A Malian court ruled on Monday that the government can appoint a provincial administration to resume operations at the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex, formerly operated by Canadian mining giant Barrick.
Judge Issa Aguibou Diallo authorized Bamako to designate an official to oversee the mine’s operations for a six-month period amid its ongoing dispute with Barrick. The Loulo-Gounkoto complex—80% owned by Barrick and 20% by the Malian state—is one of the world’s top ten gold mining sites and the largest in Mali.
The dispute dates back to 2023, when Mali’s military-led government implemented new mining laws aimed at increasing state ownership and profit shares from the country’s mineral resources. In January, Barrick suspended operations at the site after Malian authorities seized three metric tons of gold—valued between $180 and $318 million—due to an unresolved tax dispute. A Malian court previously ruled that Barrick owed over $5.5 billion in unpaid taxes.
In April, the government escalated the situation by shutting down Barrick’s offices and arresting several employees, including the company’s local director. The following month, Malian officials formally petitioned the court to transfer operational control of the mine to provincial authorities. The ruling was postponed multiple times as Barrick pursued international arbitration through the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).
While Monday’s decision does not grant Bamako full nationalization powers, it marks a significant step in that direction. Barrick has since ceased operations in the country and removed Loulo-Gounkoto production figures from its 2025 forecast—indicating a likely long-term exit.
The move is part of a broader trend in the Sahel region. Military governments in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso—each having come to power through coups in 2021, 2022, and 2023—are asserting greater sovereignty over their natural resources. These states are increasingly seeking to reclaim control and expand profits from mineral assets long dominated by Western firms since the colonial era.