The Guatemalan Nickel Company announced that it will go to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to request precautionary measures in response to the local authorities' decision to suspend operations at the Fénix mine in Izabal.
The temporary suspension of the exploitation right license of the Fénix mining company, operated by Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel, in the department of Izabal, is reported.
After a group of neighbors claimed before the Supreme Court of Justice that for the mining project concerned, the community consultation process was not exhausted, in February of this year an injunction was granted in favor of the plaintiffs, but the company's operations were not suspended.
The arbitration panel was formed to hear the lawsuit against the State of Guatemala, which was filed because of the suspension of the operations of the El Tambor mine, in San José del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc.
After the arbitration claim was filed by the Americans Daniel W. Kappes, Kappes, Cassidy & Associates before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) on December 11, 2018, the body announced that the panel was formed.
Although in Guatemala the right to operate the El Escobal mine was granted in law, the project has been suspended for two years, making future investments in the country unviable.
The disadvantages for Minera San Rafael's operations date back to 2017, when in May of that year the Guatemalan Center for Legal, Environmental and Social Action (Calas) filed a protective action, arguing that the Ministry of Energy and Mines had not conducted the necessary community consultations before authorizing the licenses.
Canada's Calibre Mining bought from B2Gold Nicaragua, the El Limón and La Libertad gold mines, as well as the Pavon project and other concessions, in a transaction that totaled $100 million.
The El Limón and La Libertad mines have produced more than 1.4 million ounces of gold since 2010, and their combined production of gold in 2019 is projected to be between 150,000 and 160,000 ounces, the company said in a statement.
In Panama, the Canadian company First Quantum, owner of the copper mine in the province of Colon, sent the first vessel with 31,200 tons of copper.
The Panamanian mine whose construction began in 2013 and demanded about $6.3 billion investment, expects to export 320 thousand tons of copper concentrate per year, announced from the beginning of the year that in June would begin to export its product.
The decision of the Legislative Assembly to not endorse the bill that seeks to approve the contract between the government and Minera Panamá, shows the fragility of the contracts between the Panamanian state and companies.
The obstacles to the mining project date back several years, since the legal dispute began in 2009, when the Environmental Impact Center (CIAM) filed an appeal of unconstitutionality against the contract granting a 20-year concession to exploit and commercialize the gold, copper and other mineral resources of Cerro Petaquilla.
From January to September 2018, countries in the region exported $74 million in metalliferous minerals, and sales to Mexico tripled over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with the graphic"]
Palm oil, food supplies, paper and cardboard, beef and zinc minerals and its concentrates are the main products that Central American companies sell to companies in Mexico.
Figures from the Trade Intelligence Unit at CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Canada's First Quantum, owner of the copper mine in the province of Colon, Panama, plans to begin exports by the middle of this year.
The Panamanian mine, whose construction began in 2013 and demanded a $6.3 billion investment, expects to export 320,000 tons of copper concentrated per year.
Pan American Silver agreed to acquire the shares of Canadian Tahoe Resources, thus becoming the owner of the Mina San Rafael project in Guatemala.
With no details on the transaction amount, it was reported that the agreement between the two companies was approved on January 8, 2019 and is expected to be finalized on February 26.
From January to June 2018, countries in the region exported $52 million in metal ores, and sales to Mexico increased 400% over the same period in 2017.
Figures from the information system on the Metalliferous Minerals Market in Central America, from the Commercial Intelligence Area of CentralAmericaData: [GRAFICA caption="Click to interact with graphic"]
Representatives of the El Tambor mine, located in San José del Golfo and San Pedro Ayampuc, filed a $300 million lawsuit against the State of Guatemala.
The arbitration lawsuit was filed by the Americans Daniel W. Kappes, Kappes, Cassidy & Associates, which was registered by the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) last December 11th.
In Panama, activities related to mining are expected to increase by more than 10% in 2019, a growth that would be mainly due to copper extraction.
According to the Panamanian government, it is estimated that the economic activity of mining and quarrying will increase over 10% in 2019, as copper exports would exceed $2 billion per year.
The Pan American Silver mining company reported that it is interested in buying the shares of Canadian Tahoe Resources, the company owning Mina San Rafael in Guatemala.
Representatives of Minera San Rafael confirmed that interest exists by Pan American Silver, the world's second largest silver miningcompany with operations in Mexico, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, in buying Tahoe Resources.
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