Panama Copper Port Loading Halted as Tax Dispute Escalates
- Suspension is over certification of the calibration of scales
- Government and company are at odds over new tax arrangement
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A tax dispute at a giant copper mine in Panama is starting to disrupt operations, with authorities in the Central American nation ordering port loading to halt over a certification issue.
In a statement Monday, operator First Quantum Minerals Ltd. said Panama’s maritime authority suspended loading in a move that forces it to stockpile semi-processed copper at the mine site. The Canadian firm said the order — over certification of the calibration of scales — deviates from prior practices. Its shares fell the most in seven weeks.