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The Malian authorities has escalated a dispute with Barrick Gold by closing the Canadian mining firm’s workplace in Bamako and threatening to grab management of its property within the nation, the group mentioned on Tuesday.
The ruling navy junta had shut Barrick’s workplace within the Malian capital and warned it might place the corporate’s Loulo-Gounkoto gold-mining complicated “beneath provisional administration until the mine was reopened and tax funds have been made — although gold exports stay blocked”, the group added.
Barrick is amongst a number of western mining firms that have been focused final yr amid tensions with the navy junta.
Though sure firms reached agreements with the federal government with a view to proceed working within the nation, some executives and employees — together with these of Barrick — have been arrested.
In January, Barrick suspended operations in Mali after the federal government seized a number of the firm’s gold.
Barrick mentioned on the time it had “regrettably initiated the non permanent suspension of operations” at Loulo-Gounkoto as a result of the corporate was being stopped from exporting gold from the mine.
An settlement with the federal government “now seems to be obstructed by a small group of people putting private or political pursuits above the long-term pursuits of Mali and its individuals”, Barrick mentioned on Tuesday.
“It’s regrettable that the federal government continues to hinder gold exports whereas concurrently demanding tax funds on income it has actively prevented from being realised,” it added.
Barrick mentioned it was ready to take authorized motion towards the Malian authorities if an answer to the dispute couldn’t be discovered.
The federal government has been approached for remark.
