Copper: Humanity’s first and most important future metal
Millions of feet of copper wiring will be required for strengthening the world’s power grids, and hundreds of thousands of tonnes more are needed to build wind and solar farms.
Protesters attacked workers leaving the Cobre Panama mine early Sunday in an incident that left about eight people injured, a union leader said.
A group of protesters in a pickup truck threw stones at buses carrying staff from the First Quantum-operated mine, Michael Camacho, a leader of the Utramipa union, said by telephone.
After one bus was forced to stop, the passengers fled as protesters detained the driver, Camacho said. He said he was unaware of the extent of the injuries suffered by workers.
The union has called for protection of members as demonstrators pushing for the mine’s closure block key supplies from reaching it, which has forced the company to wind down operations.
Panama’s Supreme Court is considering cases filed against the mine, alleging the operating contract is unconstitutional.
(By James Attwood)
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