Four employees of Barrick Gold have been detained by Mali's military-led government amid escalating tensions between Western mining companies and the state over revenue disputes. The arrests, confirmed by the Canadian gold mining giant,

The Canadian mining company said that four of its employees at the Loulo-Gounkoto complex were charged and detained pending a 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,