Mali frees Barrick Gold employees after entering deal with the Canadian firm

Four Malian employees of Barrick Mining 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 authorised to discuss the matter.