......Despite technological efficiency improvements and CPI extraction prices have risen in proportion to history. The truth is that western mining companies have had a cooshy 5 years, during which extraction costs have been bloated out. I think their extraction prices on paper could be tested and yeah, some will fall. BDR is a gold miner in the ASX200 and they are kicking arse at under $600 extraction costs. One of their high yield pits in Brazil is around the $150 mark. If you take the massive overheads away from these big miners, you get a much lower production cost indeed.