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Message: Panamá Mining District
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06/05/2013 - Panama has a new "district" which covered parts of two provinces (Colon and Cocle) and dense forest areas protected by law, but eventually will be devastated.
The new district is not in the official political map, but foreign investors are very clear its location: The "Petaquilla Mining District" also known as "Petaquilla Mining District", as reported by the company Petaquilla Minerals, Ltd., its international promoter.
The new name colonense Donoso district and adjacent areas is contained in Petaquilla Minerals presentations to entrepreneurs in Canada, the United States, financial forums investment-like Investorshub-and even in publications of Chinese Investors Club.
It is a "district" which the company describes as "remote and under-exploited" and has "the potential to become the next major mining region of Latin America in the next four years."
"Inmet Mining [former owner of Minera Panama] plans to put into production the third largest copper deposit in the world," says Petaquilla on their website.
Mining operation in Donoso covers about 136 square kilometers, and approved by Act 9 of 1997, under the administration of Ernesto Perez Balladares. This contract covers the operation of Petaquilla Gold, led by Richard Fifer-y Minera Panama, the State-owned Korean (20%) and Canadian investors (80%).
Petaquilla Gold is a subsidiary of Petaquilla Minerals, Ltd., and Donoso gold extracted. Minera Panama is a subsidiary of Inmet, last April acquired by First Quantum Minerals, the Canadian miner.
Gigantic grant
But the 136 square kilometers of Contract Law 9 represent only a small fraction of the "district" spoken Petaquilla Minerals Ltd., for sure have rights to almost 10 times the size of the grant. At least that's what the map of concessions projects presented to investors and reproduces Inmet's website (see map).
A report by Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) of the United States, the official agency regulating the securities industry in that country, ensures the company has the "rights of exploration and exploitation of 842 square kilometers the area. " Another technical report indicates that 842 miles are "around" gold mine mining copper and Panama.
The report, certified by the international consultant Behre Dolbear concludes that "there is no reason to infer that the information used in the preparation of the report is invalid or contains misrepresentations". This document with the SEC expires March 31, 2014.
But there are inconsistencies in the information presented Petaquilla. For one, their documents show that has 23 mining polygons to 842 square kilometers covering. But, in reviewing the map used in their presentations-including the SEC-handed assumptions polygons (including 136 square kilometers of Contract-Law 9) added 51 thousand square kilometers.
This amount of land devoted to mining, equivalent to almost 1.5% of the national territory or a bit more than the district of Santiago de Veraguas-of 970.9 square kilometers, or more than double the Coiba Island (from 493 square miles), the largest uninhabited island in the Central Pacific, or 21 times the district of San Miguelito (50 square kilometers).
And the inconsistencies do not end there. According to the Mining Registry of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Mici), Petaquilla only owns the lands ceded the Contract-Law 9, ie 136 square kilometers.
Petaquilla, quietly
This means attempted an explanation of Petaquilla, but for more than a month, refused to talk.
This newspaper made three approaches by email to Augusto Batista, mine manager, with copy to Rodrigo Esquivel, director, president and treasurer of Petaquilla Gold-and Leonor González, assistant Fifer. All was useless.
This medium also left a letter in the office of Petaquilla in Panama (which called for interview), which responded Obaldía Maricruz telephone (Esquivel assistant) to say that he would answer, but first needed questions.
Clarified that, in terms of land, had made an agreement with Minera Panama and needed to "ask permission".
A questionnaire was sent, who also responded, and then three emails and several phone calls.
In a final effort, the Saturday before this publication reiterated its request them by email. Never responded.
His attitude contrasts with the eloquence used in international forums where they promote their "mining district", describing it as a good business opportunity.
The land for mining Petaquilla drives are in the forest reserve Donoso (Columbus) and cover most of the Parque Omar Torrijos (Cocle), both protected areas (see map).
This, not to mention that the whole mining area interrupts the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which connection is vital to conserve endangered species.
Desentendidas
The award superb Petaquilla promotes documents with the SEC is information that local authorities are saved.
For example, it is unknown how Petaquilla in royalties paid to the state for the right Panamanian mining in protected forest areas.
It is also unknown what mechanism used to acquire 19 of the 23 polygons that claims to possess, when his contract only covers four-or competed for them or got them directly.
It is not known whether it has made any public consultation or the legal process that protects the alleged transfer of 1.5% of the country to firms linked to a single owner.
Ricardo Quijano, head of Mici, refused to talk about it to this day. The medium was reported four times with his public relations department, visited his office, he sent two emails and requested an interview by telephone several times.
In a last attempt was made a formal request for information covered in the Transparency Law. The minister replied in a terse almost a month later. And because it's laconic answers, this newspaper was forced to ask for more explanation, but without success.
Inconsistencies
The Mining Registry website at Mici has two ways to present your information: excel files, with the list of applications and contracts and a map in AutoCad format, which is geographically located contracts and applications for mining concessions.
The map, as well as being inaccessible to the vast majority of citizens, is unclear. According to the list, Petaquilla Minerals, SA six requests made to explore gold in a total of 747 square kilometers.
Four of these six applications covering 506 square kilometers, located in two communities of Columbus and three in Cocle. These applications are being evaluated as they have opposed [to third parties or companies], the minister said in his terse reply.
The other two transactions, totaling 241 square kilometers in Donoso, were given eligibility and pursue your contract.
The six requests coincide with the location of several polygons that Petaquilla shows investors as granted.
A Map of the Mining Registry, 2011-the last one that could access this newspaper demonstrates the effect of Petaquilla concession (Contract-Law 9) with 17 adjacent polygons requested but Petaquilla displays all as "their" award.
In the official map, several polygons-that do not appear in the list of the Mining Register Mici-have been ordered by Petaquilla for exploration.
Words, the listing and the map contain inconsistencies, so not sure what amount of land claims Petaquilla.
However, the company only has an existing concession: that approved by the Contract-Law 9 of 1997, which is the gold mining, as well as copper, Minera Panama. The rest of the polygons, it is not known exactly how many, is not part of its concession, despite what Petaquilla said the SEC, to investors and potential investors.
His contract, however, it is generous: Petaquilla allows occupy territories outside its concession, to be "useful to the life of the project" (see facsimile).
In addition, regardless of his contract, the Mining Code provides that if a company gets a contract for exploration in an area, and then asks mineral extract in it, the state is "forced" to grant it.
Confusion in Anam
In the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) Petaquilla not believe that you have, as estimated by the company, 842 square kilometers of land for mining. "There may be 840 kilometers, must be 840 hectares. Do you know what you are 840 miles? "Asked amazed his manager, Silvano Vergara, to this medium.
"There must be a mistake are 840 hectares. There must be a mistake, "he reiterated" not make the mistake of ... in fact there may be 840 miles, no way. "
But this medium found in the archives of the Anam, in the approved environmental impact study for Molejón gold mine, a map provided by Petaquilla Gold polygons showing 23 supposedly "concession". It's the same map that show to investors and the SEC, even though, according to Mici, his only concession is 136 square kilometers.
The document also says that there are "adjacent mining concessions, direct or indirect ownership of 100% of Petaquilla Minerals Ltd". But on the other hand, refers only to the Petaquilla concession of 136 square kilometers.
The one who is very clear is the Chinese Investors Club "land tenure is in a perfect position to send the concentrates at low cost to Europe, Asia and North America," they say.
Contract with Inmet
Petaquilla Minerals Ltd., Inmet Mining last February signed a contract for $ 150 million which is to be seen whether the crime will keep the over 800 kilometers of land adjacent to its copper concession. He agreed, according to a statement, that Petaquilla Inmet yield to new contracts that grant of applications filed in the Mici, six, for a total of 747 square kilometers.
As Inmet was acquired by First Quantum, the rich mineral deposits Donoso would add to its operations in Africa, Europe, Australia and South America, which would become the largest producer of copper.
This journal managed an interview with Minera Panama SA -Subsidiary of Inmet-for over a month and after multiple email exchanges were limited to email the question to answer if would he gain exploration concessions Petaquilla? "Only part of the concession areas to be granted," he said.
The way in which the mining Mici and inform the public about the use of the country's land is questioned by the Environmental Advocacy Center (CIAM).
"It is necessary that the authorities, in this case the Mici, clearly provide the information of the total area to be concessioned" said Tania Arosemena, its legal director.
"We need the public about what areas you are being provided for the development of this type of activity ..." he said.
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