BAMAKO, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Canadian miner Robex

has signed a new agreement with Mali to operate its Nampala

mine, located around 300 km (186 miles) south of the capital

Bamako, the West African country's government said.

The company has been operating the mine since 2017 but the

new mining code of Africa's second biggest gold producer compels

international companies to pay higher taxes and hand over bigger

stakes in assets to the state.

In a sign of unease over the new legislation, Robex said in

September it was looking to sell its Nampala mine but it had not

received any reasonable offer.

A statement by Mali's Council of Ministers released late on

Wednesday said the company was planning to produce 1.4 tons of

gold per year for a period of 8 years.

"Geological research carried out by the company has

identified a deposit with mineral reserves estimated at

17,351,000 tons with a gold content of 0.70 grams per ton," it

said.

The statement said the government and the company had signed

a memorandum of understanding in September that allowed Mali to

increase its shareholding in the project, entitling the state to

priority dividends.