Panama copper port loading halted as tax dispute escalates

A tax dispute at a giant copper mine in Panama is starting to disrupt operations, with authorities in the Central American nation ordering port loading to halt over a certification issue.

In a statement Monday, operator First Quantum Minerals said Panama’s maritime authority suspended loading in a move that forces it to stockpile semi-processed copper at the mine site. The Canadian firm said the order — over certification of the calibration of scales — deviates from prior practices. Its shares fell the most in seven weeks.