Indonesian Mining Company Secures International Copper Certification
The Indonesian Mining Professionals Association (Perhapi) has announced that PT Freeport Indonesia is among Indonesia’s mining companies to have obtained the Copper Mark certification.
Perhapi Chairman Sudirman Widhy Hartono considers commodity certifications such as Copper Mark as essential elements in implementing responsible mining governance, particularly in the copper industry. According to him, by obtaining the Copper Mark certification, mining companies in Indonesia can demonstrate their commitment to responsible mining practices, thereby enhancing reputation and stakeholder trust.
“In Indonesia, not many copper mining companies have obtained the Copper Mark certification, but to our knowledge, PT Freeport Indonesia is among those that have,” said Widhy to CNBC Indonesia on Monday, 16 March 2026.
Widhy noted that before obtaining the Copper Mark certification, copper mining companies must meet strict criteria. These include demonstrating how the company reduces environmental impact, respects human rights, improves transparency and accountability, and implements responsible mining practices.
The certification also helps increase consumer, investor, and public confidence in the copper mining industry. Additionally, it helps companies enhance their reputation and reduce operational risks.
In Indonesia, he said, implementation of certifications such as Copper Mark can serve as an important instrument for improving mining governance quality whilst promoting the mining sector’s contribution to sustainable development.
“Moreover, Copper Mark is particularly important in several aspects, namely sustainability, transparency, and global market acceptance through increased competitiveness,” he said.
Copper Mark itself is an international certification framework in the mining industry aimed at ensuring that metal production, particularly copper, molybdenum, nickel, and zinc, is conducted responsibly from environmental, social, and governance (ESG) perspectives.
Established in 2019 in England by the International Copper Association, mining operations seeking Copper Mark certification must pass independent assessment against 33 criteria.
PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is one of the world’s largest copper and gold producers, operating an underground mine in Central Papua. In 2024, PTFI’s average copper ore production reached 220,000–230,000 tonnes per day. However, production subsequently declined to 30% of normal capacity due to a landslide at the Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine that occurred in September 2025. Production is projected to recover gradually in the first quarter of 2026.
Through its smelter with the world’s largest single-line design located in Gresik, East Java, PTFI has a processing capacity of 1.7 million tonnes of copper concentrate annually and produces approximately 600,000–700,000 copper cathodes per year.
Together with its first smelter, managed by PT Smelting Gresik, these two PTFI smelters will process a total of 3 million tonnes of copper concentrate annually and produce 1 million tonnes of copper cathode, 50 tonnes of gold, and 200 tonnes of silver.