Four Malian employees of Barrick Mining ABX-T have been released a year after they were detained in the capital Bamako amid a dispute between the company and the government, three sources told Reuters on Saturday.
The two sides had been in a standoff over the implementation of the West African country’s new mining code that gave Mali a bigger share of revenue from gold miners as gold prices surged to a record high.
The Canadian miner said on Monday it had reached an agreement with Mali’s government to resolve all disputes over the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex after two years of negotiations.
The agreement included Mali releasing the four employees from prison, where they had been held since November, 2024, according to a statement from the company.
The sources who confirmed the release asked not to be named because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.