Unions Threaten Strikes at Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto Gold Complex in Mali

Image: Barrick_Loulo_Mali

Multiple unions representing workers at Barrick Mining’s Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali have issued strike notices, with industrial action scheduled to begin from September 28 if outstanding labour demands are not addressed.

The notices affect workers at SOMILO SA and GOUNKOTO SA, which operate the Loulo and Gounkoto mines, as well as employees of Food & Events Africa (FEA), a contractor providing catering and support services at the complex.

According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the unions are seeking action on issues including overtime payments, reimbursement of mission expenses, worker benefits and the implementation of existing labour agreements.

Workers at both SOMILO and GOUNKOTO have called four-day strikes from September 28 to October 1, citing unresolved demands that were submitted to management in February.

FEA employees have separately called a five-day strike from September 28 to October 2 over overtime payments, benefits and worker welfare.

The potential disruption also extends beyond Barrick’s operations. Unions representing employees of Mali’s National Directorate of Geology and Mines and other mining administration agencies have announced a 72-hour strike from September 29 to October 1 over unpaid salaries, allowances and mining-sector bonuses.

Barrick Mining and Mali’s Ministry of Mines had not immediately responded to requests for comment, according to Reuters.

The strike notices come as Barrick continues to rebuild production at Loulo-Gounkoto following a prolonged dispute with Mali’s government.

Operational control of the complex was returned to Barrick in December after the government placed the operation under temporary state administration during a dispute that lasted nearly a year.

Mining has since resumed, although the production ramp-up has been gradual. Barrick reported approximately 190,000 ounces of gold production from Loulo-Gounkoto during the first half of 2026, below levels recorded before the dispute.

Loulo-Gounkoto is one of Mali’s major gold-producing operations, making any prolonged labour disruption potentially significant for the complex as it works to restore production levels.

The labour tensions also emerge as Mali continues restructuring its mining sector and seeking a greater share of revenues from its mineral resources.

The country has begun reopening its mining licensing regime following a more than two-year freeze linked to an overhaul of its mining cadastre. Since August 21, authorities have renewed 14 gold and lithium exploration permits involving eight companies, including units of First Lithium and Cora Gold.

The latest developments highlight the range of operational challenges facing mining companies in Mali, where labour relations, regulatory changes and government involvement in the sector are increasingly important considerations for mineral producers and investors.