|

Panama approves plan for Copper mine

Panama has approved First Quantum Minerals’ maintenance plan for its closed copper mine in the country, but not a re-start of the site, a top trade official said on Friday

Trade and Industry Minister Julio Molto said the plan included environmental safety measures that were necessary following the abrupt shut-down by government order under the prior administration in late 2023.

“The mine is not being reopened. We’re authorizing the implementation of the care and safe management plan to ensure it is environmentally protected,” Molto told a press conference.

He said that experts estimate that process could take three to six months, accounting for environmental measures.

Source – Reuters

Similar Posts

  • /

    Investment banks raise gold forecasts

    UBS and Commerzbank raised their gold price forecasts on Friday, joining other investment banks as investors drive the safe-haven metal to record highs amid the economic uncertainty sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

    Trump’s tariffs have roiled financial markets, stoking fears of inflation and a global recession. While he has paused most duties, he has hiked those on China to 145%, prompting Beijing to lift its tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.

    “We expect gold’s rally to extend into next year and for prices to stabilise at higher levels further out,” UBS analysts said in a note

    Source – Reuters

  • /

    Copper futures fell by 22%

    US President Donald Trump went ahead with 50% tariffs on copper imports but exempted refined metals, which are the mainstay of international trading. The move triggered a record plunge for US prices after a period of fat profits for traders who hurried metal to America before the levies kicked in. A large premium for New York futures over London evaporated.

    “The blow-out in the CME-LME spread has been touted as one of the most profitable commodity trades in modern history,” Daniel Ghali of TD Securities Inc. wrote in a note. “In a single session, the White House’s proclamation on copper tariffs annihilated the spread and catalyzed CME copper’s largest intraday fall on record.”

    Copper futures on Comex in New York fell by 22% as traders recalibrated the value of metal in the US versus the rest of the world.

    Source – Bloomberg

  • /

    Freeport – McMoRan Inc is developing new technology

    After 154 years of digging at Morenci, all the easily recoverable copper has been mined. Left behind are towering piles of waste rock that hold nearly 10 million tons of the metal seen as critical to global electrification. It’s a cache that could prove key to President Donald Trump’s ambition to boost US production of critical minerals.

    Freeport-McMoRan Inc., which owns Morenci, is trying to develop technology that can burrow within those gigantic waste piles and extract low-grade copper that miners previously saw as too expensive and difficult to process.

    “For a long time, we just didn’t think it was possible to recover any of this stuff,” said Robert Pollock, Morenci’s site manager, gazing up at a waste pile the size of a Manhattan office building. “But now, all this historical copper – we’re going after it.”

    Source – Bloomberg

  • /

    Gold breaks $2900 per ounce

    Gold has surged to a new all-time high, breaking through $2,911.72 per ounce on a thick mix of domestic and foreign uncertainty, inflation concerns, and a shifting macroeconomic landscape. While bullion has historically served as a safe-haven asset, the latest rally is not merely a reaction to market turbulence, but instead to a confluence of economic and financial factors that reinforce its role in global portfolios.

    Source – Seeking Alpha / American Institute for Economic Research / Written by Peter C. Earle

  • /

    Israel’s 77th anniversary AI coins

    In tribute to these technological advances and in recognition of Israel’s 77th anniversary, Israel Coins & Medals Corp. has commissioned the Holy Land Mint for special coins. These issues are recognized by the Bank of Israel as legal tender.

    Obverse features include the Israel State Emblem, “Israel” in English, Hebrew and Arabic, “Independence Day 2025” in English and Hebrew, face value and Mint mark. To the right, circular and linear shapes symbolize Artificial Intelligence.

    Three different denominations are being produced, each with the similar designs. The Prooflike 1-New-Israel-Shekel piece is 30 millimeters in diameter and composed of .925 fine silver, weighing 14.4 grams. Its  maximum issue size is 1,800 pieces.

    Source – Coin World

  • /

    Gold Miners Trapped in Congo Landslide

    A landslide at an informal gold mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo where thousands of people were working has left an unknown number of people trapped underground since Sunday.

    Twelve people have been rescued, Mr. Rubabura said, adding that the number of missing would be released only once the search was over.

    The Lomera site is an artisanal mine, meaning it is not operated by a mining company with professional equipment but by workers who use basic tools to extract ore, often in dangerous conditions.

    On Tuesday, M23 members walked around the site issuing instructions to those who remained, telling them not to film or speak to journalists. There was no sign that a serious search for survivors was underway.

    Source – New York Times