[US Media: US Officials Facilitate 1,000-Kilogram Gold Deal Between the US and Venezuela] Odaily Planet Daily reports that two sources revealed Venezuela's state-owned mining company signed a multi-million-dollar agreement on Monday to sell up to 1,000 kilograms of gold to the US market. This indicates increasingly close commercial ties between Venezuela and the United States. One of the sources stated that the gold deal requires Venezuela's state-owned enterprise Minerven to supply 650 to 1,000 kilograms of gold bars to commodity trader Trafigura. The contract stipulates that the final gold purity must reach 98%. Currently, the price of one kilogram of pure gold is approximately $166,000. Another source mentioned that Trafigura will transport the gold to US refineries under a separate arrangement made with the US government. US Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday to discuss opportunities in oil and minerals and helped facilitate this gold contract. (Jin10)