Panama's Cobre Panamá mine faces ongoing environmental scrutiny despite closure

The Cobre Panamá mining project in Donoso, Colón province, has been formally shut down since late 2023 after the Supreme Court of Justice declared its operating contract unconstitutional. Despite the closure, state environmental audits indicate that significant obligations remain unfulfilled by the company.

Key outstanding issues include reforestation and compensation, with the company required to address 7,375 hectares outside the project's footprint and 3,100 hectares within it. Audits also demand demonstrable progress in ecological restoration, such as erosion and sediment control, recovery of aquatic ecosystems, and the establishment of functional wildlife corridors. Historical non-compliance issues, including acid drainage, erosion, tire disposal, tailings management, water discharge, and pond capacity, continue to be monitored despite previous sanctions.

Since 2024, a dedicated team of more than twelve Panamanian scientists, including biologists, geologists, chemists, and engineers, has been conducting continuous inspections and surveillance of the project site. Operating under the Ministry of Environment's Directorate of Environmental Performance Verification (DIVEDA), the team utilizes advanced tools like multispectral drones, geographic information systems, multiparametric probes, and bioindicators to evaluate water, soil, air, and riverine life quality.

“

It is not enough that the mine is closed. Our obligation is to be there, with science and rigor, verifying every commitment and demanding that whatever is needed be corrected.

This year, the Ministry of Environment has expanded its research, incorporating a comprehensive hydrogeological study, odor and vibration monitoring, and increased use of aquatic bioindicators. The team also includes a sociologist to gauge the perceptions of nearby communities and document the project's socio-economic impacts. Minister of Environment Juan Carlos Navarro emphasized the state's commitment, stating, "It is not enough that the mine is closed. Our obligation is to be there, with science and rigor, verifying every commitment and demanding that whatever is needed be corrected."

A ministerial commission, appointed by President José Raúl Mulino in early June 2026, is analyzing the project's technical, economic, and environmental realities. This commission, led by the Ministry of Commerce and Industries and including the Ministries of Environment and Economy, will determine the project's future. Navarro reiterated the government's stance: "As long as there is a pending environmental obligation at the Donoso mine, the Panamanian state will be present, with its own science and permanently, until it is corrected."

“

As long as there is a pending environmental obligation at the Donoso mine, the Panamanian state will be present, with its own science and permanently, until it is corrected.