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Taken Barrick gold now held at state-owned Malian bank BMS, sources say

About 3 metric tons of gold taken by authorities in Mali from Canadian miner Barrick Gold's. LouloGounkoto mining complex is now being held at Malian. stateowned Banque Malienne de Solidarite (BMS), two sources. told Reuters.

Reuters reported on Monday that, in an escalation of their. long-running dispute with the company, Malian authorities had. seized gold worth $245 million to be transferred to BMS in the. capital Bamako.

Barrick on Tuesday verified it had actually suspended operations in. the West African country which the federal government had moved gold. stock from the miner's Loulo-Gounkoto site to an unnamed bank.

Eyewitnesses at the mining complex explained gold being. flown away in two different flying force helicopter loads on. Saturday, among the sources said.

In a Jan. 2 order seen , judge Boubacar Moussa. Diarra ordered the seizure of 3.08 kg of gold to be saved in. the Banque de Developpement du Mali (BDM) in Bamako.

The 2 sources informed Reuters that BDM, however, stated it. could not safely hold that quantity of gold and therefore the. gold was positioned with BMS.

(source: Reuters)