ASIATODAY.ID, BAMAKO – Mali has temporarily stripped Canadian firm Barrick of control over the West African country’s largest gold mining operations, amid an escalating dispute over alleged unpaid taxes and royalties.
On Monday, a court in Bamako ruled that the management of the Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in western Mali be handed over to a state-appointed provisional administrator for six months.
Bamako Commercial Tribunal Judge Issa Aguibou Diallo announced that the mine will be managed during the period by Soumana Makadji, a former health minister and professional accountant.
The decision follows the government’s closure of Barrick’s offices in the capital and warnings to take over the site, which has been inactive for months. Mali’s military authorities have defended the move as necessary to maintain operations and protect the country’s economic interests. Barrick, however, has denounced the court order as illegal and a breach of its contractual agreements.
“This ruling follows actions by the Malian government to block gold exports and seize gold stocks belonging to Barrick’s subsidiaries – measures Barrick believes to be unjustified and which led to the temporary suspension of operations,” the mining giant said in a statement.
The Loulo-Gounkoto mines are 80% owned by Barrick and 20% by the Malian government.
The company suspended operations at the mine in January after the authorities seized three tons of gold from the mines and blocked its exports over unpaid revenues – a claim Barrick denies.
In February, Barrick said it had reached a settlement deal to reopen the mine, following an earlier $85 million payment made to the government last October.
However, talks between the two sides recently collapsed after Mali demanded a lump-sum tax payment of 125 billion CFA francs ($197 million), while Barrick pushed for a structured repayment plan.
Tensions have escalated since late last year over the detention of four Barrick employees, who face charges of money laundering and financing terrorism – accusations the company has rejected as false.
The mining giant has filed a case against Mali with the World Bank’s arbitration tribunal.
“While the company has made a number of good faith concessions in the spirit of partnership, it cannot accept terms that would compromise the legal integrity or long-term viability of the operations,” Barrick said on Monday.
The former French colony introduced a new mining code in 2023, allowing the state to claim up to a 30% stake in new projects as part of efforts to boost revenue amid rising gold prices.
The authorities in Bamako have expressed hope that a recent deal with Russia’s Yadran Group to establish a gold refinery – 62% owned by Mali – will help boost national revenues from bullion production. (RT)
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