Canada's Barrick Gold ls buying Randgold Resources, creatin the world's biggest gold miner with a value of about lbn i14bn). The firms own some of the world's most valuable gold fields, producing more than 6.6 million ounces of gold a year. Barrick shareholders will end up owning two-thirds of the combined firm and Handgold will own the remaining third. Shares of both firms have fallen almost Stilt this year, amid falling gold prices and questions over their strategy. "Eiur Industry has been criticized for its short-term focus, undisciplined growth and poor returns on invested capital. The merged company will be very different," said Mark Brlstow, Chief Executive of Handgold. "Its goal will be to deliver sector leading returns, and In order to achieve this, we will need to take a very critical view of our asset base and how we run our business, and he prepared to make tough decisions," be added. The price of gold has fallen more than 3% this year, putting all gold producers under pressure. 1.] What type df merger is happening? 2.] Why are these companies merging? 3.] Why Is price of gold dropping