Director General Of Mineral And Coal Says Freeport Can Be Sanctioned Due To Landslides In Underground Mining

Freeport (Between) mining accident

JAKARTA - Director General (Dirjen) of Mineral and Mineral Energy (ESDM) Tri Winarno revealed that there was an opportunity to impose sanctions on PT Freeport Indonesia due to landslides that occurred in the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine.

Tri said sanctions would be given if later there was an investigation by the Inspector of Mines at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and there were findings of indications of negligence.

"For example, later there will be an investigation, the investigative report will be evaluated, studied and so on, after that what the next step is," Tri said, quoted on Thursday, September 25.

According to Tri, the results of the investigation by the mining inspector will later become a reference for imposing sanctions for PTFI, both in the form of temporary and permanent operational cessation.

"It can be temporarily suspended, it can be stopped in various ways," explained Tri.

Just so you know, until now the search for trapped workers is still being carried out by PTFI. VP Corporate Communications of PT Freeport Indonesia Katri Krisnati said the search for five colleagues who had not been found was still ongoing.

"The rescue team continues to work day and night despite the huge challenges of the movement of wet and high risk materials," Katri said in a statement to the media.

He added that excavations from two access lines were continued, with additional supporting infrastructure as locations were deepening and the air was increasingly limited. Heavy equipment, including remote control loaders, is used to minimize risks for rescue teams.

"We invite all parties to continue praying and providing moral support so that our five colleagues are found soon," said Katri.