Canada’s Barrick Mining averted a damaging operational shutdown by signing a new collective bargaining agreement at its massive Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in western Mali.
A company spokesperson and a union official confirmed the development on Sunday, easing immediate strike threats that had shadowed the key West African mining asset.
“We confirm that we have signed a new Collective Bargaining Agreement with the LG unions,” the spokesperson said.
Negotiations successfully resolved persistent disputes over overtime pay, expense reimbursements, and labor terms affecting both mine personnel and key catering contractors.
The deal neutralizes planned multi-day walkouts that threatened crucial production schedules at the dual Somilo and Gounkoto operating units.
This labor stability arrives as the complex navigates broader recovery efforts following regulatory friction and temporary operating disputes with Mali’s ruling authorities.
Loulo-Gounkoto remains a vital pillar for Barrick’s regional output, producing significant gold volumes essential to the company’s continental balance sheet.
Securing labor alignment safeguards near-term cash flows as mining operators across the Sahel face mounting fiscal pressures and evolving regulatory frameworks.
