Freeport Targets Full Recovery of Underground Mine Production by End of 2027
Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) has stated that the production capacity of the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine in Central Papua, operated by PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), will return to 100% operation by the end of 2027, as operational levels are gradually increased to overcome the impact of a mud rush incident that disrupted mining activities in Papua in September 2025.
FCX President and Chief Executive Officer Kathleen Quirk explained that the company is currently making progress in ramping up production at the GBC mine. She emphasised that the company remains focused on safely restoring all operations at GBC in order to sustain financial performance growth.
“The Freeport team delivered strong results in the second quarter, supported by solid execution of our operating plans and favourable prices for our products. We made steady progress in the operational ramp-up at Grasberg,” she said in the FCX First Half 2026 Report, quoted on Thursday (6/8/2026).
FCX noted that overall PTFI production levels are projected to climb gradually to reach 65% in the second half of this year. The production target will continue to be pursued until normal production levels are reached by the end of 2027.
“Overall PTFI production rates are expected to approach 65% in the second half of 2026, 80% by mid-2027, and near full capacity by the end of 2027,” the report stated.
PTFI has completed all remediation and restoration stages required to resume activities in Production Blocks 2 and 3 since the end of March 2026. Currently, teams in the field are accelerating upgrades to the material handling system at the haulage level so that copper and gold ore distribution proceeds according to schedule.
“Following the external mud rush incident in September 2025, PTFI has advanced a series of activities to address the incident and remains focused on increasing safe and sustainable operational capacity towards full capacity,” the report added.
In addition to focusing on recovery, PTFI is also continuing to boost investment in the development of its mining projects, such as the Kucing Liar block, which as of June 2026 has absorbed US$1.4 billion, equivalent to Rp25 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of Rp17,923).
As such, the company is committed to strengthening risk mitigation through the use of more advanced technology and drainage systems to ensure the sustainability of national production.