But there is no unanimity that the answer to the gold industry's plight lies with the breakup of established producers. Gold Fields has fallen 20 per cent since it spun out its South African assets through the listing of Sibanye Gold. The combined market capitalisations of the two companies is 17 per cent less than Gold Fields' value before the split. African Barrick Gold has also disappointed since it was spun off from Barrick in 2010, dropping 61 per cent. The African unit has been dogged by operational setbacks and struggled to meet production targets. Randgold, which owns mines and projects in Africa, has risen 17 per cent in New York in the past 24 months, compared with a 34 per cent decline in the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Gold and Silver Index of 30 producers.