Natural Resources Law

An International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) tribunal dismissed Sundance’s arbitration claim against the Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), the Australian-headquartered mining company confirmed in a statement released on 27 January 2026. According to the statement, the tribunal, which operated under the ICC Arbitration Rules 2021, issued its final decision following a hearing held in Paris in November 2024 and subsequent post-hearing submissions. The tribunal determined that “Congo had a legitimate basis for revocation of Sundance subsidiary Congo Iron’s exploitation permit due to non-development of the project in the period 2016-2018 and, consequently, all claims by Sundance and Congo Iron have been dismissed.”

In November 2025, Barrick Mining Corporation (“Barrick”) and the Government of the Republic of Mali (“Mali”) reached a comprehensive settlement resolving disputes arising from the Loulo and Gounkoto gold mining operations. The agreement concluded nearly two years of escalating conflict marked by regulatory changes, operational disruptions, employee detentions, asset seizures, and the initiation of international arbitration proceedings. Under the settlement, Barrick agreed to pay approximately USD 430 million, equivalent to around 244 billion CFA francs, in exchange for the withdrawal of all arbitration claims and the restoration of its operational position in Mali.

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