Barrick’s operations in North America have benefited from recent expansions and safer jurisdictions than their assets in Pakistan, Mali and Papua New Guinea. Photo by Douglas C. Pizac/AP Photo/Postmedia files

Newmont Corp. is studying a potential deal to gain control of Canadian rival Barrick Mining Corp.’s prized Nevada gold assets , people with knowledge of the matter said.

Denver-based Newmont has a minority stake in a Nevada gold mining joint venture with Barrick, which is operated and majority owned by Barrick. Newmont is in the early stages of considering various transaction structures that would allow it to gain full ownership of the assets, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

It’s unclear how receptive Barrick would be to

See Full Page