By Fadimata Kontao, Portia Crowe and David Lewis (JO:LEWJ)
BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mali, one of Africa’s biggest gold producers, has issued an arrest warrant for Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) Chief Executive Mark Bristow, a warrant document seen on Thursday by Reuters showed, escalating a dispute with the Canadian mining company.
The West African country’s junta-led government is seeking more income from the sector to bolster state revenues as prices of the precious metal rally and has detained mining executives to put pressure on foreign companies operating there.
Four senior local employees of Barrick were briefly detained in September as the government demanded about $500 million in unpaid taxes, and then arrested again last month pending trial.
Bristow told Reuters in early November that the world’s No. 2 gold miner was confident of resolving claims and disputes with authorities before the end of the year.
He is accused of money laundering and violating financial regulations, the warrant document, first reported by Malian media and dated Dec. 4, showed. Its authenticity was confirmed by two sources close to the matter who asked not to be identified.
Barrick said the company “will not be commenting” on the reported arrest warrant, responding to a Reuters request. Barrick’s shares were down 2.9% on the Toronto stock exchange after the news.
Bristow, a South African national who shuttles between Britain and the United States, last travelled to Mali in July, according to the company website. Barrick has its headquarters in Toronto.
Another document showed Mali had also issued an arrest warrant for Cheick Abass Coulibaly, general manager at Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex in Mali.
Australia’s Resolute Mining also had its British CEO and two other employees detained by Mali’s military-led authorities over a tax dispute last month.
They were released after the miner agreed to pay $160 million.
The detentions and arrest warrants in Mali highlight the challenges faced by international mining companies in the region, where Burkina Faso and Niger have also increased pressure on them.
Burkina junta leader Ibrahim Traore said in October the country plans to withdraw mining permits from some foreign companies and will seek to produce more of its own gold.
Niger has taken control of French nuclear fuels company Orano’s Somair uranium mine, the company said on Wednesday.
The three countries have shifted away from traditional allies such as the United States and former colonial power France, and grown closer to Russia, which is helping provide security for their military leaders.