Panamanian miners receive world-class training in Zambia

4 Panamanian miners were part of the talent, leadership and best practices exchange program of First Quantum Minerals in coordination with Cobre Panama.

Training is conducted at 2 world-class mines located in the African country.

Panama, July 4, 2023 -Through the talent, leadership and best practices exchange program of First Quantum Minerals, parent company of Cobre Panama, a group of 4 Panamanian miners, comprised of 2 women and 2 men, completed a 3-month training in the Kansanshi and Sentinel copper mines, located in Zambia, with the objective of continuing to acquire knowledge about modern and sustainable world-class mining.

The Panamanian miners who participated in this training in Zambia were: Eddy Barraza, Primary Crushing Specialist; Dayana Avila, Metallurgy; Yirieth Morales, Geotechnical Engineer and Roydydt Royo, Mining Engineer, who had the opportunity to exchange and learn new industry skills and technologies and develop a broader understanding of mining globally.

Cobre Panama’s country manager, Keith Green, expressed his enthusiasm for the continued development of future leaders in the mining industry in Panama. “At Cobre Panama, we take great pride in being a training channel for new professionals in careers geared towards sustainable and responsible mining management, reinforcing these competencies with on-the-ground learning from the implementation and development of cutting-edge technology at mines operated by First Quantum Minerals in other countries.”

First Quantum Minerals’ flagship Kansanshi mine began operations in 2005 and today employs more than 13,000 people, primarily Zambians, using technology that meets the highest standards in mining to extract copper and gold.

Another mine that is part of the training program for Panamanian miners is the Sentinel mine, the largest infrastructure investment in Zambia since the construction of the Karina dam in 1959. It began operating as of 2012 and like the Cobre Panama mine, its operating system is based on sophisticated technology that includes the world’s largest steel ball mills, a process that is also implemented in the milling of copper concentrate in Panama.

Cobre Panama is the largest private investment in the country’s history. According to the latest INDESA study, in 2022 the company had a 4.8% share of the country’s GDP. Currently, the mine has more than 7,300 employees, of which more than 90% are Panamanian. The benefits of the operation, in addition to its important contribution to boosting the national economy, are also tangible in the 22 communities neighboring the mine, where various community development programs are implemented as part of the company’s social and environmental commitments.