Newmont Mining Corp might consider expanding operations into countries it previously believed were too politically risky, its chief executive said on Monday.

"It's not an overriding factor, but certainly one we have to consider," Richard O'Brien said.

"With as much triple-A production as we have, that allows us to take more risk," he said of the possibility of operating mines in less stable areas of the world.

Newmont currently mines in Nevada, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Peru, Ghana and Indonesia.

"We continue to evaluate where we want to be in the world and we want to be where the most valuable gold and copper deposits are," O'Brien said. "As a result, we have to expand our definition of countries where Newmont is willing to operate."

He said Newmont needed to work out the right way to get good partners in target countries, backed by capital and good relationships with the local government.