Suit seeks damages from mining firm

RENO (AP) - Five workers laid off last year from a northern Nevada mine have filed a civil lawsuit against a Canadian mining firm, claiming they were denied severance pay, notice, medical claims and retirement contributions required under federal law.

The suit, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Reno, seeks class action status for the roughly 400 employees at the Jerritt Canyon Mine in northeast Nevada who lost their jobs in August 2008.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Queenstake Resources owns the mine 50 miles north of Elko through its subsidiary, Yukon-Nevada Gold Corp.

Reno lawyer Mark Thierman, co-counsel for the workers, estimates benefits due total around $6 million.

Queenstake chief operating officer Graham Dickson says the company intends to pay the workers when it has funds to do so.