Asarco filed suit against an Australian investor.

The mining and smelting company asked a federal court to block Robert Holmes a Court from making any attempt to take over Asarco, a spokesman for the New York company said. Holmes a Court has indicated he may try to acquire as much as 50% of Asarco’s common stock through companies that he controls. Asarco charges in the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., that Holmes a Court’s filings with the SEC have misrepresented his intentions in buying a 10% interest in the mining company in recent months, the spokesman said.