Jakarta Globe, Bambang Djanuarto & Yoga Rusmana, April 19, 2011
The Indonesian unit of Freeport- McMoran Copper and Gold Inc. stopped underground mining at its Grasberg mine in Papua province after an “industrial accident” killed one worker and another remains missing, a spokesman said.
The accident happened at about 11 p.m. local time yesterday at the Deep Ore Zone mining area, Ramdani Sirait, a spokesman at PT Freeport Indonesia, said in a mobile-phone text message today. Freeport’s rescue team is trying to locate the missing person, he said.
“Mining operations at DOZ have been stopped for cleanup process and investigation by inspectors from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry,” Sirait said, referring to the underground mining site by its initials.
Grasberg, which began operation in 1990, contains the world’s largest recoverable reserves of copper and the biggest single gold reserve, according to Freeport’s website.
Copper production at the mine fell to 1.22 billion pounds last year from 1.41 billion pounds a year earlier, according to the website. Gold output declined to 1.79 million ounces from 2.57 million ounces.
Last month, landslides blocked a key access tunnel for workers to enter the Grasberg mine without causing any disruption to production and shipments, Sirait said March 7.
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