The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Barrick is asking Mali to resume talks to end a bitter dispute that threatens to wrest away control of its massive gold mining operations in the country. The Globe's Niall McGee writes that Barrick was forced to shut down its Loulo-Gounkoto complex in January amid an escalating fracas with Mali over dividing the economic benefits. On June 2, a Mali court is expected to rule on whether to grant the government the authority to take over the mine after hearing submissions last week from Barrick. "Barrick believes there is no basis -- either in law or in practice -- for the day-to-day operations at Loulo-Gounkoto to be handed over to a court-appointed interim administrator," the company said in a release. The West African country, which is under military junta rule, jailed four Barrick executives in November and issued an arrest warrant for chief executive officer Mark Bristow in December, accusing him of money laundering. Barrick last week wrote to Mali's Economy Minister to reiterate that it is available to start talks again. The Loulo-Gounkoto complex is 80 per cent owned by Barrick and 20 per cent by Mali and used to account for 15 per cent of Barrick's output.