PT Freeport Indonesia does not expect to resume full production until at least 2028 at its Grasberg Block Cave underground copper mine, 58km northeast of Timika in Indonesia.
CEO Tony Wenas had predicted the mine would fully restart sometime in 2027. However, September 2025 mudflows were so severe that further disaster recovery work will be necessary.
“Operations are currently in the recovery phase following the Grasberg Block Cave underground mine incident, with production currently at around 40% to 50% … [and] the company targets a return to full capacity by early 2028,” he tells Reuters.
“Adjustment to the Grasberg Block Cave production recovery target was made due to additional work on logistics and ore handling infrastructure at the underground mine following the incident,” Vice President Corporate Communications Katri Krisnati adds.
The train ore transport system and supporting facilities now require modifications to ensure safe operations due to “wetter-than-expected material conditions”.
Freeport says the changes are necessary due to the September mine shutdown that caused groundwater infiltration. This resulted in underground ore becoming wetter.
Parent company Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) earlier planned to perform a phased restart at mine production blocks two and three during the second quarter of 2026.
Production would have ramped up in the second half of 2026, with a separate restart planned at mine production block 1S in the second quarter of 2027. There was also potential for mine production block 1C to restart by the end of 2027.
PT Freeport Indonesia is a copper, gold, and silver explorer and producer with assets mainly in Southeast Asia.
Write to Richard Szabo at Mining.com.au
Images: Freeport Indonesia
