The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that in a transaction about as far away as one could imagine from the multibillion-dollar deals of the past great commodity boom, Barrick Gold is taking a tiny bet on a junior mining company. The Globe's Niall McGee writes that on Wednesday, the world's biggest gold producer announced a 19.9-per-cent investment in Idaho-focused Midas Gold worth $38-million (U.S.). Barrick is acquiring 46.5 million shares at $1.06 a share, a 9-per-cent premium to its Tuesday close. It is the latest example of a senior gold company making a "strategic investment" in a junior, with the hope that it will eventually pay off in the form of much needed added production. Seniors make a relatively low-risk bet without jeopardizing huge amounts of capital, and juniors are able to raise money in a difficult financing environment. Most of the majors are getting in on the action, with Goldcorp, Kinross, Agnico Eagle Mines and Kirkland Lake all announcing minority stakes in juniors over the past year. Last year, Barrick funnelled $8.3-million into ATAC Resources and $9.1-million into Reunion Gold. Earlier this year, it invested $1.6-million into Royal Road Minerals.