Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, said the reopening of PT Freeport Indonesia’s (PTFI) mine following a deadly landslide remains on hold pending a comprehensive audit of its underground operations.
“Production cannot resume at this time as the government is conducting an audit to identify the cause of the landslide,” Bahlil stated during a press briefing at the ministry’s office in Jakarta on Friday.
He said the audit covers the entire underground operation and aims to ensure the long-term safety of mining activities. Once the results are available, Freeport will be required to implement mitigation measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“This process involves several aspects of civil and mining engineering. Our team continues to carry out the on-site audit,” he added.
Director General of Minerals and Coal at the ministry, Tri Winarno, explained that the evaluation will focus on the mine’s structural integrity and the potential for recurring landslides.
The government has also asked Freeport to involve former employees familiar with the mine’s geotechnical conditions in the investigation.
The wet ore landslide occurred in the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) Extraction 28–30 Panel underground area in Tembagapura, Mimika District, on the night of September 8, 2025, at around 10 p.m.
Seven workers were trapped in the incident—five from PT Redpath Indonesia and two from PT Cipta Kontrak under PTFI’s Operation Maintenance Division.
Freeport temporarily suspended operations in the affected area during the search and rescue efforts. All victims were eventually recovered, and the company officially concluded the operation on October 6, 2025.
“We express our deepest condolences for the loss of seven Freeport employees,” Bahlil said.
