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

Canada's Barrick Mining had its Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali placed under state control by a court on Monday in a major escalation of a dispute over taxes and ownership.

A Mali court ruled Monday that western gold mines held by Canadian giant Barrick would be managed for six months by an appointee, effectively stripping operation of one of the