Category: International

First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM) says the law governing the mining concession for its Cobre Panama copper mine was passed and published in the Official Gazette of Panama on Oct. 20. Thus ends a period of uncertainty that began last year for the company. The Panamanian government last December ordered First Quantum to halt operations at Cobre Panama amid disagreements during contract negotiations, which later broke down. Talks eventually resumed and the parties reached an agreement in March. First Quantum had estimated that suspensions at the mine which lasted for… Read More Here

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) new designation of copper as a critical material follows the lead of the EU, China, Japan, and others in labeling the metal as critical – and shows copper is on the cusp of a generational shift from an everyday material to a geopolitically significant commodity. This new strategic importance stems from copper’s criticality to a wide range of clean and renewable energy technologies, such as waste heat recovery and electric vehicles, which can reduce global GHG emissions by two-thirds. As a result, experts estimate… Read More Here

Panama’s president on Friday October 20th gave final approval of a law authorizing a new long-term contract for a major copper mine following lengthy negotiations that will ultimately provide state coffers with much more revenue from the project. The contract covers operations of a local subsidiary of Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals Ltd at the Cobre Panama mine. The bill was overwhelmingly approved earlier on Friday by lawmakers in Congress. President Laurentino Cortizo’s approval, made official in the government’s gazette, was the last step to green-light the contract. The new… Read More Here

Anglo American and Mitsubishi Materials have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to create a responsible copper value chain. Under the MoU, the two parties will collaborate to create a copper product line to meet increasing demand for metals with “strong provenance credentials”. The partnership’s primary objective is to enhance transparency throughout the copper value chain. The goal is to identify and evaluate the sustainability indicators that are most relevant and valuable to both industry participants and end consumers. Leveraging advance technology-driven traceability solutions, Anglo American and Mitsubishi will collaborate… Read More Here