Govt says not to suspend Freeport?s mining operations

Government on Friday said that PT. Freeport Indonesia would continue operations after a topsoil accident on the mine Thursday killed three workers.

?Mining inspectors sent by the government had concluded that the fatal incident was not directly related with mining operations. Therefore operations resumes after being freezed for 12 hours yesterday,? said Witoro S., Technical and Environmental Director at The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources who is directly responsible for supervising mining operations in Indonesia.

On Thursday morning a mud/topsoil slide occurred from a mountain ridge above service facilities supporting Freeport?s mining operations. The material damaged a mess hall and an adjacent area and killed three workers and injured four. Under the contract of work government can halt mining operations whenever accident occurs.

Copper prices rose to records in New York and London on Thursday after Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., parent company of PT. Freeport Indonesia reported a landslide near its Grasberg mine in Indonesia, prompting concern supplies might be disrupted. (godang)