Panama is preparing to open talks with First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM) on the possible restart of its shuttered Cobre Panamá copper mine, with discussions expected to begin late this year or in early 2026.
Commerce Minister Julio Moltó confirmed that a comprehensive environmental audit of the mine will start in the coming weeks. The review, conducted by SGS Panama Control Services, will assess environmental, social and economic impacts, including employment opportunities for Panamanians.
The mine has been closed since November 2023, after Panama’s Supreme Court declared its operating contract illegal. Moltó told local newspaper El Capital Financiero that the audit should take three to four months to complete. Once results are in, the government will begin talks with First Quantum.
President José Raúl Mulino has identified the reopening of Cobre Panamá as a top priority for his administration,…
