Resolute Mining Ltd. halted trading after Mali demanded the Australian gold miner pay about $160 million to resolve a tax dispute that’s seen its chief executive officer detained.

Resolute Mining's shares fell by 32% on Monday, their worst trading day in 16 years, after top executives at the Australian gold mining company were detained as part of a crackdown on foreign firms in Mali.

YAOUNDE, Cameroon — The military junta in Mali has arrested the top executive and two other employees of Australia’s gold mining company Resolute Mining while they were visiting the country for talks over an unspecified dispute, the company said Monday.

Resolute Mining's shares fell by 32% on Monday, their worst trading day in 16 years, after top executives at the Australian gold mining company were detained as part of a crackdown on foreign firms in Mali.

Shares of Australian gold miner Resolute Mining plunged more than 30 per cent on Monday after the company said its chief executive Terence Holohan and two other employees had been detained in Mali. The Resolute executives were in the capital Bamako to discuss with officials “open claims made against Resolute” that the group “maintains are unsubstantiated”,

Resolute Mining (OTCPK:RMGGF) (OTCPK:RMGGY) -32% in Australian trading Monday, the most in 16 years, after three of its employees including CEO Terence Holohan were arrested by government officials in Mali.