“The strength of the dollar, where rates are, where real rates are in the Western markets – that could be the catalyst to bring the Western investor back to add allocations to gold,” Cavatoni said last month during the Rule Symposium in Boca Raton, Florida.

Even with high metal prices, demand for jewellery remains elevated, especially in key markets such as India and China, he said. Also, central banks continue to show strong interest in gold as a haven from global economic challenges.

Watch the full interview with The Northern Miner’s western editor, Henry Lazenby.