Mali Helicopters Land at Barrick Mine, Leave With $117 Million of Gold
A dump truck moves excavated rock ore from part of the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex in Gounkoto, Mali.
Photographer: Simon Dawson/BloombergMalian government helicopters landed unexpectedly at Barrick Mining Corp.’s gold mine on Thursday and seized more than a metric ton of the precious metal, according to the company.
The move marks another escalation in a protracted dispute between the West African country’s government and Toronto-based Barrick, which shuttered its giant Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex earlier this year after Malian authorities blocked bullion exports and detained senior employees.