The permit for Loulo, where processing facilities are located, expires in February, shortly after the period of provisional administration is supposed to end. Barrick filed a renewal request four months ago, a spokesperson for the company said, adding that a separate license for Gounkoto runs for another 17 years.

Canada's Barrick Mining had its Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali placed under state control by a court on Monday in a major escalation of a dispute over taxes and ownership. A former Malian health minister,

A judge in Mali has placed Canadian mining company Barrick Gold under provisional administration in an ongoing dispute with the military government over alleged unpaid taxes