The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that Barrick said Friday it would be willing to talk to Papua New Guinea about reopening the Porgera gold mine but only without preconditions, after Prime Minister James Marape urged it to withdraw court action against the state. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that Barrick Niugini Ltd. (BNL) was responding to a statement from Mr. Marape on Thursday saying PNG would be willing to partner with Barrick to reopen Porgera, but only after withdrawing its legal action. Barrick said it would take years for Porgera to reopen if the country turned to a new operator. Barrick ceased production at Porgera gold mine and filed a case against the PNG government after the latter refused extension of the mine's expired lease in April, citing environmental concerns. Barrick Niugini (BNL), which is jointly owned by Barrick Gold and China-based Zijin Mining, owns a 95-per-cent share of the Porgera Joint Venture. In a statement released on social media, Barrick stated, "The court has encouraged us to find a solution through direct negotiations, but BNL's attempts to engage constructively have been met with only hostility and pressure by the SNT (state negotiating team)."