Big deals trigger further deals, so you can understand why Australia’s mid-cap gold miners were salivating at Monday’s news that the industry’s apex predator Newmont Corporation was hot on the tail of the biggest fish in the local pond.

Some of the biggest names in the ASX listed gold sector have built their companies by gobbling up the crumbs that spill free every time the likes of Newmont and Canadian giant Barrick Gold do a deal.