Gold mining rainmaker Raleigh Finlayson is tipping the spate of deals in the sector to intensify, and is openly bullish about the outlook for the precious metal in one of the few times in his career that he has volunteered an optimistic gold forecast.

Mr Finlayson said the takeover tussle for Musgrave Minerals was likely just a taste of bigger deals and consolidation plays on the horizon in the Australian gold sector. Speaking on the eve of the Diggers & Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie, the Genesis Minerals boss was open-minded on the potential for another transaction.