Copper mine a ‘serious environmental hazard’ for Panama

(ANSA) – PANAMA, 22 AUG – Panamanian Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro has warned of the risk that the copper concentrate stored in the Cobre Panamá copper mine represents for the country’s security. “The material already extracted and not yet processed is a great danger for Panama and must be removed as soon as possible to avoid possible negative consequences,” he said during a press conference. “The stored copper concentrate, when it oxidizes due to contact with air and high humidity, generates gases and leachates, which are very harmful to the environment,” he stressed, also highlighting the risks of residues penetrating into aquifers. Last November, the government ordered the closure of the mine – the largest in Central America – after the Supreme Court declared the quarry exploitation contract granted to a Canadian company unconstitutional. The ruling followed a popular mobilization that had grown over the months in defense of the environment. The copper – whose value reaches several million dollars on the international market – will be put up for sale only after a specialized company contracted by the government establishes its legal ownership based on the date of extraction. (ANSA).