WASHINGTON: Canadian miner Barrick Gold said on Wednesday it had submitted an arbitration request to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, to settle a disagreement with Mali over its Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine complex.

Barrick, the world’s second-largest gold miner based on production, and the Mali junta have been in dispute since 2023 over a contract for Barrick based on the country’s new mining rules.

The fight has led to several levels of escalation, including Mali issuing an arrest warrant for Barrick CEO Mark Bristow this month. Barrick owns 80 per cent of Loulo-Gounkoto, with the Mali government owning 20pc.

The miner this week threatened to suspend operations in Mali over deteriorating mine conditions. Jefferies analysts wrote in a note this week that closure of the mine would reduce Barrick’s earnings before interest, taxes, and amortisation by 11pc next year.

Barrick said arbitration has previously been an effective tool in finding mutually acceptable solutions.

The company did not respond to a query about whether it has already suspended operations in Mali or whether the junta has threatened to cancel its mining license.

Four Barrick executives were arrested in Mali in November, the company has said. A person with knowledge of the issue said on Wednesday they were still detained. Another source said the mine continues to operate, although gold exports have stalled.

For the nine months ending Sept 30, the Loulo-Gounkoto mine contributed $949 million to Barrick’s revenues. “Barrick under its current leadership seems reticent to resort to arbitration, so this shows they’ve done their due diligence and are confident in their claim,” said Timothy L Foden, a lawyer involved in international arbitration of mining disputes.

Mali, under interim President Assimi Goita, has increased pressure on western miners in a bid to raise its revenue share from gold mines. In the last two months, the junta has detained senior executives of western miners, including employees of these companies for alleged non-payment of mining taxes. The increased pressure from Mali comes as gold prices hit record highs.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2024