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Debate over Pebble mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region moves to dueling Supreme Court briefs – by Yereth Rosen (Alaska Beacon – November 13, 2023)

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The company seeking to develop the controversial copper mine is sticking to its plans, despite federal action that barred permitting for the project

The company trying to build a huge copper and gold mine in the salmon-rich Bristol Bay will keep fighting for the project, despite a decision by the federal government to keep the proposed development site off-limits to large-scale metals mining.

John Shively, chief executive officer of the Pebble Limited Partnership, made that vow in a presentation at the Alaska Miners Association annual convention in Anchorage. He said the Pebble mine had the potential to transform the economy and improve lives in the rural Bristol Bay region, just as he said the Red Dog Mine, one of the world’s biggest zinc producers, has done in Northwest Alaska.

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Canadian mining company at centre of deadly Panama protests has no plans to scale back – by Pete Evans (CBC News Business – November 11, 2023)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/

Shares in First Quantum have dropped 40% since opposition to mining contract exploded recently

The Canadian mining company that controls a massive copper mine in Panama says it has no plans to alter its operations despite widespread local protests against the firm’s mining contract that have escalated and turned deadly.

Last month, Vancouver-based First Quantum Minerals Ltd. was awarded a contract to continue operations at a massive open-pit copper mine in Panama. The terms of that deal, which give the company the right to mine the site for at least the next two decades in exchange for $375 million US a year to the government, have become a flashpoint for local groups, some of whom oppose the mine plan for financial and environmental reasons.

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Solidifying Mount Isa’s mining future – by Tom Parker (Australian Resources and Investment – November 9, 2023)

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With Glencore set to downsize Mount Isa in 2025, what is the way forward for the North West Minerals Province?

Glencore’s recent announcement that its Mount Isa copper operations and Lady Loretta zinc mine would close in 2025 sent shockwaves through the Queensland mining industry.It signalled the end of two of Australia’s most iconic mining operations, which have supported the world with a sustainable supply of copper, lead, zinc and silver for up to 60 years.

In the wake of Glencore’s announcement, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a $50 million support package for the Mount Isa region and those affected by the impending closure.

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Rage Against Copper Producer Roils Markets, Panama Government – by Michael McDonald, James Attwood and Jacob Lorinc (Bloomberg News – November 9, 2023)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Panama’s ratification of a deal with a copper miner last month should have been a formality. Instead, it triggered nationwide protests that paralyzed the economy, destabilized the government and led to a nationwide ban on new mines.

The explosion of popular rage blindsided investors, forced authorities into a chaotic retreat and wiped out about $6.5 billion of value for shareholders of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals Ltd., a company regarded as a canny operator with decades of experience developing projects in Africa. A question mark now hangs over the future of its giant Cobre Panama mine.

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Protests against copper mine deal turn deadly in Panama – by Patrick Oppmann (CNN.com – November 8, 2023)

https://www.cnn.com/

CNN — Anti-mining protests that have roiled Panama for the last two weeks turned deadly on Tuesday when a man allegedly shot and killed two demonstrators, according to police.

A chilling video posted by bystanders on X, formerly known as Twitter, showed a disheveled elderly man apparently frustrated with the logjam trying to force the protestors to remove a barrier blocking the Pan American highway about 50 miles south of the capital, before pulling out a pistol and opening fire. Panama’s National Police later said they arrested the suspected gunman at the scene of the shooting.

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Rio Tinto CEO says China still promising mineral market as EVs boom – by Sayumi Take (Nikkei Asia – November 9, 2023)

https://asia.nikkei.com/

Mining giant sees ‘quite resilient’ economy, good iron and copper demand

TOKYO — China remains a key market for Rio Tinto, the Anglo-Australian mining company, even as the nation’s faltering economy and authoritarian regime concerns some Western governments and businesses, Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm told Nikkei Asia.

“There are some challenges in the property sector, but you have to bear in mind that the automotive sector is booming, particularly EV production and the export of EVs,” said Stausholm, who had just come from China to speak at Nikkei’s Global Management Dialogue in Tokyo on Wednesday.

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Hudbay Is in Talks to Draw Partner for Arizona Copper Project – by Jacob Lorinc (Bloomberg News – November 9, 2023)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Copper producer Hudbay Minerals Inc. is having informal talks with prospective partners to develop a deposit in Arizona as the mining industry pushes to bolster North America’s supply of key metals.

The Canadian company is looking to either sell a minority stake or form a joint venture to help finance its Copper World project in the second half of 2024, Chief Financial Officer Eugene Lei said in an interview Thursday.

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World will stop without copper but price not reflecting upcoming needs – by Martin Creamer (MiningWeekly.com – November 6, 2023)

https://www.miningweekly.com/

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Copper and zinc mine development company Orion Minerals is well placed to take advantage of the projected copper shortfall in the second half of this decade with its portfolio of short lead-time, quality assets and exploration potential, S2Research analyst Simon Hudson-Peacock stated on Monday.

Globally, there are very few copper projects of similar quality that are as advanced along the value curve with secured funding, as is the ASX- and JSE-listed Orion, with its 750 000 t of declared compliant copper equivalent mineralisation, Hudson-Peacock pointed out in the October 6 analysis.

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First Quantum shares up as Panama Congress leaves contract intact – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – November 3, 2023)

https://www.mining.com/

First Quantum Minerals’ (TSX: FM) shares recovered some of the loses from the week on Friday after Panama’s congress eliminated an article in a mining Bill which would have voided the company’s multi-billion dollar copper mining contract.

Lawmakers on Thursday passed a revised Bill that blocks all future mining concessions, including exploration, extraction and transportation of minerals as well as contract renewals in the Central American country. The provision to revoke First Quantum’s contract was eliminated and the National Assembly referred the agreement, enshrined in Law 406, to the country’s Supreme Court for a ruling.

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First Quantum to Keep Churning Out Copper Despite Panama Turmoil – by James Attwood and Jacob Lorinc (Bloomberg News – November 2, 2023)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — First Quantum Minerals Ltd. expects to continue operating a giant copper mine in Panama despite efforts to repeal its contract there, according to a person close to the company.

Even if lawmakers or the courts revoke a contract signed recently with the government, the Canadian company can keep mining at the Cobre Panama site as it seeks to restart negotiations for new terms, the person said.

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First Quantum faces ‘shocker’ in Panama as president calls referendum on Cobre Panama contract – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – October 31, 2023)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

First Quantum Minerals Ltd.’s ability to continue operating in Panama is uncertain, after the country’s president called a referendum over a recently approved contract for the Canadian company’s Cobre Panama mine.

The government of Panama signed the new 20-year Cobre Panama contract into law just over a week ago, after reaching a tentative agreement with the Vancouver-based miner earlier in the year. The deal would result in First Quantum paying drastically higher Panamanian taxes.

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Panama calls referendum on First Quantum copper mine contract – by Michael McDonald and Thomas Biesheuvel (Bloomberg News – October 29, 2023)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

The future of one of the world’s biggest and newest copper mines has been cast into doubt after Panama’s government said it will hold a referendum on the project as it attempts to quell mass unrest.

The Cobre Panama mine, built and operated by Canada’s First Quantum Minerals Ltd., has become a political flash-point in the Central American country. President Laurentino Cortizo, seeking to appease opponents of the mine, said Sunday that a national vote would be held on Dec 17. on whether to revoke the company’s license.

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Mining almost done at Sudbury’s Nickel Rim South Mine – by Harold Carmichael (Sudbury Star – October 27, 2023)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Workers will be transferred to other Glencore operations in the city

The last scoop load of nickel/copper ore is expected to be hoisted to the surface at Nickel Rim South Mine sometime in late March as the mine goes into care and maintenance mode. By then, most of the Skead-area mine’s employees will have been reassigned to other Glencore Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Sudbury INO), such as the Craig/Onaping Depth Project.

As of his week, the mine was down to 250 employees as the process has already started. “(The mining) coming to an end,” said Gary Potts, director of Nickel Rim South, during an interview at a community open house on Thursday at the Skead Recreation Centre. “It’s gone three years longer than originally forecast.”

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Copper mine protests roil in Panama – by Michael Fox (The World.org – October 26, 2023)

https://theworld.org/

The government approved a new contract with the mine late last week. Since then, protests have rippled across Panama, and people are afraid they could bring the country to a standstill.

Thousands of protesters in Panama have blocked roads and shut down major portions of the Pan-American Highway this week over a Supreme Court decision to fast-track a contract with a copper mining company.

Cobre Panamá is a massive copper mine owned by First Quantum Minerals that has been in production since 2019. In 2021, the Supreme Court declared the government contract with the mine unconstitutional for not living up to stipulations that it serves the “public good.” Panamá has been renegotiating a new contract over the last two years, attempting to provide greater environmental benefits to the state.

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Cornish Metals starts dewatering UK tin mine – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – October 26, 2023)

https://www.mining.com/

Cornish Metals (LON, TSX-V: CUSN) has kicked off work to dewater a past-producing tin mine at its South Crofty project in southwest England.

The Canadian miner said that water pumped from the old mine will be treated at its newly-built $8.5 million plant, at a rate of up to 25,000 cubic metres per day. It will then be released into the Red River, which meets the sea at Godrevy in St Ives Bay.

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