PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is accelerating the operational recovery\nof its Grasberg Block Caving (GBC) underground mine following a wet\nmaterial landslide incident in September 2025. The company is\nimplementing innovations and constructing massive drainage\ninfrastructure to secure the work area while gradually restoring\nproduction capacity.<\/p>\n
PTFI President Director Tony Wenas explained that recovery efforts\ninclude the technical removal of 800,000 tonnes of wet mud material and\nthe construction of a water drainage system to prevent similar incidents\nfrom occurring.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank God, we have reached 84% of the material removal and repairs\nhave been carried out, and now we are ramping up production,\u201d Tony said\nin Tembagapura, Central Papua.<\/p>\n
The main mitigation measures include the construction of a\n300-metre-high drainage drift connecting the underground mine to the\nbottom of the open pit. The system functions to channel accumulated\nwater, which was the primary cause of the wet material sliding into the\nunderground production area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe plan is to build around 12 to 14 drifts. Four are already\nfunctioning, and we will continue until the number is sufficient,\u201d he\nexplained.<\/p>\n
In addition to the drainage channels, the company is also building\ntwo 1.5-kilometre-long tunnels encircling the underground ore reserves.\nThe facilities are designed with a 5x6 metre diameter to ensure mud and\nwet material water can be channelled directly to the main drainage\noutlet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tunnel will be completed at the end of 2027, and the sling will\nalso be around the same time, hanging the sling with a hanging pump\nbecause people cannot work in the area below. It is already a danger\nzone,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Work in the high-risk area is being carried out by installing a\n3-kilometre steel cable system (sling) in the open pit to suspend pumps\nthat extract wet material. Through this combination of technologies,\nmanagement is optimistic that full operational recovery can be achieved\naccording to target by the end of 2027.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese three programmes are what we are currently planning,\u201d he\nstressed.<\/p>\n
The company is targeting underground mine production to reach 100% of\nnormal production by the end of 2027. By the end of 2026, the company\u2019s\nproduction target is 65% of normal levels. The company is working hard\nto modify equipment to accelerate operational normalisation in the GBC\narea.<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing forward, production capacity is expected to increase to 75% in\nthe first half of 2027 and gradually approach full capacity by the end\nof 2027,\u201d he said during the 81st Independence Day ceremony in\nTembagapura, Central Papua.<\/p>\n
By the end of the second half of 2026, PTFI is targeting production\ncapacity of 800 million pounds of copper and 700,000 ounces of gold.<\/p>\n
According to him, the GBC mine recovery process is quite challenging\nbecause the company must move around 800,000 tonnes of wet mud material\nthat buried a number of infrastructure and heavy equipment in the\nunderground mine area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis recovery phase continues. There are some equipment\nmodifications because the ore turned out to be wetter than we previously\nestimated. So the equipment needs to be modified slightly, but it is now\nongoing, all according to the 65% target this year,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/how-freeport-is-recovering-its-mine-after-last-years-landslide-incident-1787565088", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }