First Quantum Minerals offers voluntary retirement to Cobre Panama workers, sources say

Canadian miner First Quantum Minerals has opened a voluntary retirement scheme to workers at the Cobre Panama mine, two sources familiar with the matter said, as the company waits for a government decision on restarting the operation.

The mine, one of the world's top sources of copper, was shut down in November, hours after Panama's Supreme Court declared its contract unconstitutional. The decision to close down the mine was also triggered by environmental protests against the operation.