Government denied it ordered Freeport to lower down production

Government denied on Friday that gold and copper mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia was required to lower its production following the fatal landslide incident at Wanagon lake waste dumping site as reported by Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Both Secretary General of Ministry of Mines and Energy Djoko Darmono and Director General of Mines Surna T. Djajadiningrat said that Freeport would only have to follow what is already contained in Freeport's CoW's.

The two officials responding to earlier reports that Freeport was required to lower down its production following the Wanagon incident.

"There is no such order to lower down production. Freeport is free to lower or increase its production so long as it complies to the CoW," both of them said (*)