A court in Mali has ordered the appointment of a provisional administrator for Barrick Mining's Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex, a presiding judge said on Monday.

Soumana Makadji, a former health minister, will take over as provisional administrator for a period of six months, the judge said.

The mine has been suspended since January due to a standoff between the Canadian miner and Mali's government over taxes and ownership.

The government, a shareholder in the Loulo-Gounkoto gold mining complex, in May asked the Bamako Commercial Court to appoint an administrator, signalling its desire to reopen the complex amid record-high global gold prices.

Shares trade down

Barrick shares were trading down 0.7% in Toronto in early Monday trade.

Barrick did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment while a spokesperson for Mali's mines ministry declined comment.