A Malian court has ordered the return of three metric tons of gold, valued at roughly $400 million, to Barrick Mining, easing a high-profile dispute that rattled Mali’s mining sector earlier this year. The gold was seized in January from Barrick’s Loullo-Gounkoto complex under the military-led government’s new mining code, which seeks a larger state share of extractive revenues. After months in a bank vault in Bamako, the ruling follows a negotiated settlement that restores Barrick’s control of the site. In exchange, Barrick will pay $437 million and drop arbitration claims, while Mali will drop charges and release detained employees—signaling a reset in relations.
Africa News
