LAS VEGAS — A Philippine island province with environmental damage from a 1996 mining waste disaster but no court to hear its damage claim wants Nevada’s highest court to rekindle a state lawsuit against Barrick Gold Corp.
Attorney James McCarthy told the Nevada Supreme Court on Tuesday the Province of Marinduque (mar-in-DOO’-kay) should be allowed to sue in Nevada because the Canadian-based mining giant has substantial operations in the state and could be held accountable for the disaster.
But Steve Morris, representing Barrick, said it’s actually a company subsidiary, Barrick Goldstrike, that does business in Nevada.
He says Barrick Goldstrike has no connection with the Philippine mine that closed in 1997.
Morris says a Clark County District Court judge properly decided in 2010 that the best place for the lawsuit would be in Vancouver or Toronto.
