The three men were arrested in November after traveling to Bamako for what they believed to be routine negotiations with the ruling junta.
Instead, British chief executive Terence Holohan and two of his colleagues were “unexpectedly detained” for questioning.
“The three officials of the Australian company who were arrested were released after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties,” declared a judicial source.
Since taking power, Mali’s military leaders have promised to recover gold mining revenues from foreign companies operating in the country.
Resolute owns 80% of a subsidiary that owns the Syama mine in the northwest of the country, with the Malian state controlling the remaining 20%, according to the company’s website.
“The CEO and the two other managers of the company have actually been released,” said a Malian manager of the Syama gold mine.
This is the second time in recent months that employees of a foreign mining company have been detained.
The $160 million payment poses a significant hurdle for Resolute, which according to its financial statements holds $157 million in cash.
Resolute said it would pay the Malian government $80 million from “existing cash reserves”, and would make a further payment of $80 million in “coming months”.
Despite being one of Africa’s leading gold producers, Mali is also one of the poorest countries in the world.
This West African state is plunged into a political, security and economic crisis and has been fighting since 2012 against the armed groups of Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, as well as against a separatist insurgency in the north of the country. .
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