Caracas ¨C Investors cheered when Venezuela opened its vast mineral reserves to private capital in April but gang control over many mines could prove a powerful obstacle.
The South American country, which is undergoing a profound transformation following the U.S. overthrow of leftist strongman Nicolas Maduro in January, has the world¡¯s largest proven oil reserves.
But it is also rich in gold, diamonds, bauxite and coltan, a mineral essential for technology and defense that is classified as critical by Western powers, as well as rare earths.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.