Barrick confirms arrest of four employees, committed to amicable Mali settlement

Barrick Gold (GOLD) confirmed that four employees of its Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex had been charged and detained pending trial. “While Barrick refutes these charges, it said it would continue to engage with the Malian government to find an amicable dispute settlement that would ensure the long-term sustainability of the complex,” the company stated. President and Chief Executive Mark Bristow said that since September 30, the company had been actively seeking to finalize a Memorandum of Agreement that would guide Barrick’s partnership with the government in future, including the state’s share of the economic benefits generated by the complex and the legal framework under which this would be managed. “Our attempts to find a mutually acceptable resolution have so far been unsuccessful, but we remain committed to engage with the government in order to resolve all the claims levied against the company and its employees and secure the early release of our unjustly imprisoned colleagues,” Bristow said.