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 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.

Mali’s military junta started executing an interim order to seize gold at a mine run by Barrick Gold Corp., escalating a dispute over the West African government’s share of revenues from the project.