Govt blames Freeport for landslide<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: A massive landslide at PT Freeport Indonesia's gold
\nand copper mine in West Papua that killed eight employees was
\nlikely the result of management negligence, a government official
\nsaid on Monday.<\/p>\n
Indonesian authorities launched a probe after the wall of an
\nopen pit at the massive Grasberg mine collapsed Oct. 9, burying
\nthe eight workers. Five others were injured.<\/p>\n
Government investigators learned that management of the
\ncompany, a local unit of Louisiana-based Freeport-McMoran Copper
\n& Gold Inc., knew the wall could collapse but didn't take
\nsufficient action, said Suryatono, an energy ministry official
\nleading the probe.<\/p>\n
\"There was information from one of the employees to the head
\nof the mining operations at Freeport that there could be a
\nlandslide,\" Suryatono told Dow Jones. \"But (the head) made the
\nwrong decision.\"<\/p>\n
Employees had reported their concerns over the steep angle at
\nwhich Freeport had been mining the pit, Suryatono said.<\/p>\n
The government probe is ongoing, he said.<\/p>\n
A Freeport spokesman declined to comment.<\/p>\n
The government has forced Freeport to suspend operations at
\npart of the Grasberg mine since the incident, and has ordered the
\ncompany to hire a new geological consultant to help prevent
\nfurther landslides. -- Dow Jones<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-blames-freeport-for-landslide-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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