PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) targets the operation of the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
This underground mining activity was temporarily suspended due to a landslide incident that killed 7 workers on September 8, 2025.
Freeport Indonesia President Director Tony Wenas said that currently PTFI is restoring the GBC mining area which includes cleaning up materials and repairing damaged mining infrastructure.
"We continue to restore the GBC mine with a target to be able to start operating this mine in the first quarter of 2026," Tony said in a Hearing Meeting (RDP) with Commission VI of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Monday, November 24.
Tony explained that the security and cleaning of avalanche materials would take place from November to December 2025.
This process will then be idjutated by improving mining infrastructure at the beginning of next year.
After the cleaning and repair of infrastructure is completed, Tony continued, partial GBC operations will begin and production capacity will be increased gradually until full operation is completed.
"At the time of the avalanche there was a lot of infrastructure that was also damaged, and we needed time before we could start operations at the GBC mine," Tony explained.
Based on VOI records, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia also targets Freeport's GBC mining to start operating on a limited basis in April 2026.
"At the point where the disaster is problematic, our team is still evaluating. We are targeting maybe the 3rd month, next 4 months to operate," said Bahlil, Friday, November 14.
The government's current focus is to find out the cause of the wet ore mud landslide at GBC Freeport, audit the mine with a team of experts, compile recommendations, and make improvements based on the recommendations provided.
"After that, then production will be carried out," he said.
SEE ALSO:
Bahlil menegaskan, Kementerian ESDM tidak ingin evaluasi tambang Freeport berlangsung dengan tergesa-gesa.
Sebab, keamanan situs pertambangan tersebut menyangkut keselamatan pekerja.
Dia tak menginginkan ada korban jiwa yang diakibatkan oleh kesalahan atau evaluasi yang kurang mendalam.
SEE ALSO:
Bahlil emphasized that the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources did not want Freeport's mining evaluation to take place in a hurry.
This is because the security of the mining site concerns the safety of workers.
He did not want any casualties caused by mistakes or in-depth evaluations.
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