The Malian government has signed seven new agreements with international and local mining companies, securing greater state revenues from gold and lithium projects.
Approved by the Council of Ministers on Friday, the deals grant Mali a guaranteed, non-reducible stake in mining operations with priority access to dividends.
They cover major sites including Allied Gold’s Sadiola project, B2Gold’s Fekola mine, Resolute Mining’s Syama site, and Ganfeng’s Bougouni lithium project.
The agreements build on preliminary deals signed between September and November 2024 and reflect provisions of Mali’s 2023 mining code, which raised royalties from 6.5% to 10% and increased state and local ownership to at least 35%.
While companies such as Endeavour Mining have already signed on to the new terms, Canadian miner Barrick Gold remains locked in a dispute with the government, a standoff complicated by a former company negotiator now serving as an adviser to Mali’s president.
Mali, one of Africa’s leading gold producers, has pushed for greater control of its natural resources as part of a shift toward resource nationalism and deeper engagement with Russian partners.
