Canadian gold mining giant Barrick Gold has announced that four employees working at the Loulo-Gounkoto mine in Mali have been charged and are currently detained pending trial.

The company has refuted the charges against its employees, although the specifics of the accusations have not been disclosed.

Barrick Gold aims for an amicable resolution to ensure the site's sustainability.

The company is actively engaging with the Malian Government to reach a peaceful resolution and secure the release of the detained individuals.

The arrests involve the same employees who were briefly detained by Malian authorities in September, reported Reuters, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.

Barrick Gold president and chief executive Mark Bristow said: “Our attempts to find a mutually acceptable resolution have so far been unsuccessful, but we remain committed to engage with the government in order to resolve all the claims levied against the company and its employees and secure the early release of our unjustly imprisoned colleagues.”

Mark Bristow stated Barrick has been working to finalise a memorandum of agreement with Mali since 30 September, outlining economic benefits and legal frameworks for the complex.

The Mines Ministry of Mali has clarified that it is not directly involved in the case, indicating that it falls under the purview of the Economy and Finance Ministry, as well as the Justice Ministry's economic division.

This development comes as Mali demands approximately $500m (CFA Fr311.92bn) in unpaid taxes from Barrick Gold as the military-led government seeks to boost revenue from the mining sector, as reported by Reuters.

In a similar incident, Africa-focused gold miner Resolute Mining confirmed the release of its CEO Terence Holohan and two other employees last week after they were detained by the Malian Government.

The release followed the company's agreement to pay $160m (A$246.66m) to the Malian Government, a move aimed at settling a tax dispute.