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Arbitration in between miner Franco-Nevada, Panama moves to next phase

Arbitration procedures between Canadian miner FrancoNevada and Panama over the Cobre Panama copper mine went into a brand-new phase this week with the development of a tribunal to hear the case, according to legal disclosures submitted by the parties. Financiers are awaiting Panama President Jose Raul Mulino's. decision over the future of the mine, which was closed down last. year due to public unrest. Cobre Panama is the flagship mine of. Canadian miner Very first Quantum Minerals, which is likewise. looking for damages from Panama. FrancoNevada had a streaming contract with First. Quantum to buy gold and copper from Cobre Panama in return for. financing mine operations. FrancoNevada is seeking $5 billion in damages from Panama under. the CanadaPanama freetrade agreement. In 2023, FrancoNevada took a $1billion charge due to the. mine's closure. First Quantum has actually sought damages of at least $20. billion and Orla Mining, which had its different mining. contract canceled last year, is declaring at least $400 million. from Panama. The next phase is official arbitration proceedings in. which the celebrations present their arguments. Cobre Panama has actually ended up being a flashpoint in the mining industry as. its closure has gotten rid of 1% of global copper supply. Mulino has. stated his federal government will decide the mine's fate early next year,. even as the arbitration cases continue.

Score agency Moody's cut Panama's outlook to unfavorable in. November and mentioned prospective credit threats due to the. continuous litigation. Missing procedures to resolve this threat, including reopening. negotiations with the mine's operators, the federal government's credit. profile might deal with a severe financial shock in case of an. unfavorable judgment, Moody's said.

Franco-Nevada did not respond to an ask for remark. First Quantum decreased to comment.

Shares of Franco-Nevada were down 1.7% in Toronto and First. Quantum dipped 0.5%.

(source: Reuters)