The ruling junta in Mali is tightening its hold on the gold industry as it moves to reclaim control from established foreign operators and boost local processing capacity through investment from Russia.

A judge in Mali has placed Canadian mining company Barrick Gold under provisional administration in an ongoing dispute with the military government over alleged unpaid taxes

A Malian court adjourned until June 16 a hearing on whether to put Barrick Mining's gold mining complex, suspended since January due to a dispute over taxes and ownership, under provisional administration,