Cobre Panamá mine begins partial restart via stockpile processing

First Quantum Minerals has initiated a partial restart of its Cobre Panamá copper mine by processing stockpiled ore. Following government authorization, the company has reactivated milling trains to process approximately 38 million tonnes of stockpiled ore, which contains an estimated 70,000 tonnes of recoverable copper.

This operational activity supports roughly 3,200 direct jobs and over 3,000 indirect positions. Panamanian Commerce and Industries Minister Julio Moltó recently toured the Donoso, Omar Torrijos Herrera, and La Pintada regions to meet with workers and suppliers. These discussions are part of a broader review by a government interministerial commission regarding the long-term future of the mine.

By processing existing inventory, First Quantum aims to maintain critical infrastructure, including the port and power plant, while generating cash flow. The company reported that it had processed 2.1 million tonnes of stockpiled ore by the end of June, producing about 3,200 tonnes of contained copper, with the first shipment expected shortly.