Concerns over ‘harmful gases’ at closed copper mine

Zorel Morales is nervous about 130,000 tonnes of poisonous materials.

The substance in query is partially processed copper ore, and it has been caught at a closed copper mine in Panama because the finish of final yr.

“The chemical reactions that generate dangerous gases, and a rise in the material’s temperatures, pose environmental risks,” says Mr Morales, who’s the pinnacle of Panama’s Chamber of Mining. He provides that it “threatens the health and safety of staff” nonetheless working on the operation.

The substance, known as “copper concentrate”, is finely floor copper ore that has been handled to extend its copper content material forward of occurring to be exported for smelting into refined copper.

In addition to the hazard of the discharge of poisonous sulphur dioxide fuel, simply being uncovered to mud particles from the focus can injury an individual’s respiratory system. And it’s poisonous to aquatic life.

The materials has been left on the website of Cobre Panamá, an enormous open pit copper mine closed since final December, when the nation’s supreme court docket dominated {that a} new 20-year concession to function the power was unconstitutional.

After the ruling the federal government shortly pressured the mine to close, leaving simply upkeep workers on the facility.

The order got here after 1000’s of individuals took to the nation’s streets final October and November to protest in opposition to the mine, which they mentioned was harming the atmosphere.

The facility, one of many world’s largest copper mines, employed some 7,000 folks, and accounted for 1% of the world’s copper manufacturing. It opened in 2019, and is owned by Canadian agency First Quantum Minerals.

Listen now – Panama’s troubled copper mine

Located deep in a tropical rainforest close to Panama’s Caribbean Coast, First Quantum has invested $10bn (£7.8bn) within the mine, together with new infrastructure like roads, buildings and equipment.

The firm desires to have the ability to export the present focus. It has filed two worldwide arbitration claims in opposition to Panama, though it says that its most popular route is to open dialogue with the brand new Panamanian authorities that got here to energy in July.

The dispute over the focus centres on who owns it – the Canadian firm or Panama.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the new government to address the situation in relation to the mine,” says First Quantum spokesperson Maru Gálvez, in a press release.

“In particular, it is important to resolve the status of the copper concentrate that remains at the mine site and which all parties have agreed is an urgent matter.”

In response, a authorities spokesman says they’re nonetheless assessing the state of affairs and aren’t giving interviews. The new president, José Raúl Mulino, has but to offer a transparent message about how he desires to resolve the problem.

One of Panama’s former finance ministers, Dulcidio de la Guardia, says he’s annoyed by the state of affairs.

“Cobre Panamá was the most important foreign investment in the country, second to the Panama Canal,” says Mr la Guardia, who held that cupboard place from 2014 to 2019. “It accounted for 5% of the GDP, which is around $5bn in direct and indirect contributions to the economy.”

Michael Camacho is a frontrunner of the Utramipa mining union, and one in every of 1,400 folks nonetheless working at Cobre Panamá as a part of the upkeep programme. This is costing First Quantum about $15m to $20m a month.

Mr Camacho desires to see the federal government approve a plan for the preservation and protected operation of the mine. “In December more than 6,000 miners were left out of work when operations stopped. I urge the new president, José Raúl Mulino, to listen to the concerns of the communities around the mine who want to go back to work.”

But, environmental activist Raisa Banfield, who was concerned within the demonstrations that led to the mine’s closure, is adamant that it remaining shut is in the most effective pursuits of the nation. “The future of Panama isn’t from mining. The future of Panama is its biodiversity.”

She thinks the nation wants a brand new sort of enterprise mannequin. “I think we’re re-finding our identity away from big projects like the Panama Canal, and foreign companies taking our resources to satisfy their economic model.”

She and different demonstrators acquired help from local weather activist Greta Thunberg and Hollywood actor Leonardo Di Caprio, who each shared a video calling for the “mega mine” to cease its operations.

Ms Banfield desires the brand new authorities to as an alternative put money into infrastructure for eco-tourism so Panama can flourish like neighbouring Costa Rica.

Yet others suppose the mine’s closure wasn’t simply concerning the atmosphere. Samuel Valdés is a biologist and the proprietor of the Biodiversity Consultant Group, which was employed by First Quantum to do research to assist minimise the environmental influence of the huge facility.

“There’s been a lot of misinformation surrounding the mine,” he says. Mr Valdés argues that among the opposition to the power was an extension of suspicions concerning the former authorities.

“Many people thought the last government was corrupt, and so they started to mistrust the mine’s [perceived close] relationship with it.”

He provides that the rivers surrounding the mine are thriving on account of copious rainfall and all his studies present that fish, algae and prawns flourish there and are public for anybody to see. However, he accepts that from time to time there have been remoted incidents that affected particular areas.

He thinks there are additionally tensions between totally different ethical viewpoints.

“The fight against the mine was from people who live in the cities who have a fixed idea of how people who live in the countryside should be living. Having worked with local people for the last 10 years I can tell you that their lives were much better because of the mine.”

It’s estimated that about 40,000 folks relied on the mine for his or her revenue, whenever you add corporations that supplied it with companies. Mr Valdés needed to make 60 folks redundant – a lot of them scientists – when the power closed.

He says the problem of leftover copper focus was brought on by the mine having to right away shut down. “The problem here is that the mine was a bit like a busy kitchen that suddenly closed. The food was left out on the sides or in the oven. Processes had been stopped mid-cycle”.

Some argue that the mine needs to be opened once more, however solely in order that it could then be closed down once more in a extra orderly method. Mr Valdés, as you’d think about, desires to see it restart manufacturing, after which stay open.

All this uncertainty isn’t serving to Panama’s popularity as a rustic for worldwide funding. The scores company Fitch stripped Panama of its funding grade credit standing due to the closure of the copper mine undermining financial development.

It stays to be seen if Panama’s new authorities will each regain buyers’ confidence – and completely reopen the mine.