Purnomo says Freeport?s production resumption within days

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro confirmed on Tuesday that the government would soon allow copper and gold miner PT. Freeport Indonesia to resume operations of its Grasberg open pit mine.

?It (the approval) will be within days,? said Purnomo in a phone interview.

Grasberg wall material slippage on October 9 killed 8 workers.The slippage had caused concentrate production from the world?s largest copper mine to decline sharply and world copper price to soar.

Meanwhile, Suyartono, a senior official from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said final meeting to decide on the matter will be held today (Tuesday) or Wednesday.

Siddharta Moersjid, Freeport Indonesia spokesperson said Freeport was ready to resume Grasberg full operations. ?Freeport will obey government recommendations to prevent similar accident from happening in the future,? he said.

Freeport Indonesia is a unit of New Orleans-based mining giant Feeport McMoRan Gold & Copper Inc. (godang)