'Only parts of operation suspended'

'Only parts of operation suspended'

SINGAPORE: PT Freeport Indonesia reiterated Monday that only
parts of the operations at its open pit Grasberg gold and copper
mine are suspended.

PT Freeport Indonesia, the mine operator, is a unit of New
Orleans-based Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc.

"There are some parts of the open pit where you can't do
anything because of the slippage," a PT Freeport spokesman told
OsterDowJones, referring to a land slippage that occurred on
Thursday at the Grasberg mine located in the province of Papua.

The spokesman was speaking in response to news reports on the
Indonesian Mines and Energy Minister's statement that the company
will stop production from its open pit mine for two weeks.

"The minister was saying that it will take about two weeks to
clear the rocks and slippage," the spokesman said. "It doesn't
mean the whole mine will be closed for two weeks."

The slippage killed two employees and injured five, while six
are still missing. "For sure, the underground operations (at
Grasberg) are still operating," said the spokesman. -- Dow Jones