Consolidation in the commodities space is generally the name of the game. In particular, gold miners are always in search of more deposits. Finding junior partners to tie up with, or even tying the knot with larger competition, is an age-old way of securing long-term cash flow growth. That's what every investor wants after all, right? In the case of Barrick Gold ( TSX:ABX )(NYSE:GOLD), acquisitions have become the talk of this company for some time. Failed talks with Freeport-McMoRan ( NYSE:FCX ) were the focus of Barrick investors earlier this year. Now, speculation is abounding about a potential merger with rival Newmont Gold ( TSX:NGT )( NYSE:NEM ). Can such a deal materialize? Let's discuss.