The Panamanian subsidiary of Canadian mining company First Quantum Minerals said on Wednesday it will submit the first phase of its mine protection plan to government officials on January 16, according to a statement. The project was ordered shut down last year.
The Cobre Panama project is one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world. After nationwide protests broke out against the project's continued operation, Panama's Supreme Court ruled its contract unconstitutional and the project was forced to shut down.
According to the company's statement, the plan should "ensure physical and chemical stability related to the management of mining facilities and the environment," including personnel requirements, monitoring and evaluation tasks.
An inter-departmental government committee will first conduct a technical inspection on January 11 as part of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce's action plan to close the mine, the company added.
In accordance with best international practice, the orderly closure of such mining projects, including planning and preparing methods to ensure future environmental stability at mines, typically takes several years to complete, the company said.
