TORONTO, May 7 (Reuters) - Barrick CEO Mark

Bristow said the miner is spending $15 million a month to keep

its Mali mine running, and that he does not know where the

government is keeping the gold that it confiscated from the

company.

Speaking in an interview about the long-running conflict

with Mali authorities, Bristow said the government walked back

on an agreement three times, and called the jailing of Barrick

employees in the country a human rights violation.