Clock not yet ticking for First Quantum to halt Panama mine - Minister

The 10-day limit set by Panama's government last month for Canadian miner First Quantum to offer a plan to shut down its copper mine amid a contentious contract dispute has not yet started, the country's Commerce Minister said on Wednesday.

The order to pause operations at the massive Cobre Panama mine stems from a dispute that started in late 2021, after a Supreme Court ruling declared unconstitutional the law under which the contract was signed. The government on Tuesday called the contract invalid, whereas First Quantum asserts the contract remains valid.