BUZZ-Gold miners: under pressure, some see glimmers of hope

** Gold miners have taken a bruising this year, but some investors are hanging in there as gold producers plan drastic cuts to survive the plunge in bullion.

** Gold slid to a more than four year low of $1,137.40 an ounce this week.

** Gold equities, historically more volatile than the metal, underperformed in H2. Chart: http://link.reuters.com/byb95v

** Reputed contrarian investor Alastair Mundy, manager of Investec UK Special Situations Fund, continues to hold gold & gold mining shares.

** Notes history shows inflation can surge unexpectedly with little warning; gold would hold up in such an event.

** Holds Kinross Gold & AngloGold Ashanti & Barrick Gold (Swiss: ABX.SW - news) as of end-Sept.

** All three more sparing; Kinross scrapped dividend in past year, AngloGold Ashanti (Xetra: AOD.DE - news) looking to sell assets to shore up finances & Barrick also looking to divest assets.

** One analyst highlights Randgold Resources as good quality co since has one of lowest price assumptions for gold in sector at $1,000 an ounce. http://reut.rs/1tHmK6j

** Stock posted best one-day pct move in 3-1/2 years on Thursday on record quarterly gold production. (RM (LSE: RM.L - news) : tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)