Quotes from the Denver Gold Forum-Wednesday

DENVER, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Here is a selection of quotes on Wednesday from the Denver Gold Forum, an annual get-together for the world's biggest gold mining companies:

RICHARD O'BRIEN, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE WORLD'S SECOND LARGEST GOLD PRODUCER NEWMONT MINING CORP

On the price of gold:

"It's party time now versus a year ago when everybody was in self-reflection mode. The recovery has been pretty amazing,"

"We're committed to making sure we continue to have leverage to the upside when prices are high ... (but) that we build projects that don't need $1,000 gold to make them economical."

NICK HOLLAND, CEO OF GOLD FIELDS, THE WORLD'S NO. 4 GOLD MINER

"Some people say oil is going up to $100 a barrel in the next six to 18 months. If that's true, and if you look at the long-term relationship between gold and oil, you should find that gold would go to $1,500 to $1,600,"

PETER MARRONE, CEO OF CANADIAN MINER YAMANA GOLD INC

"Cost is a big factor -- I am a big believer that not all gold ounces are created equally."

"It is not just about the number of ounces but the quality of those ounces."

SEAN BOYD, CEO OF CANADIAN GOLD MINER OF AGNICO-EAGLE MINES

"Just because gold is up over $1,000 doesn't mean that we have to be more aggressive on M&A. We don't need to be."

"There are a lot of new investors starting to look at the gold space as a way to diversify their portfolios and get exposure to gold in a time of uncertainty." (Reporting by Frank Tang, Steve James, Cameron French