting on pins and needles waiting for the drill results that could prove their high-grade thesis.
The company, to be named Integra Resources Corp, plans to acquire an advanced-stage gold-silver project in Canada or the United States in the next two months, and then apply to list on the TSX Venture Exchange, CEO George Salamis said.
South African miner Harmony Gold reported a 35 percent rise in full-year profit on Thursday and said it will look at growth, exploration and acquisitions to meet its 2019 production targets.
South Africa's Sibanye Gold flagged up a first-half earnings per share loss on Thursday, citing provisions worth 1.1 billion rand ($84 million) for a possible settlement with miners who contracted lung diseases at work.
While suppliers are not required to comply with the 2017 Charter, the procurement targets for Holders indirectly require them to meet such targets to remain competitive.