URGENT: Two workers killed due to poisonous gas at Freeport’s mines

Two workers were killed on Saturday at PT Freeport Indonesia’s copper and gold mine in Papua after inhaling poisonous gas.

It is the second deadly incident to occur at the world’s largest gold mine in less than two months. And the Nov. 22 incident came as the company is still struggling to find the bodies of all its workers who disappeared following the incident on Oct. 9.

Suyartono, technical director the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources’ directorate general of geology and mineral resources, told Petromindo.Com on Wednesday that the latest incident took place at 10 p.m. at the underground pit of the Kucing Liar zone of the Grasberg mine.

“Ten other workers were lightly injured during the incident. But, they have returned home from hospital,” Suyartono said.

He said the government had sent two mine inspectors and two chemical experts to probe the incident.

A Freeport spokesperson confirmed the incident but she refused to provide details.

According to Suyartono, Freeport closed the pit after the incident and it remained closed until Wednesday. In its latest financial report, Freeport said the Kucing Liar zone, which is still labeled by the firm as “exploration area”, is believed to contain 478 million tons of ore.

Freeport Indonesia is the subsidiary of New Orleans-based mining giant Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold.

On Oct. 9, two employees were killed and six other workers were missing due to a slippage of materials at the firm’s Grasberg open pit mine. The firm has thus far been able to recover two dead bodies of the six missing workers. (Godang/Alex)