The Financial Post reports in its Tuesday edition that Sean Boyd, chief executive officer of Agnico Eagle Mines, wants to make it very clear: His company wants nothing to do with the merger mania suddenly sweeping the gold mining sector. The Posts Gabriel Friedman quotes Mr. Boyd telling the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada conference in Toronto on Sunday, "The recent M&A is just competitive positioning among the biggest players in this business -- not wanting to be left behind. This year, consolidation in the gold mining space has been a dominant topic of conversation as the two largest gold mining companies in the world square off: Barrick Gold last week made a hostile, $17.8-billion (U.S.) bid for rival Newmont Mining Corp. of Colorado, a deal that could create a company of unparalleled size, capable of producing 12 million ounces of gold per year. Mr. Boyd called Barrick's bid "abnormal," and suggested that after several years of cost-cutting and a sober focus on risk mitigation, the industry may be moving toward another phase of mergers driven by a "bigger is better" mentality. Agnico Eagle could eventually find itself targeted for a merger if a no-premium deal becomes the standard.