Freeport cleared to produce 230.000 tons of ore per day
Monday, January 8 2001 - 05:00 AM WIB
Indonesia has given PT Freeport Indonesia permission to resume normal output of 230,000 tons of ore per day from 200,000 tons at its copper and gold mine in remote Irian Jaya province, an official said.
Freeport Indonesia, majority owned by US-based Freeport McMoran Copper & Gold Inc, cut output to 200,000 tonnes of ore per day last May following an accident at the Wanagon Lake waste dump that killed four people.
Freeport said earlier this week the mine was allowed to resume normal production, but no figure was reported.
"I have sent a letter to allow Freeport to resume (output of) 230,000 tons of ore per day," director general of mining, Surna Tjahya Djajadiningrat, told Reuters during a visit to the West Java city of Bandung.
He said an independent study on Freeport's operations had been concluded, which recommended the firm still use Wanagon Lake for its overburden.(*)