Malian tax officials have reopened Barrick Mining's office in the capital under a court-appointed administrator, after it was shuttered in April over alleged non-payment of taxes, two people close to the matter told Reuters on Monday.

It marks the first significant development since a Malian court on June 16 placed the Canadian miner's Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex under state control in a major escalation of a protracted dispute over taxes and ownership.

It named former Malian health minister, Soumana Makadji, as provisional administrator in a move that Barrick has said it will appeal.

Makadji – who is expected to restart operations at the complex soon – held a meeting with staff at the Bamako office on Monday afternoon. He said he would visit the mining site on Wednesday, according to a meeting attendee.

New mining code

He said the mines should be able to finance themselves going forward once production has restarted and gold sales resume.

He was also meeting with subcontractors on Monday, three people familiar with the matter said.

Spokespeople for Barrick and for Mali's mines ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Barrick and the government have been in negotiations since 2023 over the implementation of a new mining code that raises taxes and gives the government a greater share in the gold mines.

Operations suspended since January

Operations at the Loulo-Gounkoto mining complex have been suspended since mid-January after the military-led Malian government blocked Barrick's gold exports and seized three metric tonnes of its stocks. Barrick's main office in Bamako has been closed since April.