"Brics currency" would go around the problems of gold, becausse they have been planning for it to be tied to a "basket of goods" like oil, wheat, gold, etc. It has always been about solving the balance of payments issue among the member states, without using the dollar or gold. You are right that an Euro-like currency would be bad for Brics countries economies because of their development levels' but so is Euro stifling for most the EU countries, but I digress.