The Panamanian government authorized on Monday afternoon the removal of material accumulated at the Donoso copper mine and its transfer out of the country. The decision, published yesterday in the Official Gazette, states that the Ministry of Commerce and Industries (MICI) will have the authority to carry out actions to eliminate what it considers “dangerous” results from mining operations. MICI Minister Julio Moltó said that it is a stored material, known as a stockpile, which was previously evaluated through audits, and whose quantity, he noted, is not the same as the material previously mined. He emphasized that the decision responds to the request of the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) due to the risks that keeping the material on-site could represent. “No mining operation may be concluded or abandoned until the dangerous condition that gave rise to the Preservation and Safe Management Plan (Care and Maintenance) has been eliminated,” adds Executive Decree No. 5 of April 1, 2026. With this decision, the State orders the removal operation to be carried out. According to the decree, the cost of the measures authorized by the Government must be borne by the company that carried out the mining operations that caused the dangerous conditions. “The Ministry of Commerce and Industries may authorize the commercialization, export or final disposal of the material, when this is necessary for the elimination of the dangerous conditions,” the document states. The operator will have to submit periodic reports and, in case of non-compliance, will be sanctioned. Let us recall that at the beginning of 2026, President José Raúl Mulino gave the instruction for the export of the rock material and the copper concentrate accumulated at the Donoso mine. The company must also present a Preservation and Safe Management Plan, including risk identification, remediation actions, and execution schedules. In addition, powers are granted to MICI to supervise, inspect and order actions. It also allows the commercialization of the material when necessary to mitigate risks.
