A MALIAN court has deferred proceedings for the second time regarding the potential placement of Barrick Mining’s Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine under provisional administration, as authorities seek to resume operations at the suspended facility.
Judge Mahamadou Tipou Keita confirmed on Thursday that the hearing has been postponed until June 2, following a request from the state for the adjournment, according to a report by Reuters on Thursday.
The West African nation’s government is pursuing court approval to install a provisional administrator to oversee the Canadian mining giant’s operations, which were halted in January amid allegations of unpaid tax obligations. Barrick has firmly rejected these accusations.
The mining dispute represents the latest escalation in tensions between Mali’s government and international mining companies operating in the gold-rich nation, said Reuters. Under new mining legislation, Malian authorities have successfully renegotiated agreements with several other multinational mining firms, the newswire said.
However, Barrick remains the sole major operator that has not accepted Mali’s revised terms, leading to a series of punitive measures including the detention of company personnel, seizure of assets, and the suspension of mining activities at the lucrative gold operation.
The ongoing standoff highlights the increasingly assertive approach by Mali’s military-led government towards foreign mining companies, as the country seeks to maximise revenues from its mineral wealth amid economic pressures, said Reuters.
