Government insists maintenance isn’t mine reopening amid ongoing legal disputes
Panama’s government announced on Friday that maintenance work will begin at the Canadian-owned Cobre Panama copper mine, which was shut down last year due to widespread protests over its environmental impact.
Trade and Industry Minister Julio Molto emphasized that the maintenance is aimed solely at preventing environmental damage from materials stored onsite and does not signal the mine’s reopening, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Maintenance funded by First Quantum Minerals aims to safeguard environment, not restart mining operations.
First Quantum Minerals, the mine’s owner, will finance the maintenance by exporting 121,000 tonnes of copper concentrate left at the site since closure.
Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino previously indicated a desire to reopen the mine, but legal obstacles remain. The country’s Supreme Court ruled in November 2023 that the contract allowing First Quantum to operate the mine was unconstitutional.
Environmentalists demand external audit and definitive closure plan as controversy continues.
Environmental campaigners, including Raisa Banfield, criticized the move, stating that the mining company is incapable of managing the site responsibly and calling for an independent audit to finalize the mine’s closure. Cobre Panama, which started operations in 2019, had been a major economic contributor, producing about 300,000 tonnes of copper concentrate annually, accounting for 75% of Panama’s exports and 5% of its GDP, and providing employment to around 37,000 people.
