There are many surprising things about Panama, especially considering we are such a small country. We have the best coffee in the world. Really. Forget Juan Valdez. Our chocolate is world-class. Try La Praline Chocolatier in Panama City. With only a little more than four million residents, Panamanians are often on stage of some of the most important sporting events. Remember last years’ World Cup? Panama was there! And, later this month, New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, a proud Panamanian, will be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame, the only player to ever been unanimously selected.
Mariano Rivera
Our geography is incredibly diverse; within a days’ drive, you can enjoy the energy of a modern urban city, as well as white sandy beaches that face both the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.
The rainforest in Panama have more identified bird species than all of the rest of North America combined and if you want to check out the Continental Divide, hike up Panama’s non-active volcano, Baru, to enjoy stunning views. And, don’t forget the Panama Canal, one of the most amazing engineering projects of all time.
So, it didn’t come as too much of a shock when I learned that Panama also has one of the largest copper mines in the world, with enough mineral deposits to remain active for 34 consecutive years. The mine has been under construction for over six years and earlier this year the “first milling” occurred, making the mine officially operational. In June 2019, the first shipment of concentrate left the Port of Punta Rincon en route to China. Once completely engaged, the mine is expected to generate more of Panama’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than the Panama Canal, exporting approximately $2 billon annually or 4% of GDP.
Canada’s First Quantum Minerals, a highly respected and rapidly-growing top minerals producer on five continents and in nine countries, announced recently, they will be hiring up to 7,000 individuals to continue construction and run the massive copper mine. Corbre Panama, is located four hours (by vehicle) west of Panama City and only 12 miles from the Caribbean coast. The mine is spread over 33,606 acres with 11,000 of those acres designated as green space and support for the area’s fauna.
“We will maintain a workforce of 2,500 employees once the mine is completely operational,” said First Quantum’s Global Exploration Director, Mike Christie. “That will be for a minimum of 34 years. Everything about this mine is supersized,” he continued.
First Quantum is actively hiring for the Panama project. “Initially we will concentrate on hiring construction workers, but we are also hiring geologists, engineers, construction specialists, maintenance teams, lawyers and IT experts,” said the First Quantum hiring team for Panama. “Our opportunities are remarkable and we are recruiting world-wide,” continued a hiring team member, “but we need to be able to provide high quality options for the worker and their family.”
Employees of the Cobre Panama project are anxiously waiting for new housing to be constructed. Homes in the new Casa Pintada complex will be interspersed among retail and restaurants, bike and pedestrian paths and green space.
First Quantum recognizes a main problem with luring highly skilled talent to Cobre Panama, is that the mine is located in a remote section of the country. The closest residential options are, at a minimum, two driving hours from the mine in the town Penonomé. Other options are three hours to Coronado-Gorgona and four hours into Panama City.
The mine employees have been scrambling for housing since construction on the mine began almost five years ago, but it had not reached critical mass until recently, when the mine became operational.
“I’m one of the lucky ones, because I am an expat,” one miner told me recently. “Not only do I have a room, even though it’s the size of a small bathroom and it is somewhat damp without anything I could use for distraction—not even a working television. But, I love the work, the area is beautiful and I get to live alone in my little room. Lots of the other miners share accommodations, simply because there aren’t enough rooms,” continued the man, in his 40s.
Additionally, because there isn’t enough residential space, many of the miners are separated from their families. “I’d love to see my wife and son more, absolutely, but there is no room, so they live in Coronado, three hours away, and I see them as often as I can,” he continued and then laughed. “It certainly is a way to save money!”
First Quantum, Global Director, Mike Christie said: “We represent the largest private investment in Panama and we are generating thousands of jobs for Panamanian families. We have programs for the sustainable development of nearby communities and we comply with the commitments of the environmental impact studies, but we also need housing. There is a human footprint.”
