Mali and Barrick Gold Corp.’s negotiations to end a protracted dispute over payments from the country’s biggest gold mine have been suspended, according to people familiar with the government’s position.

Canadian miner Barrick Gold's negotiations with the Malian government have been suspended without reaching an agreement to end the dispute over payments, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the government's position.

The ongoing negotiations between the government of Mali and Canada's Barrick Gold Corp. (NYSE:GOLD) over payments from the nation's largest gold mine have been put on hold, according to Bloomberg report on Tuesday.

Mali is asking for a single payment of 125 billion CFA francs ($197m), while Barrick is proposing a payment plan distributed over time.

Mamou Toure and Samba Toure, key members of the government's negotiating team, both used to work in Mali for Randgold, a mining company that is now part of Barrick.

Barrick Gold Corp. Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow said the company is “making progress” in its dispute with Mali’s military regime, but the advances haven’t come as fast as expected.

Barrick Gold CEO Mark Bristow said the company is "making progress" in its dispute with Mali's government, but the advances have not come as fast as expected.