Barrick cuts power supply at PNG mine amid legal standoff

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Barrick Gold Corp <ABX.TO> will reduce power supply to townships near its Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea, the mine's operator said on Thursday, to save costs amid a deepening standoff with the government over mining rights.

Canada's Barrick, the world's second-biggest gold miner, was refused an extension of its expired lease on the mine in April, with the government citing unrest and pollution concerns.

It stopped production and said in a statement from mine operator Barrick (Niugini) Ltd that "due to necessary cost reductions" electricity the mine provides free to nearby communities would from Friday only be supplied for 12 hours a day.

Barrick is challenging the lease refusal and the reduction in power supply may increase pressure on the government to find a solution.

Barrick and China's Zijin Mining Group <601899.SS> each own 47.5% of the Porgera mine and last week approached the World Bank's International Centre to try to settle the dispute.

A spokesman for PNG Prime Minister James Marape had no immediate response on Thursday. Marape has previously said the government intended to operate the mine itself.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Robert Birsel)