Cobre Panamá Mine’s Future Unclear After Panama Rejects New Mining Contract

The future of Cobre Panamá, Central America’s largest open-pit copper mine, remains uncertain after Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino ruled out a new mining contract law.

This decision, reported on April 24, 2025, follows months of political and economic turmoil sparked by the mine’s closure in late 2023. Cobre Panamá, operated by Canadian company First Quantum Minerals, accounted for about 5% of Panama’s GDP and produced over 330,000 tonnes of copper in 2023.

The mine generated $2 billion in copper exports and provided direct and indirect employment to over 40,000 people. Its abrupt shutdown after Panama’s Supreme Court declared the mining contract unconstitutional dealt a heavy blow to the nation’s economy.

The court’s ruling responded to unprecedented public protests that erupted in October 2023. Demonstrators, including indigenous groups and environmental activists, argued that the mine threatened protected forests and water supplies.

The protests, lasting more than a month, paralyzed the country and led to four deaths, dozens of injuries, and hundreds of arrests. The unrest forced the previous government to revoke the contract and halt mining operations.

First Quantum Minerals, facing the loss of its $10 billion investment, initiated arbitration seeking $20 billion in damages. However, in March 2025, the company agreed to suspend its legal actions, opening the door to possible negotiations.

Panama’s Struggle with the Future of Cobre Panamá

President Mulino made clear that Panama would only discuss the mine’s future if arbitration ceased. Despite this gesture, Mulino stated that his administration will not pursue a new contract law, as the current National Assembly opposes such a move.

He emphasized the need for any future arrangement to reflect Panama’s ownership of the mine. The president suggested a partnership model but provided no specifics, leaving the path forward ambiguous.

The closure of Cobre Panamá has had significant consequences. The mine’s output represented about 1.5% of global copper production, and its absence has tightened supply.

For Panama, the loss of export revenue and jobs has slowed GDP growth to 2.9% in 2024, down from 7.4% the previous year. The government now faces fiscal pressure, with the mine’s contributions to wages, taxes, and local procurement gone.

Analysts note that reopening the mine would require congressional approval, a new agreement with First Quantum, and clearance from the Supreme Court. Environmental groups, instrumental in the mine’s closure, continue to oppose any restart.

The process could take years, and Mulino has warned that a permanent closure might last up to 15 years due to the mine’s scale. The Cobre Panamá dispute highlights the risks of large-scale resource investments in politically volatile environments.

With no clear solution, Panama must balance economic needs, environmental concerns, and national sovereignty as it decides the mine’s fate. All figures and claims in this article are based on verified facts and public records.

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