Mali’s military government has started seizing gold stocks of the Canadian mining company Barrick as part of a legal battle over the share of revenue owed to the West African state, according to an internal Barrick letter seen by The Associated Press.

Canadian miner Barrick Gold said it will have to suspend mining operations in Mali after the government seized gold stocks from the company's Loulo-Gounkoto complex and flew them out by helicopter over the weekend.

Mali's military government has seized three tonnes of gold from Canadian company Barrick amid a legal battle over owed revenues. The gold, valued at USD 180 million, was transported to Bamako, Mali's capital.

An ongoing dispute over ownership stakes in Barrick’s operation in Mali has led to the arrest of mining officials, the government’s gold seizure and the company’s shutdown of its mine.

By Portia Crowe, Divya Rajagopal and Giulia Paravicini DAKAR (Reuters) -Mali began flying gold out of Canadian miner Barrick Gold's Loulo-Gounkoto complex by helicopter on Saturday, four sources close to the situation said,

Barrick Gold is suspending mining operations in Mali after the government seized gold stockpiles and issued an arrest warrant for Barrick's CEO. Bloomberg's William Clowes reports from Johannesburg. (