The Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) awarded SGS Panama Control Services Inc. a comprehensive audit of the Panama Copper Mine project, located in Donoso, Colón province. The reference price for the contract was $600,000.36, while the selected company submitted a bid of $539,791.46. The purpose of this audit will be to verify compliance with environmental obligations, as well as to prepare a detailed assessment of the current situation in terms of the environment, legality, operations, and risks associated with this project. Environment Minister Juan Carlos Navarro had already announced that the name of the winning company would soon be announced, but this had not been done due to legal and bureaucratic delays.
Navarro reiterated that mining activity remains paralyzed and that currently only periodic environmental preservation inspections are being conducted at the site. Following the suspension of international arbitration proceedings against the State for the mine’s decommissioning, negotiations on the future of the deposit have not yet begun. President José Raúl Mulino warned that the mining issue is complex and requires in-depth analysis, always in the national interest. He also noted that the final decision on the mine will be made directly between Minera Panamá and the state, without going through the National Assembly.
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