PANAMA CITY (Reuters) – Panama has not licensed visits to First Quantum’s shuttered Cobre Panama mine, the nation’s Ministry of Commerce and Trade stated in a press release on Tuesday.
“Any entry of third events to these amenities has been managed unilaterally by the corporate, with out the participation or endorsement of the Nationwide Authorities,” the ministry stated.
The assertion was shared on X by Minister Julio Molto and acknowledged that Panama’s authorities is “within the means of contracting a complete audit, which goals to technically and objectively consider the present state of operations and their impression on the setting.”
Panama’s assertion comes after First Quantum introduced on Monday a program of visits to the Cobre Panama copper mining web site, which has been shut since 2023 amid an environmental dispute with the nation, to tour the location.
The Panamanian authorities believes the general public visits could have an effect on the impartiality of any evaluation of the Cobre web site and the present provides of copper focus there.
Earlier than its shutdown, the mine was one of many world’s high sources of copper, accounting for 1% of worldwide output.
(Reporting by Elida Monero; Writing by Natalia Siniawski; Modifying by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez and Christian Schmollinger)
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