Barrick employees released from Mali prison after deal, sources say

DAKAR, Nov 29 (Reuters) – Four Malian employees of Barrick Mining (ABX.TO), opens new tab 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.

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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.

Reporting by Portia Crowe; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Andrew Heavens

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