Mali Hearing Over Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto Gold Complex Signals LTO Strain

On June 12, 2025, Mali’s Commercial Court extended deliberations over appointing a provisional administrator to Barrick Gold’s Loulo-Gounkoto mine, deepening a months-long standoff sparked by Mali’s new mining code. The government’s seizure of three tonnes of gold and its export ban have halted operations since January, casting doubt on Barrick’s social and political license to operate. Although the company insists its contracts remain valid and is pursuing arbitration, it has had to lower its 2025 output forecast. Mali’s partial concession—allowing Barrick to repatriate 20% of its revenues—suggests tense but ongoing talks. The case illustrates how legal disputes, regulatory shifts, and local expectations are converging to reshape extractive governance in West Africa.