Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez and US interior minister Doug Burgum have said the two countries will be working together to develop mining in the country.
Burgum, who leads President Donald Trump's National Energy Dominance Council, met Rodríguez at the presidential palace in Caracas, in the second visit by a US secretary since the US strikes and seizure of Nicolás Maduro in January.
Venezuela has already changed its law to allow more foreign investment in its previously nationalised oil sector.
Now the government is planning for similar reforms of its mining sector.
It hasn't yet revealed the details, but the leader of the country's Congress, Jorge Rodríguez, who is also the interim president's brother, said the reforms would allow "large foreign companies" to mine minerals and rare earth elements.
