"If some paper gold end game is at play with desperate cartel ploys, then a new animal has been introduced to the jungle that will eat G&S rallies until it terminally chokes."

For the first time I have the impression that the suppression of the price of G&S primarily serves to accumulate/cover short positions in the mining shares. It looks like the cartel doesn't care anymore about what happens with the remaining physical, but wants to own as much of the mining shares as possible.

If that is true, that may mean that for the cartel the (good) mining shares are worth more than paper G&S and are (almost) as good as physical G&S. When the endgame has run its course the physical G&S will be in strong hands (Non-US CBs, bullion banks and wealthy individuals), the good mining shares in the hands of the cartel (bullion banks) and the G&S paper derivatives will be written off at the cost of the tax payer and unallocated G&S owners. When the reset of G&S occurs, the mining shares will be reset according to the ounces produced and reserves in the ground, so it makes sense that the mining shares are considered (almost) as hard as physical G&S.