U.S. eyes Venezuela's gold, iron, bauxite after tapping its oil, sources say

(Reuters) – The Trump administration is seeking greater U.S. access to Venezuela’s minerals, including gold, as it expands its push to gain control and influence over the South ​American country’s vast natural resources beyond oil, according to three sources familiar with the discussions.

The effort could open the Venezuelan mining sector to U.S. investment and give U.S. companies to not only oil, but supplies of minerals crucial for national security, the sources said on condition of anonymity.

It also would expand President Donald Trump’s push to more closely align Venezuela’s resources with Washington’s strategic and economic interests in the wake of the U.S. military’s ouster of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a raid in January.