Freeport Stops Grasberg Production, Focuses On Finding 5 Employees Trapped In Landslide

PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) President Director Tony Wenas attended the 2025 Green Mineral Investment Forum at the Ministry of Investment office, Jakarta, Thursday (2/10/2025). BETWEEN/Maria Cicilia Galuh,

PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) has temporarily suspended the operation of the Grasberg Block Cave mine, Mimika, Central Papua, since September 8, 2025. This step was taken so that the company could focus all efforts on the search for five employees who were still trapped by landslides.

"Production has stopped from September 8 to today. We are focused on rescuing the five people who are still trapped inside," said PTFI President Director Tony Wenas in Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, November 2.

However, Tony ensured that Freeport's overall mining production was still on target as the company could still process the concentrate that had been generated before the landslide.

"Our production is still in line with the target. So starting September 8, we will stop producing, but there are still concentrate which are then processed, used as cathodes, used as gold bullion," he explained.

Tony added that rescue teams are currently trying to reach the location of five workers who are still trapped. Previously, on Saturday (20/9), two of the seven workers who had been missing had been found, but were dead.

According to Tony, the location of the five employees' whereabouts has been identified, although the field conditions are very difficult to penetrate.

"Hopefully, in the not too distant future, maybe in 4-5 days we will be able to get to the location they are suspected of being," he said.

The landslide occurred on Monday (8/9) night at around 22.00 WIT in the Grasberg Block Cave underground mining area, precisely at the Extraction 28-30 Panel, Tembagapura, Mimika Regency. Almost all employees were successfully evacuated, except for seven people who were trapped inside.